Hello again,
I got some sailing in going to the Solomons on October 21st. Anchored in Mill Creek for a couple of days. Spent most of the next day cleaning up the boat and stowing more of the food and gear that didn’t get stowed before I left the Corsica River to begin this voyage. It still isn’t all stowed, but I am getting there. As a result of my efforts on the boat, I did not go ashore in the Solomons. On Tuesday, October 23rd, I again headed south, this time crossing the bay to Onancock. Spent two days here also, only this time I did go ashore. Onancock is a quaint little town, with lots of antique shops, art galleries, and restaurants. Also found a hardware store that had a good supply of o-rings that I did for a check valve, so made out well on that little problem. Had a good dinner in an Irish Pub (on the Eastern Shore of the Chesapeake no less). The next day, I stayed on the eastern shore and visited Cape Charles, near the end of the Delmarva Peninsula. I stayed at the town dock, which is quite inexpensive ($1.00/foot), and again walked around town. It is mostly gift shops, bed and breakfasts, and restaurants. So had another good meal at one of the establishments.
I was going to stay another day, however, the weather was beginning to deteriorate, and I needed a place to settle in for Hurricane Sandy. I decided Norfolk would be the place, so headed over to Tidewater Marine, fueled up and put on water, then got a dock space. They were pretty full on the floating docks, but had plenty of space on the fixed docks, which was fine with me. I wanted to know that what I tied NAVIGATOR to wasn’t going to float away. So, with the wind building with gusts to 30 knots, I spent most of Friday, October 26th, and Saturday getting NAVIGATOR tied down and ready for the blow, along with keeping an eye on the weather reports. I doubled up all lines, and, because the slip next to me was empty, added a couple of more lines to hold me in place that extended across the adjoining slip and were tied to that slips piling. That worked great in holding me in the center of my slip. Because the weather reports were beginning to say that the storm would stay out to sea and bypass the Hampton Road area (including Norfolk), I elected to keep the sails furled on the stays, and the mainsail furled in the mast. I also left the canvas cockpit enclosure on, as it had already stood up to 50+ knots of wind in the Bahamas, and gusts were projected to be in that range. Sunday and Monday, the wind did come, along with the tide. Fortunately, the winds only blew 25-30 knots, with gusts to the mid 40s (probably around 50 mph). The tides ran 4-5 feet above normal, which put about 2 foot of water over the docks at the marina. I just hunkered down on NAVIGATOR and road out the storm. If I needed to get about, I just had to slosh around in the water. But there wasn’t much reason to go out, everything was closed, mostly due to a loss of power. By Tuesday, the wind had died down to somewhat (15-25 knots), so I did an oil change on the main engine. Also went out to dinner at a place called the Bier Garten, with authentic German Food, and it was good. But time was passing, it was getting colder, and I needed to move on.
So, on Wednesday, October 31st, I was under way south to an anchorage just south of Coinjock, NC. Went through a lock and then a bascule (lift) bridge. I ended up here because I was concerned that downed trees had closed the Dismal Swamp route. Besides, it was something different to try. It was a pleasant trip, although long. I didn’t get the anchor down until 6:30 pm, after the sun had set. November 1 was spent going across Albemarle Sound, up the Alligator River, and through the Alligator River/Pungo River Canal, to the most desolate place on the trip south. Absolutely no cell phone coverage. What a peaceful night at this anchorage, but it was still cold. I need to get south! So, the next morning I headed NAVIGATOR south toward Oriental, and spent 2 days at a development/marina called River Dunes. The first night, I took friends that I had met in Baltimore out to dinner as they were also staying there. After giving them a send off for points south the next morning, I did laundry, one of the bugaboos about boating life. Also took a long 4 mile walk to keep my doctors happy (can’t walk very far on the boat). Also watched a wedding Saturday afternoon.
But it was time to get moving again, so on Sunday, November 4th, I headed out for an anchorage on the Marine Corps base, Camp Lejune, called Mile Hammock Bay to spend the night. That is one of my long trips, 70 miles in one day. But I made good time with the help of an incoming tide. The anchorage was crowded, but quiet, it being Sunday. No heavy equipment running around as on other visits to this anchorage. Today I had a short day, only 40 miles from Mile Hammock Bay to Wrightsville Beach, NC. Stopped at Wrightsville Beach Marina to pick up water and 52 gallons of diesel fuel for the engine before anchoring behind the marshes across from the oceanfront beach of Wrightsville Beach. Should be a quiet night. Then tomorrow it will be off the North and South Carolina where I will meet a friend from my previous work to have dinner with. Then farther south toward Charleston to, hopefully, warmer weather.
I have attached some pictures I have taking so far, please enjoy. The first is the sunset at Mile Hammock Bay, the second is of the boats in Mile Hammock Bay, the third is of one of the many swing bridges that NAVIGATOR must pass through on the way south, and the last is of the ramp the Marine Corps uses for launching its amphibious vehicles in Mile Hammock Bay.
Cliff Baker
S/V NAVIGATOR
I got some sailing in going to the Solomons on October 21st. Anchored in Mill Creek for a couple of days. Spent most of the next day cleaning up the boat and stowing more of the food and gear that didn’t get stowed before I left the Corsica River to begin this voyage. It still isn’t all stowed, but I am getting there. As a result of my efforts on the boat, I did not go ashore in the Solomons. On Tuesday, October 23rd, I again headed south, this time crossing the bay to Onancock. Spent two days here also, only this time I did go ashore. Onancock is a quaint little town, with lots of antique shops, art galleries, and restaurants. Also found a hardware store that had a good supply of o-rings that I did for a check valve, so made out well on that little problem. Had a good dinner in an Irish Pub (on the Eastern Shore of the Chesapeake no less). The next day, I stayed on the eastern shore and visited Cape Charles, near the end of the Delmarva Peninsula. I stayed at the town dock, which is quite inexpensive ($1.00/foot), and again walked around town. It is mostly gift shops, bed and breakfasts, and restaurants. So had another good meal at one of the establishments.
I was going to stay another day, however, the weather was beginning to deteriorate, and I needed a place to settle in for Hurricane Sandy. I decided Norfolk would be the place, so headed over to Tidewater Marine, fueled up and put on water, then got a dock space. They were pretty full on the floating docks, but had plenty of space on the fixed docks, which was fine with me. I wanted to know that what I tied NAVIGATOR to wasn’t going to float away. So, with the wind building with gusts to 30 knots, I spent most of Friday, October 26th, and Saturday getting NAVIGATOR tied down and ready for the blow, along with keeping an eye on the weather reports. I doubled up all lines, and, because the slip next to me was empty, added a couple of more lines to hold me in place that extended across the adjoining slip and were tied to that slips piling. That worked great in holding me in the center of my slip. Because the weather reports were beginning to say that the storm would stay out to sea and bypass the Hampton Road area (including Norfolk), I elected to keep the sails furled on the stays, and the mainsail furled in the mast. I also left the canvas cockpit enclosure on, as it had already stood up to 50+ knots of wind in the Bahamas, and gusts were projected to be in that range. Sunday and Monday, the wind did come, along with the tide. Fortunately, the winds only blew 25-30 knots, with gusts to the mid 40s (probably around 50 mph). The tides ran 4-5 feet above normal, which put about 2 foot of water over the docks at the marina. I just hunkered down on NAVIGATOR and road out the storm. If I needed to get about, I just had to slosh around in the water. But there wasn’t much reason to go out, everything was closed, mostly due to a loss of power. By Tuesday, the wind had died down to somewhat (15-25 knots), so I did an oil change on the main engine. Also went out to dinner at a place called the Bier Garten, with authentic German Food, and it was good. But time was passing, it was getting colder, and I needed to move on.
So, on Wednesday, October 31st, I was under way south to an anchorage just south of Coinjock, NC. Went through a lock and then a bascule (lift) bridge. I ended up here because I was concerned that downed trees had closed the Dismal Swamp route. Besides, it was something different to try. It was a pleasant trip, although long. I didn’t get the anchor down until 6:30 pm, after the sun had set. November 1 was spent going across Albemarle Sound, up the Alligator River, and through the Alligator River/Pungo River Canal, to the most desolate place on the trip south. Absolutely no cell phone coverage. What a peaceful night at this anchorage, but it was still cold. I need to get south! So, the next morning I headed NAVIGATOR south toward Oriental, and spent 2 days at a development/marina called River Dunes. The first night, I took friends that I had met in Baltimore out to dinner as they were also staying there. After giving them a send off for points south the next morning, I did laundry, one of the bugaboos about boating life. Also took a long 4 mile walk to keep my doctors happy (can’t walk very far on the boat). Also watched a wedding Saturday afternoon.
But it was time to get moving again, so on Sunday, November 4th, I headed out for an anchorage on the Marine Corps base, Camp Lejune, called Mile Hammock Bay to spend the night. That is one of my long trips, 70 miles in one day. But I made good time with the help of an incoming tide. The anchorage was crowded, but quiet, it being Sunday. No heavy equipment running around as on other visits to this anchorage. Today I had a short day, only 40 miles from Mile Hammock Bay to Wrightsville Beach, NC. Stopped at Wrightsville Beach Marina to pick up water and 52 gallons of diesel fuel for the engine before anchoring behind the marshes across from the oceanfront beach of Wrightsville Beach. Should be a quiet night. Then tomorrow it will be off the North and South Carolina where I will meet a friend from my previous work to have dinner with. Then farther south toward Charleston to, hopefully, warmer weather.
I have attached some pictures I have taking so far, please enjoy. The first is the sunset at Mile Hammock Bay, the second is of the boats in Mile Hammock Bay, the third is of one of the many swing bridges that NAVIGATOR must pass through on the way south, and the last is of the ramp the Marine Corps uses for launching its amphibious vehicles in Mile Hammock Bay.
Cliff Baker
S/V NAVIGATOR
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