Pulling off the side of the road

Monday Nov.3,2008 Mile 104 Alligator River, NC ~~Quiet night at anchor in the Pasquotank River off Elizabeth city. Tiller loves being at anchor because he can run the decks – You would too if you were tied up most of the day even if it was for your own safety. We were through the bridge t 6:30 am and sailed down the river to the Abamarle sound and had a beautiful sail through the sound and into the Alligator river – A reach for much of it – we were able to 6 ½ knots. It’s only 2:30 – we contemplated going on through the canal another 20 miles but now we have to worry about it getting dark so early.

It’s a funny thing this cruising through the ICW – you just go along and when you are ready to stop you drop anchor – well not really that simple – we have a guide that tells the anchorages and whether the holding is good or not . There are a lot of sunken logs and in some places sunken boats and other debris you have to be careful of. We usually anchor in just 8 feet of water or so. This has been one of the biggest surprises to me that our waterways are so shallow. It’s why the Abamarle Sound and the Chesapeake Bay can be treacherous in heavy winds – the waves churn up much larger than in a deep body of water. It is not unusual to be in water, a river or sound that is more than 2 miles wide but there is only a narrow channel that is navigable for boats with 5 – 6 feet of draft.

So we are pulled of the road for the night – it is flat and gray but it didn’t rain – we are grateful for that – 67degrees in the boat and moist. It’s great for the skin – that and not showering really protects your skin. My last shower was 5 days ago but whose counting…….