Friday, 11 October day we were finally able to escape the
alligator River Marina. I think this stay was good as it gave us the
opportunity to meet these other people who were cruising down the waterway.
Yes, it was good but everybody was itching to go. Once we confirm the opening
at 730 everybody was out of the marina and all in line with the bridge for it
to be a we were the second to the last boat to go through. We had to maneuver a
little bit of the marina so I let boats with less mauverability go first but we
easily made it. Bye bye Bridge!
We continue down the alligator River for about another 10
miles before we came to the alligator River and Pungo River Canal. This
man-made canal as one of many of the man-made cuts connecting natural waterways
that comprise the Atlantic intercoastal waterway. Along the way we observed
many things, the first was huge expanses of wetlands with standing deadwood. It
almost seemed appropriate a little scary, inasmuch as Halloween was on the
horizon. Navigating the waterway challenges once you get inside one of these
man-made cuts all you have to do is keep it in the middle. The Army Corps of
Engineers keep these dredged to be doing 10 and 16 feet of water all the way
down to Florida. Actually the trip down the canal was more interesting than the
trip down the alligator River as we got closer look at some of the landscape. We
also observed a mature Bald Eagle on a
tree top perch right in the
When we came out of the canal we had to the Congo River and
continue to proceed south where we saw farmhouses, rows and rows and rows of
corn and some playful dolphin that followed us for
awhile.
Everybody kind of moves at their own speed based upon their
boat. Serendipity likes to cruise comfortably at 6 to 6 ½ mph but occasionally
we can do as much as 8. We bought this boat because it had a lot of the same
characteristics that we enjoyed in a slow but yet very stable secure, power if
we needed and VERY COMFORTABLE. There was time to do a lot of things on this
trip especially now these long periods of just going from Day Mark to Day Mark.
So we started doing some other analysis using data we collected from the engine
controls off the gauges measuring temperatures pressures and electrical
capacity. It certainly wise to record date so we can ensure we are operating at our maximum efficiency. We were
to learn later that evening that th Port Engine uses more oil than the
Starboard engine. I don’t know why but I think will have it checked out when we
get to a place that we can.
Came to realize that we were not going to make Beaufort
North Carolina as some of the other faster boats did on this leg. So we picked
a location about 40 miles from Beaufort along the Neuse River and proceeded on.
When we arrived I did not like the Anchorage that I had selected because it
while it was still windy it is and not provide enough attention from the win.
We observed another sailboat entering a small creek call Slade Creek and call
discussed it with. They were locals out of Washington North Carolina and
recommended this Creek as an. Secure beautiful anchorage. There were absolutely
no markings in the creek navigation but are chart plotter was perfectly clear
and responding well so we decided to try. As we entered we realize how easy the
navigation really was as there was
plenty of deep water for almost 2 ½ miles up to creek. We selected a Anchorage
about 8 feet of water and settled down for the evening.
One of our concerns was Abby and desire to find an area sure
well we took her ashore in the morning there wasn’t any problem she had a good
constitutional and we felt pretty comfortable with waiting just a little longer
and we would take care of her in the morning. We have been trying to get her to
use the artificial dog potty but she
hasn’t taken to it yet but we really haven’t had a lot of opportunity since we
been tied up most of the time. To start working on that and training your use a
bark party, at least I hope she will. The bark party is a mixture of natural
ingredients that offered the same sense as if the dog was walking out on the
grass or in the words to entice them to experience the same feelings and urge
them to go potty. This works apparently well for people who have puppies and
have condos where there is no walking about but this is a 14-year-old beautiful
standard poodle and changing her way of life is not going to be easy.
This could not have been a more perfect Anchorage for the night
the surroundings were beautiful the smells of the fresh breeze is blowing
through the trees the little bit of lapping water on the hull the soaring birds
in the sky and the frequent splash of a fish jumping out of the water nearby. unfortunately
there was no place to take Abby ashore. The night went well and we watched a
beautiful moonrise and I got a great shot of the over shores of the creek.
Slade Creek will go down in our log as a perfect anchorage with good holding
ground and beautiful sites it was a quiet night as there was only one other
boat here ourselves.
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