Foreign Affair Sailing

Dwayne and Paul Work on the "TODO" Lists

It was a dreary morning - cloudy and continued rain.  Dwayne slept in.  Eventually, the rain stopped and the sun poked out periodically.  Dwayne drove over to Herrington Harbour North to pick up Paul so they could work on the "TO DO" lists.

The first order of business was draining rainwater from Foreign Affair's dinghy.  It held many gallons as it rained most of the night. Once drained the dinghy was launched so the swim ladder could be let down to permit the outboard motor to be removed from its mounting bracket and moved out of the way so as to allow Dwayne and Paul to replace the mount's hard plastic support board which had cracked under the stress of the weight of the outboard.  The manufacturer of the bracket sent a replacement board for the one which was cracked.

Brian, Janet and Carol Come for R&R

Brian, Janet and Janet's mother came down for a little rest and relaxation.  Brian made some delicious pork ribs and Janet heated up the baked beans and German potato salad.  We had some of the wonderful caramel, walnut apple pie from Chick and Ruth's for desert.

A Little Work and Play

Dwayne and Paul spent the day working off items from their "TO DO" lists which seem to never get shorter. Dwayne's goal was to replace the chaffed marine wet exhaust hose which runs from the mixing elbow to the muffler and to replace the engine's raw water impeller which has done good service for over 800 hours.  Paul needed a few parts for projects aimed at improving his electrical power system.  So, it was off to the hardware store in Deale and later numerous stops in Annapolis.

Columbia, MD to Get a Rental Car (May 25) Drive to Hampton, VA (May 26)

May 25 - Brian and Janet drove down to Herrington Harbour to pick us up so we could get a rental car in Columbia. Carla will rent the car and we will drive to Hampton, VA to spend a night with Frank and Carol of Hakuna Matata at their home in Hampton.  The following day, Carla will drive to North Carolina to spend a week with her children and grandchildren.  Dwayne will return to Herrington Harbour to work on the boat and spend time with his brother and family.  Paul on Enough is also preparing his boat for the trip to Long Island Sound.  So, Dwayne and Paul can work together while Carla enjoys her vacation.  Just kidding - we are all having a good time.

Solomons Island to Herrington Harbour

We laid over at Solomons on May 23 due to the weather.  The rain stopped and the sun finally came out in the late afternoon.  Paul visited the Calvert Maritime Museum which is one of the best on the Bay. Carla and Dwayne just took a walk looking for ice cream and found none.  They went as far as the Tiki Bar and then returned to Zahniser's Marina for the evening as it once again began to rain.

Smith Creek (St. Inigoes) to Solomons

It was raining when we woke and still blowing a bit.  We decided to wait a few hours before departing as the forecast was for improving weather as the day progressed.  We cranked up the engines at 0900.  The rain had stopped by the time we headed out into the Bay. As was often the case, the wind was in our face the entire trip. The waves were also from the north at 2 to 3 feet with an occasional 4 footer to create some spray.  So, we motored on staying just far enough off the shoreline to avoid crab traps. We didn't want to spend another dreary day at anchor - better to be moving forward.  Laying up in Solomons would at least give us options ashore.

We were pleasantly surprised to see Full Circle at the dock when we arrive at Solomons.  They were bound for Annapolis and we didn't think we'd see Bill and Amy again when we parted ways in Norfolk, VA. Like us, poor weather delayed them long enough for us to catch up.

Smith Creek (St. Inigoes)

It started raining during the night and was raining when we woke.  The forecast for the day was continued rain and windy.  So, we decided to stay in our comfortable anchorage for an additional day waiting for the weather to improve.

We read and played games to pass the time.  We finally opened the Forbidden Island game which we got as a gift the Christmas before we started our "seabattical".  It is a fun, team played game - everyone succeeds or fails at the mission to recover treasures from the Forbidden Island before it sinks into the ocean.  We played at the novice level and were successful in recovering the treasures. We also played Farkle which is an easy to learn dice game.  We played several games of Farkle since it only takes about 20 - 30 minutes to play.  Dwayne won most of the games.  It is more luck than strategy. We'll most likely play this more often since it can be played by two people, is quick, does not require much thought, and is easy to set up and put away.

Old Point Comfort to Smith Creek (St.Inigoes)

The sun finally came out and the winds died to less than 5 knots.  We were up for an early 0700 departure and long run up the Chesapeake to the mouth of the Potomac.  We were tired of the rain and cold. We were anxious to get to Herrington Harbour so we could relax for a while and get our boats prepared for the next leg of our journey.

We found the Bay to be settling when we rounded Old Point Comfort.  Waves were 2 feet and receding.  The wind was from the north. So, no sailing today.  Our goal was to travel as many miles as possible and get into a secure anchorage since another severe storm was forecast for the evening. We entered the Potomac shortly before dark and ducked into Smith Creek which was the nearest anchorage at the mouth of the Potomoc River on the northern shore.  We had anchored here in the fall and it would provide the protection we would need from the very strong winds forecast for the next couple of days.

Hospital Point Anchorage - Norfolk (SM0) to Hampton

It was damp, dreary and cold when we departed Norfolk bound for Hampton.  The wind was from the east and the steep, short period waves made our crossing of Hampton Roads less than enjoyable.  We put in at the Bluewater Yachting Center for the evening.  It is a bit nicer marina than the Hampton Municipal Marina.

After we had the boats settled in for the evening, Paul gave Dwayne a dinghy ride across the harbor to Settler's Landing so he could get the car which was parked in the municipal garage.  We made our resupply run and met with Frank and Carol for dinner at the Venture Kitchen and Bar on East Queens Way in Hampton.  Their pizza is really good.  After dinner, Frank and Carol followed us to the marina so they could take our car to their house to park until we return after docking at Herrington Harbour. So ended May 18.

Coinjock, NC to Norfolk, VA (Mile 0) Hospital Point Anchorage

Frank and Carol on Hakuna Matata departed Coinjock at about 0615 as they wanted to get to Hamption ASAP since they live in Hampton and wanted to finally get back to their house after 8 months aboard. Paul on Enough could not initially get his boat started.  So, Foreign Affair set out alone at 0930 hoping Enough would catch up later at the anchorage.  The day was one of the most complicated due to the number and timing of the bridges and the one lock we had to pass through.

Deep Point Anchorage to Coinjock Marina

We left Deep Point anchorage at 0830.  The weather was clear and sunny.  Our trip up the Alligator River was pleasant.  We saw our "dolphin a day" shortly after entering Albemarle Sound.  Once again, we were very lucky as the Sound was very calm which is unusual.

We decided to take the Virginia Cut rather than The Dismal Swamp route.  We wanted to take a route we haven't traveled yet and it was an easier route to navigate than The Dismal Swamp.  Also, we wanted to visit Coinjock Marina for the prime rib dinner at the marina restaurant.  We entered the North River and soon, the North Carolina Cut. Hakuna Matata was already at the Coinjock Marina when we arrived and had space reserved on the dock for us. Upon our arrival, we refueled, pumped-out and headed for the showers and laundry. Dinner was at 7 and the restaurant lived up to its reputation for fine prime rib.

Belhaven to Deep Point Anchorage

It rained most of the night and into the morning.  Additionally, it was cold and windy.  So, we decided to delay our departure until the weather improved.  We weighed anchor at noon.  With such a late start, we knew we would not be able to cross Albemarle Sound before dark.  The best anchorage to prepare for our crossing the next day was at Deep Point which is where the Alligator River-Pungo River Canal meets the Alligator River.  It is a popular anchorage for north bound boats as they stage to cross the Albemarle or for south bound boats to stop after completing their Albemarle passage. Deep Point Anchorage was our destination for the day. Janet and Dwayne stayed in this anchorage on their way south in October.  It is a somewhat exposed anchorage surrounded by marsh-grass but has good holding.

Oriental Anchorage to Belhaven Anchorage

We departed Belhaven with winds less than 10 and waves less than a foot.  We put out the genoa as soon as we were clear of the harbor channel and left it up almost the entire day.  We motor sailed down the Neuse River which is the over 275 miles long, entirely contained in North Carolina empties into Pamlico Sound.  It is one of the widest rivers in North America being 6 miles from shore to shore at its widest point.  It is a very beautiful river with very few homes on its banks along the ICW.

Casper Marina to Oriental Anchorage

We departed Casper Marina shortly after 9 bound for Oriental.  We passed through Bogue Inlet without any difficulty.  We still needed a pump-out and pulled into the Portside Marina right next to the very large State Port Terminal in Morehead City.  The Portside Marina is a rack-and-stack facility with a fuel dock that is barely as long as Foreign Affair.  The pump-out station was very conveniently located at the fuel dock and it took us less than 30 minutes to take on fuel and pump-out both Foreign Affair and Enough.  Soon, we were once again on our way to Oriental.  It started raining as soon as we left the dock and continued to do so for about an hour.  We donned our wet weather gear and stayed dry and warm.

Topsail Sound Anchorage to Casper Marina

Some day's you just have to go with the flow.  Our plan was to weigh anchor at 1000 so the tide would give us enough water to get out of the anchorage.  We barely got into the anchorage at the same tide level. So, we decided to sleep in and wait for ample water.   Also, if we did run aground, we were on a rising tide and would eventually float. This plan gave us an hour to pull up our anchors and travel the 3 miles to the Surf Bridge so a to make the 1100 opening. We felt we had plenty of time to make the bridge which only opens on the hour.

Carolina Beach Anchorage to Topsail Sound Anchorage

We left the Carolina Beach anchorage and quickly passed the Carolina Beach Inlet.  There were cars on the beach as we passed.  It was a beautiful day for lounging on the beach or surf fishing.  We missed the Wrightsville Beach Bridge opening by 5 minutes and it meant a 55 minute wait for the next opening.  We anticipated this possibility and pulled into the Wrightsville Beach Marina to take on fuel and wait for the bridge.  It was an easy on and off facing dock right on the ICW which made it very convenient for us.  We cast off in time to make the noon opening and were soon making good time down the ICW.

Barefoot Landing, SC to Carolina Beach Anchorage, NC

We had to pay extra attention to staying in the channel as there were several trouble spots to negotiate. First, we had to pass through the Barefoot Landing Bridge which opened on request.  Then came "The Rock Pile" which is a narrow, rock-edged cut almost 2 miles long.  Later, there was another stretch of rock ledges almost 19 miles long.  We encountered shallow spots near the Little River, Shallotte and Lockwoods Folly inlets.  You are quickly grounded if you go too far astray or worse yet, tear out your bottom or destroy your props and rudder on the rocks.  Still, we covered 42 miles without a mishap. Detailed planning and good luck got us through.

Georgetown, SC to Barefoot Landing, SC

We made 49 miles down the ICW and motor-sailed for several hours.  Weather was perfect - 70s and sunny.  Went up the Waccamaw River to Socastee Creek past Myrtle Beach and stayed overnight at Barefoot Landing Marina.  Greg Norman's (The Shark) Australian Grill Restaurant was across from the marina.  We did not dinghy over as we decided to have "Happy Hour" on our own boats.  We were a bit tired after our long day at the wheel.  A highlight of the day was passing under the gondolas of the Waterway Hills Golf Club (which is now closed).  This is golf country.  So, why did the golf course close last year and not reopen?  We suspect, more condos are on the way.

Georgetown, SC to St. Augustine, FL and back to Georgetown, SC May 7 and Georgetown, SC to Hampton, VA and back to Georgetown, SC May 8

On May 7, Dwayne, Carla and Frank rented a car and drove round trip from Georgetown to St. Augustine and back.  We left our cars in St. Augustine prior to heading north to Georgetown. The next day, we drove the cars to Hampton, VA and left them there awaiting our arrival with the boats from Georgetown.  It was two long consecutive days of driving which we don't want to repeat. In the future, we will make shorter hops or not do two long days in a row.  In any case, we won't have to move the cars again for a few weeks.

Dwayne came across an interesting statue of Francis Marion, "The Swamp Fox" at an old fording site near the highway not far from Williamsburg.  Colonel Marion and the Williamsburg Militia harassed the British forces under the command of Lord Cornwallis. The inability of the British to capture the allusive American earned Francis Marion his moniker, "The Swamp Fox.  South Carolina is dotted with waysides and signs recording historic events.  These provide periodic rests from driving as both Dwayne and Carla are interested in history.

Charleston, Day 3

We headed back to Charleston for one last visit before renewing our journey north on the ICW.  We wanted to visit two of the homes we saw while on our walking tour of the historic district.  Our first stop was at the Aiken-Rhett House which gives one a good overview of how these homes were organized and operated in the 19th Century.  Construction on the house began around 1820 and additions were made as necessary to support the life-style of the owners.  The house is largely unfurnished and is being conserved rather than restored.  The docent provided a very detailed picture of how those living on the property benefited from the design and layout of the house and its outbuildings.

Charleston, Day 2

We took the ferry over to Fort Sumter in the morning.  We passed the fort and took pictures of it during our journey through Charleston harbor en route to Hazzard Marina in Georgetown.  The fort was smaller than we anticipated in part due to the loss of the upper two stories of the fort as a result of the Union bombardment during the Civil War.  Also, a big distraction were the black, concrete blockhouses of "Battery Huger" which were built inside the fort in 1898.  Still, it was worth the visit.

Charleston

We drove from Georgetown to Charleston and met up with cousin, Susie and her husband, Terry.
They drove in from North Augusta, Georgia.  We spent the day wandering through the historic district and waterfront.  Many buildings in the historic district date back to the colonial period despite fires and earthquakes which destroyed much of Charleston in the past.

Hampton Plantation

Brian and Carla visited the Rice Museum in Georgetown to learn about the early history of Georgetown County and its plantations.  After lunch, we headed to tour the Hampton Plantation which is about 20 miles south of Georgetown.  The remnants of the Hampton Plantation are now a state park and the park service maintains the plantation house.  The house was expanded and modified over a period of time. The original house was built in 1730 with significant expansion in the 1760s and completed in 1790-91. George Washington stopped here during his 1791 tour of South Carolina.  It is said he suggested the now large Live Oak tree which stands a short distance from the front porch not be cut down to improve the view.  This stately tree is referred to as the Washington Tree.  Archibald Rutledge, the first poet-laureate of South Carolina, inherited the Hampton Plantation. It passed to the State of South Carolina upon his death.  The plantation house is unfurnished.

Georgetown

We moved from the anchorage to our spot on the Hazzard Marina facing dock where we will lay over for one week.  Susan, harbor master/dock hand/office manager, et al, ably positioned us on the dock, helped with hooking up our electric cable, pumped out the waste tank and we took on water. Enough docked in front of Foreign Affair and did the same.  Paul backed Enough the entire length of the distance from the anchorage to the dock.  While enroute Susan got a call on her radio from someone who observed Enough moving backward down the channel and was concerned that it might be adrift.  Susan assured him it was under power but and heading toward her dock albeit in an unconventional manner.  Upon arrival, Paul advised us it was a great opportunity to practice backing-up the boat.

Whiteside Creek Anchorage to Georgetown

We departed Whiteside Creek at 1000 so as to arrive at the shallow spots near McClellanville with a rising tide and enough water to pass without grounding or if grounded wait for the in-coming tide to raise the boat off the river's bottom.  We were able to stay in the center of the channel and made it through without any problems.  The tide pushed us along most of the day.  At one point we were traveling at 8 knots.

About 25 miles south of Georgetown we saw our first alligator.  Janet was at the wheel and saw something floating in the river which she at first thought might be a log.  Then she recognized it as an alligator.  Perhaps she remembered from our trip down last fall when we saw an alligator 10 miles north of Georgetown:  logs don't float up stream.  This gator was moving against the current.  A little later we saw a second alligator.  It was very difficult to get a good picture because they were so low in the water and the contrast between the gator and the dark water was subtle.  So, based on our personal observation, you don't want to go swimming in the waterway 10 miles north to 25 miles south of Georgetown.