Alligator River to Dowry Creek Marina

We had a short and easy run today from our anchorage to Dowry Creek Marina on the Pongo River.  Weighed anchor at 0900.  Anchor really held well and dug deep as we had to put in some effort to get it free in the morning.  Winds blew pretty hard all through the night and into the morning. 

We had a short distance to cover on the Alligator River prior to entering the Alligator River – Pongo River Canal.  The canal was much wider and deeper than the Dismal Swamp Canal.  Shore line was pines and tall marsh grass.  Water was still black from tannin.  The wind really picked up as we entered the Pongo River and lost the benefit of the pine trees protecting us in the canal.  We took on fuel and entered our slip at about 1400.

The Dowry Creek Marina is “old school”.  Nice swimming pool and great captains lounge with comfortable furniture, refrigerator, microwave, wet bar and a great view of the river.  It is the kind of place people used to come for the weekend with their families and hang out.  Not so today, fewer boating families and too many other options for things to do.  Like the Lankford Bay Marina in Rock Hall, Maryland, the Dowry Creek Marina is for sale.  The family owned marinas are disappearing just like the small family owned farms.

No cell signal here, so no phone calls.  Have to use the office landline.  We did get to see the Royals beat the Mets in a great start to the World Series.  Got to bed around 0130 after the game which went 14 innings and lasted over 5 hours.

http://icw.sailmagazine.com/blog/10/the-inner-banks/