River Dunes, NC to Portsmouth, VA

When we last updated the blog on Tuesday, June 1st, we were hanging at River Dunes Marina. That evening we went over to “Knot Tide Down” for a killer spaghetti dinner with Bill’s homemade meat sauce. After dark the four of us decided to take advantage of the Jacuzzis around the pool. Not something you get to do very often when you live on a boat!

This is the harbor in Oriental, a little town near River Dunes that we visited the previous Saturday.

Live music by the pool.

Wednesday was spent doing a variety of things on board before taking the marina’s courtesy car over to J.C.’s house for dinner. J.C. is the dockmaster at River Dunes and he graciously invited the four of us to his home for shrimp & grits, prepared by his lovely wife Judy. They have a beautiful home overlooking the Neuse River. We had a great dinner and most enjoyable evening.

Thursday we were up at 5:30 a.m. and underway within the hour. Below are a few parting shots of River Dunes.

Pamlico Sound was far from calm and we had two or three hours of two- to three-foot beam seas, making it a rather unpleasant trip. We finally made it to the harbor at Ocracoke about 11:30 a.m. where we dropped the anchor in the soft, mucky bottom. We could see big storms brewing in the sound, but thankfully that’s where they stayed! Late Thursday afternoon we spent a little time walking around town with Bill & Ana before stopping in at Jolly Roger for a cold beverage.

Bill, Ana and Deoge tour the harbor in their dinghy. Doesn’t Deoge make a cute hood ornament?

Friday morning Don & Rosie aboard “Just Rosie” made a surprise appearance about 10:30. By this time the harbor was getting pretty crowded so they ended up pulling between “Life’s2Short” and “Knot Tide Down” and rafting to us. We spent a lot of time with Don & Rosie on the Tenn-Tom and Tennessee River last summer but haven’t seen them since last fall on Bay Springs Lake. It was so wonderful to see them again!!!

Friday evening we all went to the potluck dinner at the Ocracoke School Gym. The potluck was the kickoff event for the 11th annual Ocrafolk Festival, a weekend of music & storytelling and arts & crafts on Ocracoke Island.

There was enough food to feed a small nation!

A sampling of the many items up for live auction following the potluck.

After the potluck we walked a good distance to the locally popular Howard’s Pub. Having heard and read a number of rave reviews, our experience was disappointing to say the least. The service was poor and the drinks were very expensive - $14.00 pitchers of beer and $8 mixed drinks (rum & Coke). But we were in great company and had a blast anyway!

Saturday dawned bright and hot as we made our way over to the Ocrafolk Festival where we meandered around all afternoon watching various performances and browsing the arts & crafts booths.

By Saturday morning there were 27 boats in the anchorage!

This was a very talented group called Warren, Bodle and Allen performing on the Howard Street Stage.

Philip Howard & John Golden telling “Shipwreck Stories.”

The group Craicdown performs acoustic roots music using a variety of instruments.

This was the energetic and entertaining Donald Underwood Thompson Band performing on the Live Oak Stage.

Storyteller Donald Davis who says that storytelling “…is not what I do for a living…it is how I do all that I do while I am living.”

The final performance of the evening was by a well-known local group called Molasses Creek. Their home venue is the Deepwater Theater on Ocracoke Island.

Saturday evening we walked back down toward Howard’s Pub where we had a very nice dinner at Cafe Atlantic.

Sunday we were up and on the move by 6:15 a.m. with about 65 miles to go to reach Manteo on Roanoke Island.

It was pretty rough in Pamlico Sound with three- to four-foot following and quartering seas but it wasn’t as uncomfortable as the beam seas we had on the way to Ocracoke. After a very hot and windy eight-hour trip we arrived at Manteo and tied up to a free city dock with “Knot Tide Down.” “Just Rosie” went a different direction, to Belhaven, to pick up some mail.

Hanging on the dock Sunday evening.

After some rain overnight, Monday was a beautiful, cool morning. Todd and I walked around lovely downtown Manteo and had a great breakfast at The Magnolia Grille.

We then walked four or five blocks up to the main drag where we did a little shopping and I got my hair highlighted and cut. That evening we had snacks and played more Catch Phrase with Bill & Ana aboard “Life’s2Short.”

Tuesday afternoon we left Manteo and traveled 45 miles through Albemarle Sound to Elizabeth City. It was another bumpy ride with a mine field of crab pots to dodge but Bill successfully led us through them. We arrived in Elizabeth City at 6:00 p.m. and again had free dockage. Elizabeth City is a very boater-friendly community. They even have people who come down to the docks to greet boaters, serve them refreshments and bring roses to the women. Sadly, we didn’t make it in time for any of that.

Enlarge the photo to read “The Legend of the Rose Buddies.”

That evening we wandered in to the downtown area to find something to eat. Unfortunately, the place where we wanted to eat had just closed and there weren’t many other options. So we ended up having $0.75 soft shell tacos at Thumper’s. When we returned to the boat, the Tuesday evening outdoor movie was already in progress. The feature presentation was the 1940 release The Philadelphia Story starring Cary Grant, Katharine Hepburn and James Stewart. What a classic! And we were able to watch it from the bow of our boat. How cool is that?

We were up early again Wednesday morning to catch the 7:30 opening of the Elizabeth City bridge. We then traveled up the Pasquotank River to the South Mills Lock and into the Dismal Swamp Canal, the oldest continually operating hand-dug waterway in the country, originally surveyed by George Washington.

Waiting for the lockmaster to open the gates.

Going through the South Mills Lock, an eight-foot lift. Not quite like the locks we’re used to!

At 1:00 p.m. we stopped at the North Carolina Welcome Center at yet another free dock. We’ve decided that Bill & Ana are the king & queen of free docks. If there’s one out there, they know about it!

Captain’s Note: The Dismal Swamp was truly a beautiful cruise, especially from Elizabeth City to the Visitors Center. The winding river and beautiful scenery reminded us of the Waccamaw River heading in to Conway, SC. Don’t miss this piece of history if you are cruising on the ICW! I would highly recommend this route if your draft is 5’ or less.* “Knot Tide Down” bumped a log or two with their 4’ draft trawler and we bumped once with our 3’-7” draft. However, I would not do this route if our props were not protected by our keel and semi-displacement hull.

*We did talk with two sailboats that were doing this route, with both 5’ & 6’ drafts. They were having no issues with bumping along with their keel.

Docked at the North Carolina Welcome Center.

Deoge hanging by the refrigerator, looking for a handout!

We left Thursday morning about 8:15 with 18 miles of “no wake” to the Deep Creek Lock, then another 10 miles to Portsmouth where we stopped at Ocean Marine to refuel ($2.40/gal). It was another hot, steamy day with temperatures in the lower 90’s.

We found this guy hanging out on the flybridge Thursday morning. Now that’s a dragonfly!

Entering Virginia on the Dismal Swamp Canal.

The Superintendent’s House… somehow I don’t think anyone lives here anymore!

Just above the Deep Creek Lock, Bill & Ana docked and made a quick run to a nearby grocery store for some ice and a few other provisions.

The Deep Creek bridge above the lock.

Approaching the Deep Creek Lock, an eight-foot drop.

Our lockmaster, Robert, with his collection of conch and other shells, floats and at least one coconut surrounding his banana tree. What a nice guy!

Coming in to Portsmouth on the Elizabeth River. Quite a change in scenery from the serenity of the Dismal Swamp!

We tied up at the South Ferry Basin and then walked in to Olde Towne Portsmouth with Bill while Ana put in a few more hours of work. The Olde Towne area is well-kept and has several restaurants, shops, museums, etc. That evening Todd & I settled for take out Chinese and a quiet, early evening on the boat.

Friday we took the Elizabeth River Ferry across to Norfolk for the 34th Annual Norfolk Harborfest.

Town Point Park, the home of Harborfest.

The Harborfest event map.

The kickoff event was the Parade of Sail featuring an impressive fleet of tall ships, character vessels, power boats, sailboats, antique and classic wooden boats, military vessels, tugs and more!

It was another scorcher with temperatures approaching the mid-90’s so we decided to come back to the boat about 3:30, after checking out a few more festival attractions.

The Budweiser tent, complete with misting fans. A great place to get a cold beverage and some relief from the hot sun!

FlippenOut’s Extreme Trampoline Show – Olympic quality trampoline athletes performing difficult and tricky maneuvers again a transparent wall, running, flipping and twisting over 25 feet in the air.

The Dragon Knight and the Flamingo – 18-foot tall stilt performers. Definitely an eye-catcher!

The Tidewater Dock Dogs pool used for competing canines in a variety of categories such as Big Air, Speed Retrieve and Extreme Vertical.

The waterfront dock at Town Point Park.

“Just Rosie” arrived at the South Ferry Basin about 6:30 Friday evening. In order to make room for them, “Knot Tide Down” rafted to us and we walked both boats (by hand) over to where “Knot Tide Down” had been. Then “Just Rosie” pulled in to the spot we had vacated.

After a few drinks and some dockside conversation we walked down High Street and ended up at the Gosport Tavern for dinner. By the time we returned, the tide had come up and water was flooding onto the dock.

Colin & Jean (on the left), a nice British couple, were also docked in the basin on their boat, “Lily Maria.”

Don wades back to “Just Rosie.”

Saturday was also brutally hot so we waited until late afternoon to take the ferry across to the festival. As with the previous day there were numerous events and activities.

This ship is parked directly across from the basin where we are docked. Note the gold anchor about half-way down the bow. Bill told us that the gold anchor represents 100% retention of the individuals assigned to the ship, something he has only seen a few times.

Enjoying the shade of the Budweiser tent.

Another view of Harborfest and Town Point Park, looking back across the river toward Portsmouth.

This statue and fountain are in front of the Nauticus, National Maritime Center. Nauticus is a contemporary museum that uses the natural setting of Norfolk's harbor to showcase global maritime commerce and the world's largest Navy.

The City of Norfolk has assumed stewardship of the Battleship Wisconsin which can be toured as part of your admission to Nauticus.

More interesting sights and performers.

Can you spot the “Leaf-Lady” on stilts in this photo?

Another stilt performer – the Dragonfly.

Don, are you thirsty?

Ana bought a new dress and changed right on the spot. Talented girl!

The Kenya Safari Acrobats – there isn’t anything they can’t do!

As the sun was setting, we prepared for the final event of the evening, the fireworks show, touted as “one of the largest pyrotechnic shows on the East Coast.” The fireworks, by Pyro Shows of Tennessee, were fired from a barge in the Elizabeth River.

After a fun-filled afternoon and evening, we topped the night off by stopping in at Hooter’s for a bite to eat before catching the last ferry back across the river at 11:45 p.m.

Today is Sunday, June 13th, and “Life’s2Short” is all alone again. Don & Rosie are heading north to continue “The Loop” and Bill & Ana are leaving their boat in a marina while they make a whirlwind road trip to Melbourne, Florida. We probably won’t see Don & Rosie again anytime soon, but we hope to meet back up with “Knot Tide Down” by mid-week.

As for “Life’s2Short,” we plan to leave here tomorrow for an anchorage in the Hampton River, preferably somewhere near a laundromat! We will then begin working our way north on the western shore of Chesapeake Bay with plans to be in Washington, D.C., on the Potomac River, by July 1st. Let the adventure continue!