Tom & Gerry
Clare's Journeys on the Sea Knight
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Tom & Gerry
Clare's Journeys on the Sea Knight |
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Thursday, April 24, 2003 A.M. - Bike ride around historic Southport, lovely town. Left late at 11 a.m. to catch the flood tide to Wilmington on the Cape Fear River, another beautiful day on the water. Wilmington is a major working port (pix) and home to the battleship North Carolina (pix). This is another great stop, 10 miles off the ICW. Lots of shops, restaurants (pix) and they say nightlife, but we'll miss it tonight. Due for our first bad weather day tomorrow, so we have scheduled a lay day. Dinner tonight at Circa 1922 (*****) and nightcap on L'ancetre, who is still with us. Friday, April 25, 2003 A.M. - Took trolley tour of this historic riverfront town, boasting one of the largest Historic Districts in the state (pix) . Cruisers should take the 20 mile, round trip detour off the ICW to see this vibrant, hospitable town. P.M. - raining cats and dogs. Lunch in the Cotton Exchange w. J.J. and Lise (pix). Dinner on board tonight (*****) and hopefully underway again tomorrow. Saturday, April 26, 2003 Left Wilmington for the ICW again. Talked with Duty Free and Sutton Creek along the way. Nice weather and wildlife (pix)(giraffe) except for late thunder storm. Happy hour (pix) and Chinese take out at Harbor Village Marina. Rest rooms are great, but 2 miles away. Sunday, April 27, 2003 6:45 A.M. - Underway to Beaufort, NC. Cloudy, windy, cool day. Passed the Marine firing range at Camp Lejeune (pix) uneventfully. Music festival in Beaufort, neat town (pix) and great dinner at Beaufort Grocery Store (*****). Monday, April 28, 2003 Freezer died last night, so we were up early cooking a bunch of meals, but were underway at 8:30 a.m. up Adams Creek (very scenic) and the Neuse River towards New Bern, NC. We saw only a few boats in the river, shrimp boats and ferries, before anchoring in the Upper Broad Creek at 1:30 p.m. on a very beautiful, sunny day. Tom launched the dinghy (pix) and grilled the steak and lamb chops. A great dinner (*****) on board and all alone and up the creek. Tuesday, April 29, 2003 Left our anchorage at Upper Broad Creek after a calm night, for New Bern, NC. Another beautiful day. Lunch at Fred and Claire's, no relation but great deserts. (****). Gerry toured Tryon Palace and Gardens (pix) after lunch while Tom worked on the boat. Cocktails on L'Ancetre and dinner aboard (****), with nightcap at the Sheraton, where we are docked. Wednesday, April 30, 2003 (Paul’s Entry) Oriental, NC. Tom and Gerry are out of Digital Cell Coverage area, so log entry by webmaster Paul. Stay tuned for regular updates. FYI - Oriental, NC bills itself as "The Sailing Capitol of North Carolina". Wednesday, April 30, 2003 (Actual Entry – Delayed) Back down the Neuse to the tiny village of Oriental, NC. Population 900, but called the sailing capital of NC. Great lunch at M&M's (****)(pix), and a bike around 'till we found Croakertown, a neat store where Pat Dallas demonstrated the famous "Fighting Nun" hand puppet (pix). I guess it's a slow news day. Cocktails on Froebinius and dinner on board (****). Thursday, May 1, 2003 (Paul’s Entry) Dowry Creek Marina, 3 miles north of Belhaven, NC. Our valiant sailors are awaiting a weather window to cross the treacherous "Albemarle Sound" near NC's Outer Banks. The current (5/1 8:45 PM EDT) Marine forecast from Weather Underground for the area: "Low pres E of the Florida coast will move along the se coast...and move through the waters overnight and Fri. Another low pres from the W will move through the coastal waters on Sat. High pres will build over the area sun and move offshore Mon. Another cold front will approach from the W on Tue." What that means, only Tom knows. Obviously, Tom and Gerry are still out of Digital Cell Coverage area, so log entry by webmaster Paul. Stay tuned for your regular updates to resume when the Sea Knight reaches an area with a good signal. Thursday, May 1, 2003 (Actual Entry – Delayed) Up the Neuse, Pamlico Sound,& Pungo River, to Dowry Creek Marina outside Belhaven, NC. Friendly, down home marina where we had a great community oyster roast and pot luck dinner (****)(pix). Wind kicking up, no cell coverage and don't know if we'll leave tomorrow, so this post and yesterday's are delayed. Friday, May 2, 2003 Underway early and fast cruise mode (12.5 knots) today to make a weather window across Albemarle Sound. Alligator-Pungo canal was peaceful (pix) as was the sound also. Passed the Coast Guard Air Station and watched water rescue training. Arrived Elizabeth City, NC-famous on the waterway for the "Rose Buddies", an organization founded and run by 89 year old Fred Fearing (pix). They meet boaters arriving at the free town dock; present the ladies with a rose; and throw a casual wine and cheese party if there are more than 5 boats at the docks. We had 7 tonight, so we were treated to the traditional event. What a great country this is that we tend to take for granted at times. Saturday, May 3, 2003 Awake at 6 a.m., but the weather in Elizabeth City was very gusty, rainy & thunderstormy. A good day to lay over with several other vessels on the free dock. We had a great breakfast at the Colonial Restaurant, a nice lunch on the boat and went to Fred Fearing's (Rosebuddies founder) house for wine (ours) and a roaring fire. We were joined by David and Ruth Gaillard of Oasis (pix) and were toasty warm in the afternoon winds and chill. We finished off the evening with a movie, "The Pianist" ***** at the local dinner theatre and snuggled under the covers by 10 pm. Sunday, May 4, 2003 (NC) Left early to make the first Dismal Swamp Canal lock at 8:30 a.m. Locked through with Capt. Vince (pix) on Footloose. He has a sail charter business in St. Michaels, MD, so we'll see him again. A lovely 5 hr cruise through the historic canal (pix), first surveyed by George Washington and constructed in the late 1700's and opened in 1805. This ends this chapter as we leave NC and enter Virginia and Norfolk, the gateway to the "Bay" (Chesapeake).
Next Chapter: Chesapeake Bay (VA-MD-DE) - May 4, 2003 to June 2, 2003
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