Elizabeth City to the East River in Mobjack bay.

On May 11 I left at 07.00 in the morning I passed the highway bridge in Elizabeth City out to sea. It was a calm and nice morning. The first half an hour I used the engine but then the wind came and I could sail. About 7,5 nm outside Elizabeth City you see a big round building .

When I came in I had no idea what it was. At the museum in Elizabeth city they told me it was a place where the keep the “ TCOM Airships “ there or as they common know “ Blimps “. They are used at football and baseball games to make footage from above .

About 5 nm further I saw a mast sticking above the water. Something did not go well with that boat.

Although the wind was light I could sail but once at the entrance North River the wind was straight on the nose and the engine had to take over again.

The dredged part is marked by bacons and those are perfect places to make a nest. It are always the big Osprey’s that are nesting there . At the end of the afternoon I dropped anchor somewhere along the Intra Coastal where it was deep enough . The next day at 07.00 after I had coffee I was underway again . The wind was oke to sail the first part. Then I had pass a canal what I did using the engine. Once I had passed that I could sail again . But the wind was pretty strong and I used only the foresail. It was a nice and good sail. But here on the Currituck Sound You have to watch the markers very good . Just outside the dredged canal it is very shallow. But I made it safe and sound and a short distance after I passed a bridge again I dropped anchor.

Other boats passed all underway to Great Bridge or further along the ICW.

The next morning at 06.00 the anchor was up and I was underway to Great Bridge . This last piece of this part of the ICW I did on the engine. There are to many places with trees , so no wind and there are a few bridges to pass. When I arrived at Great Bridge there was one spot free on the free berth jetty so I was lucky. I cleared the boat and went for shopping what here is very nearby.

I stayed two days and by that time my diesel tank was full , the propane bottle refilled and fresh veggies on board. On May 15 I left at 09.00 and passed the bridge . After the bridge I went alongside again because the lock would only operate at 10.00. The lock had power problems and they used generators for the power to operate it so it only worked every 2 hours.

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  After I left the lock all power boats past me.

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  But here the railway bridge was closed and the power boats had all to wait.

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  In Norfolk are big repair facilities for the warships from the US .

After Great Bridge I went to the free berth in Portsmouth. Also there was only one spot free and that is where Mylady was moored. That afternoon I went for a walk trough the area near the harbour. There are lots of old houses and it is a nice area to walk around

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On May 18 I left Portsmouth early morning and was heading for Mobjack Bay . The wind was easterly what was a good direction for the passage . About 2 nm after I left the berth the engine went of and the sails had to do the job . It was pretty gusty and I had one reef in the main. Near Hampton roads I had to make two tacks because the wind was on the nose. But after that it was a nice long sail to the beautiful East River in Mobjack Bay . At 17.00 lt the anchor was in. I cleared the boat and took a beer.

The next day – on Friday – I prepared the dinghy and then made my way with the dinghy up “ Put in Creek “ to Mathews.

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  The start of ” Put in Creek ” what brings you to Mathews.

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  The end of the creek , No only it gets a bit smaller.

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  The last bit of the creek what leads to Mathews.

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  The ” dinghy dock ” what is special for launching canoes

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  The smal creek seen from the shore side.

Once there I walked around and went to the building centre to buy some things and to the Food Lion supermarket. While walking around I saw a sign about the farmers market on Saturday. Once back on board I pick up the anchor and anchored again and the entrance of “ Put in Creek “ . For the upcoming wind I had better protection on that spot and the distance to Mathews was a bit shorter. On Saturday morning around 09.00 I was with the dinghy again underway to Mathews . The farmers was good with lots of different stalls and a nice atmosphere.

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  The farmers market at Mathews. Every Saturday from 09.00 till 14.00 .

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I stayed a few days longer on that anchor spot. It was a nice spot with good holding and I had enough to do. On Wednesday the anchor was out at 07.00 and I was heading for Back Creek where the yard from “ Dandy Haven Marina “ . I had booked a haul out at that place for Friday. More about the sail to there and the haul out in the next post.