Beaufort and the ICW

Beaufort and up "The Ditch"

Wednesday, May 29

Thursday, May 30

Doug and Grant leave at 7:40 heading by bus to home and jobs
First opening of a bridge on a schedule for Cat Tales
Ditch to Oriental - Very pretty place
Ice-cream at Oriental
Friendly and truly helpful people at local chandlery, but no parts to help us
Roger and Josie on new Seawind 1000 – John has picture - story swapping
Nice motor sail along Neuse River and Bay River until light is totally gone
Late supper and sleep in ICW short of Pamlico River
John’s Stir Fry – GREAT! (small area to clean up – so no big deal) – many dishes for 2 people
Time to read “Heinlein”! - I sip Martinique Piat D’or and listen to Neil Young

Friday, May 31

I sent this poem over the air for the home team:

We share the thought of our second day on the InterCoastal Waterway:

We are under way just after six, on our second day up the ditch;

But "ditch" doesn't show the pizzaz for these great little lakes behind Cape Hatteras;

Multipage charts show us the way through beaches and reaches and wide, long bays;

Shallow is the primary word, home for dolphin, fishes and birds;

Wild-life, yes, and fishermans' toys; we spent many hours avoiding their buoys;

The route includes ditches too; twenty plus miles straight and true;

For many hours, Auto's in charge; but holy cow! look out for that barge;

Eight o'clock and its getting dark; can no longer see, it is time to park;

We would share the name of the wine on the table, but the bilge water has soaked off the label;

John's fare is good, and we're off to bed; quite a day and we'll sleep like the dead.

Love to all, John and Laurie

Saturday, June 1

Up at 6:00 – going
Late – no chance to write Friday
Long days at wheel, but being pampered by John
John happy to take care of me indoors as he hates steering and has sun/lip problems
Pancake lunch – great
Oldies station – both of us are happy with the music
Arrive at Atlantic Marina, just short of swinging bridge - Service for shroud had been promised, but same as everywhere - park it and we'll get the stuff delivered next week or so.
Back on boat, but bridge is busted. Back ashore, killing time - Marina provide complimentary car and we go to provision - tremendous opportunity
Free water too - different from fifteen cents/USgallon in Caribbean
Lock, 2^nd bridge - 2 foot or so raise
Dawn to dusk motoring is soon to change to continuous movement and problem – solving after we go to sea beyond Norfolk
11:00 time to lie down in strange bay at in industrial backwater inland of Norfolk