Sailing South: The Intercoastal Waterway Begins

 Saturday, October 31, 2009

Portsmouth, VA

Within the first hour we are through all of the bridges and find the sign post dividing the ICW into two paths – the Virginia Cut (the most used, most open and easier to navigate) and the Great Dismal Swamp. We turn right into the swamp because you have to do “the Swamp” once.

It is quite a site. For Great Lakes sailors used to deep water and wide open spaces, we are travelling in 8 – 10 feet of water and a channel about 30 feet wide. At one point, while being less than totally attentive, I trim a few branches off one of the trees with the mast.

The Great Dismal Swamp turns out not to be dismal at all. I suppose that if this passage was made on a dark overcast day, it may take on some foreboding, but not today. We are intrigued by the narrow winding beginning of the river and then the straight canal for over 20 miles.

There are two locks on the Dismal Swamp route. The first (Deep Creek Lock 36.344672, -76.224000) locks you up 8 feet into the canal and the second at South Mills locks you down the same 8 feet. The water is dark tea brown from the tannins that leach out of the decaying leaves. For boats with a chalky (slightly porous) finish, it leaves a brown smile on the bow and a stripe along the hull. Fortunately, Sojourn has a relatively new paint job and is spared the stain.

Unlike the canals in New York State, here boats have to supply their own dock lines. The process is fairly simple, pass the dock line to the lock attendant; he loops it around a bollard and hands the end back to you. As the water rises (or falls) the crew just have control the boat in the lock. Since there are only 4 transits per day at each of the two locks, it is not a hurried process but the lock is full.

We were one of the first boats out of the first lock, a larger trawler asked if he could go ahead of us. I guess he did not want to get stuck behind a slower sailboat. It would be nice if the owner of the trawler had his diesel engine serviced, so we were not stuck behind a slow moving smoky and smelly boat for the first half mile before he moved farther ahead of us. (No. This is not a dig against powerboats. Many sailboats could use some maintenance as well).

After about an hour, we noticed a larger sailboat trying to move up through the pack of 5 boats. The process is for the leading boat to slow and the passing boat to go by with minimum wake. I guess I did not slow enough and when he passed me we came close to sliding into the shore. The other courtesy is to contact the boat you want to pass on the VHF radio and to coordinate the maneuver. That was not done either.

Mary and I discussed it. She suggested I had not slowed sufficiently. I disagreed, but later thought she was right and improved by ‘being passed’ technique.

It seemed the skipper of the boat that passed us wanted to secure one of the few ‘free’ docking spots at the welcome centre. He slowed to see if there was an open space. We all slowed.

Once the spaces are all taken, the practice is to raft off other boats. He seemed to decide the space available was not right for him and headed off again, only to stop 30 minutes later and attempt to execute a 3-point turn. We all stopped again. His heavy displacement boat did not seem to want to back to port. Finally, he parked his boat on the side of the canal and we all passed.

Our plan was to exit the second and lock and look for a secure anchorage for the night, carrying on to Elizabeth city in the morning. In the second lock we met and chatted with a couple from Norfolk, VA who were taking a few days down to Elizabeth City via the Dismal Swamp route and then heading up the Virginia Cut (to the east) back to Norfolk. A third boat, single handing, was also heading for an anchorage. We chatted as we waited for the lock and all decided to head to Goat Island for the night.

As the sun grew low, we headed out. We allowed the power boat with the couple from Norfolk to take the lead and we brought up the rear of the 3-boat procession. As the sun sank low in the sky, we pulled into a beautiful, well-protected anchorage in behind an island. One boat, a catamaran, was already there but here was plenty of room for the 3 of us and many more boats as well. The anchor caught well on the first attempt and we grilled chicken for dinner.

Saturday, October 31, 2009

Goat Island, NC (36.344672, -76.224000)

Up before dawn. Hot coffee and porridge on the move.

We pass through the Elizabeth City Bridge early. We are once again the only boat on the water. We could not have come through to Elizabeth City the night before because the bridge had been closed for mechanical repairs.

That is a common theme on the ICW. The original lift, bascule, swing and pontoon bridges are old. The newer bridges with 65 foot heights at low water have been replacing them. Many neighbourhoods have resisted the change, partly because along with a high capacity bridge comes accelerated development.

Our bridge has been fixed. In fact, we recall the delay at the second lock at South Mills for a repair. It took the lock tender 10 minutes and 2 tools to replace a shear pin that had done its job and sheared off, preventing more severe damage to machinery, much like a shear pin in an outboard motor that prevents damage to the engine when the prop hits something hard.

We sailed out of Elizabeth City, bemoaning the fact we could not stop. We still have not lost our schedule and have an appointment in South Carolina with my youngest brother and his family.

We head down the Pasquotank River and onto Albermarle Sound. There are many warnings in the guide about how rough the sound can get. We are fortunate that the winds are from the North and we are able to motor sail all the way across.

As we near the Alligator River (and the Alligator River Bridge) we pick up a call on the VHF radio from a boat that has run aground. Each boat that passes offers some assistance, but he declines. He has missed a mark and run up onto a very shallow shoal. In is casual southern drawl he thanks each boat and says TowBoatUS has been called and will be there – in an hour and a half.

We listen to his frequent communications with passing boats, asking that the larger, faster boats please slow, because each time a boat’s wake hits him, his boat bounces hard on the bottom. Most comply. Mary and I have been greatly impressed with the care and understanding the majority of boaters have along the ICW. It can be a very challenging piece of water.

One boat, neither acknowledges the request, nor slows. Other boaters get on his case and ask if he has had any boating instruction. He replies he is doing ‘exactly’ what his instructor said – keep your speed up in a headwind. Unfortunately he missed the lesson on ‘unless it will do damage to other boaters’. No one got his boat name. Too bad.

We radioed the bridge and were able to get through. The wind had come around 180 degrees and we were directly into it for the next hour. The shape of our hull does not like head on waves. We attempt to motor sail, tacking up the channel. We are making some headway, but not enough. We want to get to the corner of the river and an anchorage for the night. Just as we decide to wrap up the sail, our motor stops with a very loud clunk. Checking around, it seems one of our bow lines has come loose. (I had tied it to the rail so it was ready when we needed it, but apparently not well enough for the serious wave-banging we had been doing for the past hour).

We checked below and found no leaking or other major concerns, so we set sail back to the Alligator River Bridge to get to the marina that was on the north side of the bridge. The bridge tender was great. We explained our situation and that we would have to sail through the bridge – and absolute no-no. He told us he would watch for us and open the bridge so we did not have to adjust our situation.

We radioed the Aligator River Marina and informed them of our situation. We could not find a map or picture of the marina, so we asked for a starboard-to wall, so we could drift down. As it turned out, the docking on the starboard (downwind) side were all slips – hard to stop in. They did have a 900’ wall to port (upwind) normally reserved for larger yachts. They agreed to meet us on the dock and assist with dock lines.

Fortunately, the sail was downwind, the bridge opened and we were able to sail right into the marina without further incident. We furled the sail as we neared the upwind, portside wall and because of the sheltered nature of the marina, were able to bring the boat to a virtual stop. With the help of the dock master, Glenn, we walked Sojourn forward and secured her for the night.

The marina has an excellent grill. I noticed it also had ‘real’ alligator bites on the menu. We got a takeout of crab cakes. A big anchor down drink, some crab cakes for dinner and some problem solving discussion. We would tackle the fouled prop the next morning.

Sunday, November 1, 2009

Alligator River, NC

(35° 54' 15" -76° 1' 51")

The weather stayed blustery and cold. After exhausting all other options, the only two options to clear the line were to call a diver or for me to put on my mask and go in myself. We decided to execute the second option first. I had my snorkeling gear on board; we were going to pick up a SCUBA tank in Florida for just this circumstance. You see, in coastal cruising, it’s not if you foul a prop, it’s when you foul a prop. We had not fouled in any of the crab pots or fishing nets or the myriad of floating debris along the ICW, but we had fouled.

I also (optimistically) packed my old wet suit top. Shades of whalebone corsets! It was quite a challenge packing my current frame into the mottled black neoprene suit. Mary kept stuffing me back in as she struggled to do up the zipper. In Florida, I am also acquiring a new diving suit.

Once properly packed, I secured Hudson (our dinghy) between the transom of the boat and the dock to serve as a platform and to break the waves. Mary secured a line around my waist as a safety measure, something about being easier to collect the insurance if you have a body. I cannot prove she said it though.

The water in the Alligator River is the same dark tea colour. My vision was almost zero. Feeling along the prop, I discovered the dock line was jammed in the narrow space between the propeller and the strut that supports the prop shaft. On successive dives, I was able to work the line loose and after 15 or 20 minutes, the prop was clear.

Other boaters came over to check on our progress throughout the morning. Glenn, the dock master stopped by. He said it was good the water was cold because there was a 12-foot alligator that had taken up residence in the marina, but was probably asleep in the mud on the bottom. I then swore not to get the alligator bites at the grill. If they didn’t eat me, I won’t eat them.

There were a few other challenges (not the least the weather) we had to overcome before we got on our way. The prop had stopped so abruptly that the aft motor mounts had jumped out of their brackets and the muffler hose had become disconnected from the muffler.

Mary and I had to combine our efforts to re-attach the muffler hose and the engine was back running again. We met the sailor who had been on the reef the day we sail through the Alligator River Bridge for the first time. Phil was singlehanding back to his home in Charleston. In our excitement, we had not heard how he got off the shoal.

It turns out, after waiting almost 2 hours for a TowBoatUS rescue, he decided to request the assistance of a passing boat. Since the wake of each boat lifted him off the bottom, he felt he could put this to good use. Seeing a rather large sport boat coming by, he asked for a big wake (something he had been requesting they not do). With his engine in reverse, the boat moved a bit. The passing boater agreed to try again at higher speed and the second wake floated Phil’s boat long enough for him to motor into the clear. I am not sure I have ever read this in any cruising book before this.

Monday, November 2, 2009

Alligator River, NC

The next morning the weather had cleared sufficiently that we were up at the crack of dawn to resume our journey south. As were 3 other boats – Restless, Equinox and Phil’s boat – Sea Otter.

We all arrived at the bridge together and set off down the Alligator River. This time, the wind was behind us (not on the nose this time) and we motor sailed at 7 knots.

Equiniox, a seasoned-cruising couple were taking the 4-day route from Beaufort, NC directly to the Bahamas (or the Virgin Islands depending on wind and weather). They had an older boat and were ‘babying’ their engine. The other three boats sailed off and docked at Dowry Creek.

We were able to motor sail for a good part of the day.

We had planned on an anchorage that night, but the chat on the radio with the other two boats – Restless and Sea Otter – convinced us to head into dock with them at Dowry Creek. Many of the boats were continuing on to the larger city of Bellhaven. But since we didn’t need food or supplies, we opted for the quieter Dowry Creek.

The marina staff was awesome, meeting us at the dock. Directing and assisting with lines. Instructions were specific. What line and when, to ensure we were tied quickly and securely.

The marina had one of the nicest transient lounges we had ever seen, so the decision was made to have happy hour there. We got to spend time with the couple from Restless – Donna and Sonny and get to know Phil from Sea Otter, the boat that was aground at the Alligator River.

Phil was single handing back to his home in Charleston and had excellent navigation equipment and the skill to use them. What he lacked seemed to be the other person to talk with before making a decision to turn or cut a mark. The place where he got hung up was a particularly tricky set of turns to avoid a series of shoals. One zig when he should of zagged put him aground.

Tuesday, November 3, 2009

Dowry Creek, NC (35° 31' 60" -76° 32' 8")

All three boats set off at the same time. The run was smooth. There were no occurrences to report.

Again Mary and I planned to anchor, but we enjoyed the company of the others so much, we decided to dock with them at Oriental that evening.

Once ashore, we headed our separate ways for shopping and dinner. The other two boats chose to eat ashore, while we had a pork stir fry ready to go.

We found a bridle for lifting our outboard motor off the rail. It would make life much easier than the collection of lines and straps that I had fashioned. After the incident on Alligator River, we were quite wary of anything that could foul a propeller.

We met on our boat for an after dinner drink and got caught up on each other’s cruising and boating experiences. Phil, who is from Charleston, NC was able to answer a lot of our questions about transiting Charleston Harbour.

Wednesday, November 4, 2009

Oriental, NC (35° 1' 42" -76° 41' 33")

We slipped off the dock at first light the next morning. Phil was the first to radio us and wish us well. Sonny and Donna caught up to us by VHF a few minutes later. Neither had heard us leave.

The big adventure today was to navigate to Morehead City and get out of the rivers of North Carolina. Morehead City is the magical place where boats are safe from hurricanes from June 1 to October 31. Actually, our insurance does not allow us to go below Morehead City before Nov 1 or be there after May 31 – the official hurricane season.

If we are below Morehead City and get caught in a named storm during hurricane season, our insurance deductible goes from $500 to $10,000 – quite an incentive to stay north until Nov 1. Just east of Morehead City is Beaufort, NC (pronounced Bo-Fort and not to be confused with Beaufort, SC pronounced Bew-Furt). This is a major departure point for boats going offshore, like the couple on Equinox.

We passed through the harbor without incident, until we got to the other side and headed out into Bogue Sound. The engine sound changed so we slowed the engine. The engine temperature was within range, so we shut the engine down. We raised the mainsail and continued on our way. The Morehead City Marina was just north of us and we knew we could sail there if we had to.

Opening up the engine compartment, I found a lot of warm water in the engine sump again. Thinking the muffler hose had worked loose, I checked it first. No. it was exactly where we left it.

I asked Mary to restart the engine. When she did the problem hit me square in the chest. The rubber diaphragm had come loose from the heat exchanger and the water from the exchanger was going into our bilge.

I reconnected it. It actually took 3 tries before it stayed. We carried on and noticed our water temperature gauge was reading a little lower. It was on my job list to clean out the heat exchanger. Circumstances just moved it up the priority list.

We made it safely to Swansboro, NC to anchor that night.  Glad to stop.

Mary and Rob MacLeod

s/v Sojourn

En route to the Bahamas