Day 3: Norfolk, VA to North River, NC

Ann and I were up early this morning to get a head start on a unique day of travel. The run South of Norfolk includes several bridges that have to open for us to pass and a lock that takes us to lower water. At the height of snowbird season, we knew we would be in a long caravan of boats, and that there would be a lot of waiting around before the bridges and the locks. It's tricky because the river is narrow, the current is strong, and the wind can blow opposite the current making it difficult to judge how to maneuver.

We were ready to go before dawn, but our marina completely filled up last night, and even with my new Dockmate remote, I was not comfortable navigating through all the boats, and I wasn't even sure there was enough room. Here was the view from the helm of Empty Nest that we woke up to.

We waited an hour and a half, and talked to the other boat owners and captains, but nobody was leaving. The owner of the small sailboat in front of us was very friendly and agreed to leave earlier than he had planned, just to make it easier for us. But, he could not get his engine started. He was gracious though and helped us pull his boat back a couple of feet. 

As it got later in the morning, we knew that the lock and the bridges were going to get more crowded, and so finally we decided to go. The whole thing ended up being a big nothingburger, as the remote worked beautifully, and we got out with no issues. This will build our confidence in tight docking situations. Had it been windy, I would have waited longer until some boats cleared out.

Right before we left, a massive cruise ship spun around in the basin right behind us. Too cool.

As we left Norfolk, we passed under a dozen or so bridges. Several of them are too low, and we had to wait for the to open. But, Ann and I have now done this trip four times, and I've done it several more, and we were able to time it so that waiting time was minimal. 

Getting through the lock today was very intense, so much so, that neither Ann nor I had a chance to take any pictures. The lock was filled to capacity both port and starboard, and I was stuck between a concrete wall and the boats next to me. No room for error. Ann held the bow line, while I tended the stern and once we were out, 20 or so boats headed in the same direction at the same time. 

This swing bridge had only one side working, and it was a tight fit, but we made it. Here you can see the boat in front of us, the same size as Empty Nest, going through with a few feet on each side.

While stressful, at times complicated, and always hazardous, the ICW also provides gorgeous views, and is a marvel of mother nature. (actually it's man made)

We were excited to cross the state line from Virginia to North Carolina, as you can see from this picture of the chart plotter. We traveled only 52 miles today, but it took almost 8 hours because of the no wake zones, the slow passing protocols, the bridges, and of course the lock.

We anchored in a spot that worked well for us last Spring, on the North River, about 80 minutes South of Coinjock, a popular stop on the ICW. In fact it was so busy at Coinjock that boats were rafted up two deep. We were glad to skip that this year because who wants some stranger's boat tied up to you. Not I. Also, unless we were lucky, who knows if we would be tied up to another boat that keeps to our super early schedule.

The anchorage is really nice. Very good holding, and far enough from the channel that we won't have to deal with any wakes. Our plan is to get going at first light so we have time to explore downtown Bellhaven, NC tomorrow. 

After the sun set, we were treated to a gorgeous sky. I doubt we'll ever get used to these scenes. We always stop what we're doing and go outside to admire the colors.

Finally, we settled in to watch our recording of the Ravens losing a heartbreaker to the Browns early today. If only Hamilton had hung on to that easy interception... Oh well, at least Michigan won yesterday.

Our plan is to travel every day until we reach Charleston next Friday. If the weather holds up, the ocean waves are calm enough, and our boat continues to function well, we will be able to keep to our schedule, provided that we get a waiver from our insurance company. We are not allowed to travel South of Moorhead City until November 1, but our current plan would have us hitting that landmark on October 30. Last year, we were given permission, but the weather actually kept us from going that day. So, we are optimistic that this will all work out.

We'll stay two nights in Charleston and then two nights in Hilton Head. After that we'll travel every day until we get to Stuart, where we hope to arrive on November 9, the day after my birthday. I'll post the address for gifts in a subsequent blog.

We keep our itinerary updated on google docs. You can see it here.