October 21, 2019 Elizabeth City, NC to Wrightsville Beach, NC

 After four days the swing bridge was finally repaired and the trio Veritas, Cramina II and Calliope finally left Elizabeth City, a rough fifteen mile ride down the Albemarle Sound into the Alligator River.  Later the Alligator-Pungo Canal was wide, quiet and peaceful.

Little Alligator river anchorage

A fully functioning Alligator river Bridge!

 We all had been looking forward to a pump out station since the Dismal Swamp.  There were none working in Elizabeth City or at the Alligator River Marina.  Yikes!  After more than a week, we blessed the little village of Belhaven for maintaining one at their docks.  The next day, we crossed an unusually calm Pamlico Sound and into the Neuse River to Oriental, NC.

Pamlico Sound

 Dietrich managed to wiggle Calliope to a free city dock, tucking under the bows of two 60 - 80 ft. Shrimp boats.  Our bow hovered at the main street's edge which was flooded due to a high, wind driven tide.   It was a tight space, but entertaining.  The shrimpers keep motors running and huge LED lights on the decks all night.  Across the flooded street The Bean welcomed us back (we hung out there in 2008-2009, too) for 7:00 am coffee, bagels and scones, real newspapers and locals who have their own mugs behind the counter.  We enjoyed bike rides and long walks in the charming neighborhoods.  Our Canadian friends on Veritas and Cramina II joined the cozy harbor crowd having passed R.E. Mayo Seafood Co. along the way.  We all had a feast on Veritas of fresh shrimp, lightly curried, over rice.  We turned Queen up loud and sang along in an attempt to drown out the shrimpers' diesels.  Earlier that day, Mike Sutherland (a Traverse City friend) called from his boat eight miles away.  He made a speedy trip in his dinghy for a short but lively visit.   It was good to have him aboard!  We hope it will happen again as we all head south.

Oriental NC shrimp boats

A visit from Mike

Snapping off shrimp heads

Cramina II squeezing between Veritas and the behemoth

 During an easy day's sail to Morehead City we encountered dolphins dancing in Adams Creek.  I sat on the cabin top for a better view, wanting to talk with those beauties but they were shy.  Predictions for high winds caused us to choose the city's transient docks where dolphins played in the canal at our bow.  The whole shoreline is new due to nearly complete destruction  during Hurricane Florence in 2018.  We had a wonderful reunion with Laurie and Paul Welser (former Traverse City teacher, artist, carpenter, musician, GTYC cruisers on steel hulled Verkennen) who now live in Morehead City.  They generously took us to grocery stores, hardware stores, bookstores, and let us do laundry in their home.  They prepared a Low Country Shrimp Boil and the best Key Lime Pie!  They shared trails that wound through forested dunes to the remains of a WWII bunker, then back along several miles of hard packed beach as the in coming tide chased shore birds and the sun set.

Fred Balls old Lucky in Morehead prepping to cross the Atlantic

At a nearby marina, we spotted a familiar boat!  It had belonged to Fred Ball, from Harbor Springs, MI, a friend of Dietrich's and a fellow racer.   Fred sold the boat, now it is headed to the Mediterranean.

Morehead City weather

with Paul and Laurie Welser

Atlantic Beach sandpipers

Atlantic Beach grasses

 After dinner in the cockpit, we listened to a Beach Music concert in the nearby park.  It was Ok, but we were more impressed with the Welser guitar and ukulele duets on their back porch.

Atlantic Beach rocks

 An anchorage at Mile Hammock (Camp LeJeune, NC) was a quiet respite before docking in Surf City to shelter from 30 - 40 knot winds.  The Atlantic beach was a five minute walk through the resort area, past more new construction due to hurricane damage.  After the storm, waves were huge, dotted with board and kite surfers.  We spent most of the afternoon and until dark roaming that beach!
 The 650 ft. fishing pier shared our attention, too.  The dock shook with each crash of wild waves.  It was easy to lean on a railing and be mesmerized by the quiet conversations among fishermen, the birds arguing for morsels at the cleaning stations and by watching the grace of surfers.  The pleasant feeling of isolation above the water was worth savoring.  We will look for more fishing piers.

Surf City fishing pier

Surf City fishing pier

Surf City fishing pier