The Big IC

I awoke around 5:00 am to the joyful chattering of two otters gamboling about the boat. I rushed on deck to just miss getting a picture or at least a recognizable picture of these playful creatures. They were too quick. Still, I had never seen otter in the wild and it was exciting.

We had been at Coinjock for several days and with Pat feeling much better we planned to head out that morning. Our friends, Michael and Joy of Fiona Rois, had pulled in the day before after spending the previous night aground in water that, according to the chart, should have been 4 or 5 feet deeper than it actually was. I guess the water hadn't looked at the chart. The weather forecast called for light winds and clear skies followed by deteriorating conditions over the next several days (gale force winds and freezing temperatures). If we didn't leave right away, we would be stuck in Coinjock for 3 or 4 more days.

Shortly after sunrise, Friday, December 14, we cast off and headed down the Cut. Our trip would take us down the North River and into the Alligator River, stopping for the night at the Alligator River Marina. With calm winds, sunny skies and deep water, our only concern was a fishhook turn where the channel had reportedly silted in making the charts inaccurate. Talking to the marina manager and others with local knowledge, however, reassured us that following the day markers would ensure a safe passage.

The trip proved uneventful. We saw a few more otter and enjoyed a quiet day. We pulled into the Alligator River Marina late afternoon. The marina is an artificial harbor that offers all of the services and entertainment of a gas station convenient market. The nearest restaurant or store is 12 miles away. The Marina does have a full service grill that offers a wide range of fried food and burgers. In other words, a place where you can eat and get gas.

While the marina may have been a little short on amenities, the harbor is very protected and we were happy to be securely tied up there during the next three days as the wind gusted up to 40 knots. It got so windy that the Alligator River Swing Bridge closed on Sunday because it wasn't safe to open. Days confined to the boat provide an opportunity to plan, do repairs, read and visit with fellow cruisers. Unfortunately, we had no high speed internet service and sporadic cell phone service so surfing the net and responding to emails was a challenge. As we planned to drive to Ohio and then Florida over the holidays, we needed to rent a car. Unfortunately, there were few car rental options locally and none allowed driving as far as Ohio (I think you weren't allowed to cross the Mason-Dixon Line). Pat finally located a Hertz in Greenville (50 miles away) that met our needs; we just had to figure out how to get there.

Because the marina was so well protected and relatively inexpensive, we considered leaving the boat there over the holidays. However, when I asked the Dock Master, 18 year old Josh, about leaving the boat, I was told that I had to get the permission of the owners. I asked to speak to the owners and was told, "They're away." "When will they get back?" "Not sure." "Can you call them?" "Well, I don't know about that. They don't like to be bothered when they're away." "But, I don't understand. The marina is practically empty. What's the problem?" "They can't rent slips on a permanent basis." "I'm not talking about permanent; only till after Christmas." "You have to talk to the owners about that." "When can I talk to them?" "Not sure." By now, I sensed the futility of going on; that the gnawing feeling in my stomach and the slight rise in the pitch in my voice suggested the delegation of this task to my more politically astute 1st Mate would be the most prudent course of action. The owners actually returned while we were still there. I left several requests to speak with them but they never responded.

Tuesday dawned cold, bright and clear, winds 5-10 knots NW. We scraped ice off the bimini, loosed the lines, passed through the Alligator River Bridge (our last bridge opening on the ICW), and headed to Belhaven. Nothing could have been easier. Our route took us down the Alligator/Pungo Canal, a deep canal that runs as straight as an arrow. Moving sedately down the canal in bright sunshine brought memories of when my brother, Craig; our friend, JW and I moved Beaujolais down this same passage way 9 years ago.

Due to time limitations on that trip, we ran down the ICW day and night, stopping only for fuel, food and the threat of mutiny. As we entered the Canal, JW and I went below to get some much needed sleep, leaving Craig at the helm. The deep, straight canal didn't require a spotter on deck. A short time later, however, a dense fog rolled in limiting visibility and creating the potential risk of collision with other vessels. Craig and I decided to anchor and keep an anchor watch until daylight or the fog lifted. Within a couple of hours the fog cleared and with a full moon, I went forward to raise the anchor.

Beaujolais was new to us and this was the first time I had anchored with her. As I pulled on the anchor line, I was surprised at how hard it was to raise. It took all my strength to get the CQR anchor to budge. Any slacking of effort on my part resulted in the anchor line running out again. I remember thinking that if this is the way of it, anchoring is going to be a challenge. I had Craig pull Beaujolais forward on the line to help break the anchor off the bottom. With that and much huffing and puffing, I began gaining on it. Finally, the shank of the anchor broke the surface. However, without the buoyancy of the water, I couldn't get it on-board. I tied it off, got a flashlight and returned. The flashlight beam revealed not the familiar profile of the CQR, but rather the rough, round shape of a tree stump, a good 18" in diameter, impaled on the anchor's point. With the boat moving, I swung over the bow pulpit and with my foot kicked the stump repeatedly. Finally, I freed the anchor and the water logged stump thumped its way past the hull, sinking into the canal to ensnare another unsuspecting boater.

By 3:00 pm, Pat and I entered Belhaven Harbor. Docking at the Belhaven Waterway Marina, we were warmly greeted by Dave, a marina employee, who assisted us in tying up. Dave helped us arrange for a cab to take us to Greenville in the morning to pick up our rental car. On Dave's recommendation, we had a wonderful dinner at Fishbones Restaurant. The next morning, Wednesday, found us on our way to Dayton and Christmas with the family.