Indian Creek Kilmarnock

Tuesday April 27th. This particular blog is dedicated to Aedan’s brother Declan who fell off his scooter and is currently suffering from a concussion,

facial bruising, and possible fracture of his jaw and arm. Declan we admire your spirit and glad you are home and recovering. 

Another Layday at Tidewater Marina as Nandad prepares to get his second COVID shot. Nana participated in a zoom yoga class while Nandad took an Uber to CVS - after our bike ride yesterday he decided to skip the bike. Laundry needed to be done , boat needs a good wash down, windows need a good cleaning , trash  and recycling need to be disposed. So a busy afternoon lay ahead in preparation for an early start tomorrow, so we can catch the tide heading up the creek to Bill & Linda’s house in Kilmarnock. 

Wednesday 28th April heading up The Chesapeake Bay. Chesapeake Bay is 219 miles long from Norfolk VA mile zero to Chesapeake City MD and the C&D canal, however it has 11,600 miles of shoreline. So a lot to cruise and explore. According to the Loopers Companion Guide it has over 150 rivers and streams. It’s width varies from 4 miles at the Bay Bridge to 30 miles at the Potomac. Although you can’t see Kilmarnock on the map it is very close to Irvington. When cruising the Bay it is important to check the weather as it can be very choppy and unforgiving. Nandad had to work hard at the helm but we were safely docked after a five hour cruise. Thank you to Bill & Patrick for having the dock all prepped for our arrival. What a treat! 

 

The picture below if from NEBO so you can see NH’s actual route. 

NH tucked into the dock up Indian Creek at Kilmarnock 

Lots of toys here with Sailboat, jet skies, motor boat, kayaks etc So excited to have some fun with Bill, Linda and family. It is such a peaceful spot. Nana and Nandad will spend three days here and then drive back to Franklin MA to connect once again with family and hopefully friends. It has been 10 weeks since Nandad has been home! We plan to celebrate Mother’s Day before we leave to return on Sunday 10th May. When we return we will cruise up the Potomac to Washington DC and stay at the Capital Yacht Club. 

No more blog until then. Happy Mothers Day to all and a speedy recovery to Declan.

Monday April 26th Portsmouth VA

Nana and Nandad had a wonderful dinner at Fish and Slip which is right at the dock. Nana had delicious crab balls but was a little disappointed they were not locally caught!  Nandad had a huge portion of meatloaf- the perfect comfort food. We captured the almost full moon shining over the navy dry dock just before sunset. 

Monday morning Nandad wanted to take the bikes to the local supermarket. As we rode down the historic downtown it was almost like a ghost  town. After successfully doing our grocery shopping, filling our two backpacks , Nandad decided we should take a different ride back !!! Oh boy did we go round in circles! No worries we finally returned to NH , put the groceries away and had a great lunch onboard.

After lunch Nana and Nandad decided to take the River boat across to Norfolk and walk around the Nauticus & The Battleship Wisconsin. Nothing is open today but we had a wonderful time strolling the area known as Cannonball Trail. We also discovered the Pagoda & Oriental Gardens which are so colorful and very peaceful. 

This is a picture of the bow of the USS Wisconsin - a little intimidating! 

Maybe this is the reason it’s called the Cannonball trail ! 

The perfect spot for a little meditation. 

Nandad looking out over the bay after a wonderful dinner onboard. The bagpipes were playing in the background for sunset. The perfect end to a perfect day. Tonite we look forward to watching the Pink Moon. 

ICW mile Zero Portsmouth VA

April 25th Sunday . Nana and Nandad finally arrived at Portsmouth VA officially the beginning of the ICW. NH had cruised through FL, GA, SC, NC, and VA. We have travelled all 1095 miles of the ICW from Miami to Norfolk and 375 miles from Port Charlotte to Miami so our total approximate miles is 1470. Congratulations to all aboard. 

Today we cruised the Coinjock Bay into the North Landing River up the Albemarle and Chesapeake Canal into the Southern Branch of the Elizabeth River to dock at Tidewater Yacht Marina which is right beside the Navy Hospital on Crawford Bay. The journey took us through six bridges, a very large lock and a seven-mile-long congested stretch with a six-mph speed limit. Large Navel vessels are everywhere here and Norfolk is the home of The Norfolk Naval Station - the largest naval installation in the world! We will stay here for three nights as Nandad will get his second shot on Tuesday and we will head to Kilmarnock on Wednesday. Lots of time to explore this very historic area. 

These are the two boats in front of us in the lock - I can’t imagine a full lock !

The picture below is some kind of structure that Nana is very curious about. They were scattered all along the route from Little Alligator River up to just after Coinjock. She is on a mission to find out from the locals what they are for! 

NH Anchorage & docked at Coinjock Marina

April 23rd Nana and Nandad decided to anchor just past the Alligator River Bridge at ICW mile 81.5. Cruising the wide Alligator River was very pleasant and Nandad had calculated the weather nicely. However our Anchorage , while excellent holding , the boat rocked and rolled all night long - even louder than when we were docked at Belhaven. This meant for an early start in the morning so that we could make Coinjock Marina before the winds picked up once again. Another great opportunity for a sunrise picture ! 

April 24th Saturday. Cruising up the Albermarle Sound with lots of other boats heading North was very comforting. Everybody seemed to arrive within the same timeframe at the Marina so dockhands were really busy. They are well prepared here with expert help. A great stop in the middle of nowhere with one of the best local restaurants. Very large power boats here mixed with sailboats and lots of loopers. Many fishing craft pass by after a day searching for bass. 

A very pretty boat cruising  past while we were docked at Coinjock. We later saw it again docked at Great Bridge on the way to Portsmouth Virginia. 

Belhaven NC

April 21st and 22nd. 

Now you all know that expression the early bird catches the worm. Well in this case it was certainly true and lots of boats were doing the same today. The Neuse River, Pamlico River and the Pungo River are very wide sections of the ICW so most boaters wanted to be at their marina before the high winds which were forecast for early afternoon. We arrived into Belhaven Marina in perfect time and are ready for a Layday. Belhaven is a very tiny sleepy town with lovely homes, a few selective boutiques, one or two antique shops but most importantly the best farm-to-fork style restaurant called Spoon River Artworks and Market. 

Loved these two wooden artworks on this front porch.

Also this lovely welcoming frontage. Nana’s right there on the rocking chair on the porch.

Oriental NC Anchorage

Tuesday April 20th Nana and Nandad, after a long day cruising along Bogue Sound, Newport River, and Adam’s Creek we eventually anchored right outside the break wall at Oriental Hbr. There were several Anchorage spots before the Harbor  however many were overfilled with crab pots so after two attempts Nandad decided heading into Oriental was the best choice. It was very choppy but settled down once the sun set. 

Now boating is always full of surprises some good some not so good. As we were planning our trip to the Outer Banks we checked the weather conditions for the next few days. Very high winds with high seas were forecast so unfortunately there would be no side trip this time. Better be disappointed than miserable! Also Nandad is getting his second vaccine on Tuesday in Norfolk VA so we have learned from our travels never head to a destination when you have to be somewhere at a particular time - it seldom works in you favor. 

Due to the weather NH would leave the Anchorage by sunrise to be into Belhaven before the weather window. 

At sunrise we are ready to leave and if you look closely you will notice the infestation of flies! We were to discover that these are called Fuzzy Bills which are male mosquitos that don’t bite and only live 24 hours - not sure how reliable this source is! The anchor light was their main attraction and thank goodness they were mostly outside.

Nana is ready for the flies! Somehow Nandads knee is so painful he simply is not able to do the anchor!!! 

(Temporary Backup) Anchor at Mile Hammock Bay ( Mile 244.5 )

April 19th Monday. Cruising this section of the ICW is really very beautiful especially as the waterway is so close to the Atlantic Ocean. Mile Hammock Anchorage is a well protected spot and very popular with the Loopers. It is at the SE end of Camp Lejeune which is a 246-square-mile United States military training facility in Jacksonville NC. The base’s 14 miles of beaches make it a major area for amphibious assault training! Now if Nana thinks she is taking the dingy to the beach it is certainly not happening here! On our arrival Nandad saw what he thought was a very large drone , which turned out to be a very large marine helicopter , which spent the afternoon practicing taking off and landing - very entertaining if not very loud. We have also heard several sounds similar to an explosion ( maybe the marines are also practicing bomb targets - hopefully not NH ). Despite all this it is really a  lovely peaceful spot.

Below is the stretch of beach that Nana thought she would take the dingy ride however when she took a look through the binoculars she noticed several marines on the beach so it was quickly decided that that was likely not a good idea. Best watch the sunset from the boat. 

Despite the continued blast sounds this a really a lovely spot. Let’s hope the amphibious vehicles don’t come racing down the concrete ramp early in the morning! If we survive the evening/night we will head for Oriental tomorrow which means we will then cross Pamlico Sound on the Outer Banks 42 miles to Ocracoke.  Nana wanted to visit here last time we were cruising but it was not meant to be. It is supposed to be one of a kind destination. 

Bald Head Island NC

April 18th NH left MBYC ICW mm 347.2 for an early start so that we would arrive at Deep Point Marina by 1pm ICW mm 307.1. Again this is a slow section passing many Inlets with strong currents ( Hog Inlet, Little River Inlet, Mad Inlet, Shallotte Inlet, Lockwood Folly Inlet, and Cape Fear River Inlet). An interesting little history in the Waterway Guide tells that the name “Lockwood Folly” came about when a certain Mr Lockwood built himself a boat - which happened to have a draft too great to transit the inlet - now that was a bit of a bummer !!! Nana and Nandad arrived as scheduled to discover that the Ferry for BHI ( Bald Head Island ) leaves from Deep Point Marina every hour from 7 am until 11 pm every day blasting its horn with a loud single blast each time it leaves the dock! Now, as we were unable to meet our good friend Tom , it was decided that we would board the ferry and visit what turned out to be a gem. This island complex is 12,000 acres, three miles long with marshes, creeks , beautiful beaches and lovely homes - a feel of Block Island.  Limited transportation means it is very peaceful and very much a vacation spot. A very unique island that we will have to return to some day. A very handsome Captain in full control of his helm. Nice job Nandad.

Old Baldy Lighthouse built in 1817 North Carolina’s oldest standing lighthouse 

Bikes for all ages here! Mode of transportation is bike and golf cart. The island has two recreational clubs but Nana is not sure of the availability. Temporary membership is required but it is not clear if this is available to all island visitors. 

Dockage at Myrtle Beach Yacht Club

Nana and Nandad cruised approximately 64 nautical miles today but it took us a long time! Slow progress along this section where the trees with their hanging moss, dying branches and dead debris surround the banks of the ICW. Lots of Marinas along the way and homes with floating docks , so in order to be respectful to our fellow boaters , NH averages maybe 8 to 9 knots. This means it took us seven hours. The pretty white and black lighthouse is a good mark for the marina. There is a great boardwalk all around the marina and two good restaurants. Once settled in Nana and Nandad met another boat called Dougout that completed the loop in 2019. We had a wonderful dinner at the yacht club and shared many favorite spots both to be explored and already explored. This is the advantage of flying the looper AGLCA  burgee. Tomorrow Nana and Nandad hope to make it to Deep Point Marina in Southport NC.

April 16th NH anchors at Winyah Bay

After a very busy morning Nana and Nandad left Charleston at 11am so we realized right away that making it to Georgetown would be a stretch! Now cruising the ICW is really an experience that simply has to be experienced in person. Some of the areas just can not be described in enough detail to explain its complexity and pictures just do not capture the lure of all the canals, creeks, rivers, inlets, islands, bridges, swamps, mile markers, trees, grasses and not to mention some of the wildlife along the way. The picture above is just one little spot that if you are not paying attention, while on the helm , a surprise will await you!!! 

Just before NH dropped anchor , while cruising the Estherville Minim Cr Canal at mile maker 412 , there is a barge called Miss Ellie that takes the cars from one side to the other - no bascule or swing bridge here! Although it is only 10 miles to Georgetown we decided to call it a day and settle in for the night. A great decision as Nana was able to soak up some sunshine on the bow and practice her meditation while listening to mother nature’s sounds. Quite the treat. A cool buggy night made for the perfect dinner in the pilot house overlooking  this amazing view of Cat Island, Cedar Island, Mimim Island with their lush grasses and marshes. The weather is cooler now so once the screens in place it’s the perfect sleeping weather. No air conditioning needed. 

Crossing the Savannah River into South Carolina

April 14th Wednesday NH crosses the Savannah River - which by the way is a diagonal crossing - so very strong current. This is our first time heading back north and it’s quite a different feel. Again due to the multiple rivers, creeks and sounds our journey was very challenging. We experienced several areas where the depth read 2 feet which was very disturbing however Nandad kept his concentration with multiple aides including Raymarine, IPads, IPhones while Nana monitored her flip chart! Ashepoo Coosaw Cutoff was by far the shallowest followed by Watts Cut. We realized that we would not make it to Charleston so an attempt to anchor near Alligator Creek on South Edisto River proved challenging - the holding was very poor - so we finally settled on White Point Landing which is close to Slann Island with perfect holding. After almost eight hours cruising we were ready for dinner and early bedtime. A very peaceful spot surrounded by islands - Slann, Edisto, Little Britton, and Madmalaw. 

This picture will give you an idea of the long docks from the homes to the ICW. Not sure I would want to be maintaining this stretch of docks! 

April 15th NH docks at Charleston. Now every so often miracles happen and this morning was one of those mornings when Nandad had breakfast sandwiches ready for Nana. What a treat to wake up to the smell of bacon. Delicious. Because we anchored only 27 miles from the city of Charleston there was no rush this morning so we enjoyed the scenery while eating our delicious breakfast. Safe Harbor Charleston City Marina has over 400 slips with a MegaDock! Lots of boats here, many from Newport RI. A courtesy car provides a drive downtown which means we will eat out tonite and do the grocery shopping tomorrow. NH is now at ICW 465 and hopes to head to Georgetown tomorrow. 

NH docks at Jekyll Island & Thunderbolt

April 12th Nana and Nandad dock at one of their favorite spots in GA - Jekyll Island. Of course, right away , we were on the courtesy golf cart heading to historic downtown. We found ourselves on the fishing pier located on the Clam Creek Picnic Area. There we found a family using chicken legs in a net catching blue crab - fascinating. Our grandsons Cillian and Liam would love this activity. We also saw the remains of the Golden Ray which capsized September 2019 off the coast of Georgia near St Simons Sound with 4200 new cars onboard. Apparently an error made during loading caused the incident - whoops! 

While cruising the Golden Isles Nana tried to capture the wild horses on Cumberland Island - always a lovely sight. 

You can see Nandad shadow, not so much the chicken legs! and the blue crab which by the way was put back into the water

Here you can see the remains of the Golden Ray which had to be cut into pieces. The machinery alone is fascinating and the project is still ongoing.

Unfortunately because I had to zoom in again to catch the horses they have become very blurry. However you get the idea. Some day Nana will return to Cumberland Island and hike with the horses. 
April 13th Tuesday.  A very long day and stressful day cruising this beautiful section of the ICW. As described by the Waterway guide it is visually interesting and physically demanding. The route winds past many of Georgia’s barrier islands. The currents are very strong with many swift rivers and choppy sounds add to the mix of varying depth meaning everybody has to pay attention - no reading today Nana!  Anchoring can be tricky in GA so we decided to call Thunderbolt Marina at MM 583 for a slip. There is a great restaurant called Tubby’s which we will have to visit next time. Due to Nandad’s very swollen ankle ( he slipped while visiting the fort at Fernandina) and our level of exhaustion we had the perfect dinner onboard in the pilot house as the NO SEE’UMs were vicious!

A little history on Thunderbolt Yacht Basin

Nana joins Nandad at Fernandina FL April 11th

While Nana was celebrating Easter and family birthdays Nandad was busy getting vaccinated and cruising NH solo. Quite the accomplishment and well done. Nandad took NH from Stuart to Cocoa Village Marina, Halifax Harbor Marina, St Augustine and finally Fernandina. While visiting the  Fort Clinch state Park Nandad twisted his angle so was once again limping when he picked up Nana from the Airport.  The marina at Fernandina was rebuilt so it was especially nice to be there. Nana arrived for the perfect Sunset and fantastic dinner at a wonderful Spanish Restaurant called Espania. Chilean Sea Bass never tasted soooo good. They have the perfect patio however due to very severe NO See’UMs dining indoors was very attractive.

Fort Clinch State Park