Update from George for Week 4 June 10, 2011

0500 June 10, 2011; I was advised by several boaters that the winds on Lake
Oneida can get very strong and that I should leave early to cover the 30 mile lake
before the winds pick up. Well, we were off by 0530 on a very cool morning and
as soon as I left the harbor protection, I headed into mild northwest winds coming
straight at me and making a medium chop on the lake. I had to endure these
not so pleasant conditions for the next two hours and even put on three wind
breakers. Yes, my hands were cold!

As I approached the end of this 30 mile journey, the sun started coming out and
the lake became calm. I entered the channel to Lock 23 and started calling the
Lock Master. By the directions on the chart and my GPS, the lock was only a
few miles up the canal but a few miles on the chart made out to be 30 more cool
minutes before I reached the lock. The Lock Master was a something else! He was a great
guy.  He gave me coffee and some cookies for my morning trip. He was also
very interested in my mission and took a filer to make copies and pass out.

From Lock 23 to Lock 1 on the Cayuga Seneca Canal it’s 5.5 hours of the most
beautiful canal / Seneca River scenery you can imagine. It was close to what
you see on the Waccamaw River in SC or the Dismal Swamp in NC. I passed
through Lock #1 at 1230 hours, after 7.5 hours of travel with 2 more hours to go
before I reach the lake house. Just before I entered Cayuga Lake for the final
stretch, Jason, my son-in-law called to tell me that the lake had north to south
winds with a mild chop in my favor. As I started into the lake, he was right on
and I set my GPS as meth straight down the lake to my location.

At 1530 hours I was tying up at my dock. Wow, I was at the lake house, what a sense of relief and
a long moment of thank you’s to the Creator and Mother Nature for taking me on
this wonderful 27 days of beautiful weather, adventurous and challenging boat
ride. No more long boat rides for another 3 weeks

Update from George for Week 4 June 9, 2011

0700 June 09, 2011; We pushed off into another beautiful cool day after the
result of the storm that passed through last night. I had another 11 locks ahead
of me if I was going to meet Carol and Phil Jones at Sylvan Beach, Lock 22, that
afternoon. Well, one Lock lead to another and then another and by noon I was
only passed Lock 17 with five more Locks or five hours ahead of me. My cell
phone went dead because of it trying to stay connected in a very limited use area
and I had the Lock Master’s at Lock 17 & 19 to call Carol and advise of my delay.
At Lock 21, the Lock Master called Carol and I got to talk with her. She had left
her cell phone at home and they had been waiting over 3.5 hours at Lock 20 for
my arrival.

I arrived at Lock 22 at 1830 hours after another very long day. At Lock 20 and
21, you start down hill after being raised over 300 feet by the preceding Locks.
Also, the canal in this area becomes a canal and not the Mohawk River and it’s a
straight as you can draw a straight line. From Lock 19 to 22, I had a strong wind
in my face and the glare of the sun. In several places, I hit debris and had to
stop the boat to clear the engine.

Carol was waiting for me at Lock 22 Canal Wall where we tied up for the evening.
She took me to the local gas station, run by the Seneca Indians, and we topped
off with cheap gas. We then went to dinner and shortly after Chase and I were
zipped in for another night.

Update from George for Week 4 June 8, 2011

0600 June 8, 2011; we shoved off at 0630 and entered Lock #1, The Federal
Lock at 0655. All locks on the Erie Canal open at 0700. I was followed into the
lock by two trawlers and two sail boats with their mast taken down. You cannot
sail across the Erie Canal because there are too many low bridges.

We passed through the “5 Steps” of locks that raise you 165 feet from the
Hudson River to the Mohawk River in about 2.5 hours. The Locks in this section
are only a few minutes apart but passing through each lock takes about 30 – 45
minutes each. The Lock Masters are very good about having the Lock ready to
receive you and the doors are open or opening as you approach the Lock.
It took all day of beautiful cruising to travel through 11 Locks. After passing
through Lock 11 at Amsterdam, NY, I tied to the wall and kicked back. Chase
loved chasing the Geese and ducks back into the water. I met the Lock Master,
Howard, and he was very interested in the boat and my mission. He took
several pictures of the boat and a flier that he was going to make copies of at the
American Legion to pass out.

After settling in and getting Chase fed, I went across the RR to a local Italian
Restraint, called Russo’s, and had a great Lasagna dinner. After dinner, I made
it back to the boat to baton down the side curtains and wait for a very powerful
thunder storm to blow by. The storm came in and moved out like a freight train
and only rained for a minute or two but the wind made up for the rain! Yes, we
got a little damp but not soaked.

Update from George for Week 4 June 7, 2011

0600 June 7, 2011: Wow, after 9.5 hours I arrived at the Troy, NY City Dock.
The day started a little late after yesterday’s trip but went very well. It’s my 24th
day of perfect cruising weather!

I had to cross the Hudson River to fuel up and I met John P. who owned the fuel
dock. Just two hours together and we were like Bro’s! He took me to the local
market to get a few things and while I was there his wife gave him Rosaries to
give to me for my travels. He also gave me a special gift that kept me going all
the way to Troy. You can figure what that gift was? I departed his fuel dock
at 0900 and arrived in Troy at 1830 hrs. The Hudson River has always been
special but today in a magnificent sunny day it was something else. I just sat
back and road the waves.

My only concern was that the motor ran a little rough last night and this morning
with fresh gas it ran perfectly all day. Also, on my way up the Hudson, I kept
running into large sections of debris. There were tree limbs, 2x4’s, large boards
with nails, mucho seaweed and more sticks than you can imagine. You could
spot some of the debris by the birds sitting on the logs and floating down stream!
I had to stop the boat more than five times to clear debris from the engine.
However with all of that to contend with, the river was flat with a south wind
and tide pushing me north and the main reason I made the trip in such good
time. One thing I found out about an hour into the trip is that you must follow the
markers. Even though it’s the wide Hudson River there are muddy and sandy
shoals and shallow spots. I never touched bottom but came very close. Once
again the GPS kept me on a true course.

I passed by Mike’s Matera’s home on the Hudson and gave it a custom wave.
There was a cute little light house in the middle of the river near by and of curse
I went around the wrong side and the bottom came up pretty quickly, but no
touching bottom.

I pulled into the Troy City Marina, a 500 foot floating dock along the seawall in
downtown Troy with several Restraints and Bars above looking over the boats. I
was advised by one of the boaters that several boats were robbed last night and
to be on watch. It was hot, muggy and I was very tired after a very long trip. I
had Chase by my side and no one came near us.

We will be up early once again and head for the 1st of many locks on the Erie
Canal tomorrow. The weather is supposed to remain warm and muggy.

Update from George for Week 4 June 6, 2011

0530 June 6, 2011; we got up to the most beautiful morning with very calm seas
around us. I packed up and headed out at 0600. It was low tide and my first turn
into the channel I hit the bottom. Wow, that came up fast and reminded me to
stay between the sticks and in the middle of the channel.

Unless you were there, you cannot imagine how beautiful and calm the waters
were through the marsh lands heading north from Atlantic City. I was like in a
dream the water was so calm the air smelled so clean and the sun shine was
so brilliant. I came to a place on the ICW where the sticks were gone and once
again if it wasn’t for my GPS I couldn’t have found the pass.

About an hour up the canal I came to a place that was a spitting image of Cape
Coral, called Manahawkin Bay, but the homes were a bit more expensive than
on the Cape. I next came to Barnegat Bay and it’s HUGE but the waters still
remained calm. However the ICW markers were over a mile apart and I had to
set Way Points on the GPS to stay in the track. All the way across the waters
remained extremely calm.

In the last part of the ICW in Northern NJ you cross through the Pleasant Canal
that takes you further up the intercostals before you enter the Atlantic. The canal
was far from pleasant for the river draining out was hitting the incoming tide and
the canal was churning. I came out of the churning canal and headed for the
Atlantic. Before going out I topped off my tanks and asked the attendant how the
water was on the Atlantic. I don’t know, just go out and find out and then hit the
gas.

Well, I entered the Atlantic at 1200 and it was almost dead calm with a little roll
from the south. I took the gas attendant’s advice and hit the throttle and headed
north for 30 miles of open Atlantic Sea. I stayed 200-300 yards off shore and
beat feet. I felt like I was traveling up a lake coast line with mucho beautiful
homes and hotels along the way. I made Sandy Hook in two hours and what an
awesome sight to see the Verrazano Bridge and the NYC Skyline ahead of me.
I crossed the bay between Sandy Hook and the V Bridge in 45 minutes and
headed up the Hudson River past the Statute of Liberty and downtown New
York. The worst wave conditions were in the NYC harbor from all the Ferry
traffic coming passed me in every direction. Once past the Navy Air Museum
and the Intrepid Air Craft Carrier I had very good waters all the way up to the
George Washington and the Tappan Zee Bridge. I was on the water 12 exciting,
beautiful, exuberating and exhausting hours today and I wouldn’t have had it any
other way. Oh yes, the Creator, Mother Nature and all the Guardian Angles were
with me to make this journey as remarkable as it was.

As I passed under the Tappan Zee Bridge, two Sherriff’s pulled up to me and
we had a nice chat about the boat and my adventure. They couldn’t believe I
have come so far in a pontoon boat. They advised me where the Half Moon Bay
Marina was located and I headed up river another 10 miles.

The Half Moon Bay Marina is a private club that takes transients but they don’t
like dogs. Of course Chase, being Chase, went right up the ramp and took a
beautiful dump to the astonishment of the neighbors! After a long day, I was in
the rack by 2030 hrs.

Update from George for Week 4 June 5, 2011

0600 June 5, 2011; Last night was very cool when tucked in and were up to over
cast skies with the sun shine coming from the north. The floating docks rocked
and rolled till midnight caused by wakes of passing boats who must not be able
to read or understand the NO WAKE signs. I have only been in NJ a few hours
and so far I have found the most un-courteous boaters. They seam to rule the
waters with no concern for other boaters. Well, it’s 0700 and time to unzip the
pilot house and head north.

Grounded, or I at least hit the muddy bottom, just 50 yards out of the slip and
right next to the red stick. Tide is out and the guys told me to stay just inside the
sticks or in the middle. The next thing to greet me was the very cool weather. It’s
only 62 out and the wind is from the ocean. The skies still look like rain but the
wind seams to be keeping the clouds to the west.

The NJ shore line along the ICW is a maze of intertwining streams coming into
the main channel. Once again, it looks much like the Georgia and SC channel
and you must stay between the sticks.

The homes along the ICW are stacked onto one another and there is “0” lot lines
and I can imagine that the homes go in the $ high 500K. Most have hinged
ramps that rise and fall with the tide so they can get into their floating boat docks.
I could see the Casino’s of Atlantic City some 15 miles out and now I am in the
back channel cruising behind them. I can’t wait to see if the pictures come out.
I came upon my first draw bridge and had a fifteen minute wait and the second
draw bridge seamed to open on my command. Both bridges were connecting
roads that went to the beaches.

I had to cruise by Atlantic City to the north and come around a point past
Harrah’s Casino and then cruise down the ICW towards the Atlantic Ocean.
The turn into the Trump Casino Marina was just under a main bridge next to the
Coast Guard Station and the seas became very choppy. I noted that once again
I arrive in choppy seas and am very thankful to have a place to tie up. I pulled
into the Trump Marina which is now owned by the Golden Nugget. Dave, the
marina manager gave me a slot and asked the Director of Activities, Ms. Harris,
for the comp. I was advised later in the afternoon by Dave that she authorized
me a 50% discount. Not a bad motel room on the water for $35 a night and what
a place to take a well needed nap!

I fueled up, went over the charts and if the weather is right I will shove off for
northern NJ early in the AM

Update from George for Week 4 June 4, 2011

HMS Patriot
Great Loop Boat Log
Week # June 4- June 10, 2011

0500, June 4, 2011: 21 days on the water and starting my 4th week.
We awoke to calm waters in the harbor and the outer harbor of Charles River
Bay had a slight chop. I decided to head out and cross the bay to find calmer
waters. The trip across the bay was very fast even though I had a 3-8 inch chop.
I made it up around North Point Pelorus on the Eastern Neck and headed up the
coast line just half mile off shore. Once around the point the waters became flat
with a chop every now and then, I made great time and arrived in Chesapeake
City on the C&D canal at 1030. I was finely out of the Chesapeake’s grip after
five days and decided to push on instead of staying over because the waters
were calm and the weather was outstanding.
I made it to the Delaware River by 1130 and headed south. I had a slight
incoming tide that soon would turn and the wind and waves were behind me. I
settled in for the 4-5 hour trip down the Delaware to Cape May. I found the River
to be quite peaceful and all the negative reports were unfounded. However, I
believe the river could change for the worse the next day and I was going to take
advantage of this fine cruising day.
About half way down the river I came to a side river and two fishermen told
me there was fuel stop about two miles up the incoming river. I made the trip
through the Georgia wet lands type of landscape up the winding river to find
three marinas. I topped off my tanks and headed back to the river and my trip
south. Most of the river is empty of housing and there was one large nuclear
power plant. I did pass a few settlements but didn’t notice any road ways into the
developments. I must get a NJ map.
I made the last costal light tower at 1545 and started to cross the Delaware Bay.
The shore line on the other side had vanished a half hour ago for mouth of the
bay is over 12 miles wide. I kept the eastern shore line in sight and headed
straight to the Cape May Canal on my GPS for it was also out of sight. I opened
up the engine to 15 MPH and boogied. I had a calm rolling sea, tied and wind
with me and made it to Cape May at 1655. As I headed across the east west
canal to find a place to tie up a large car ferry came out to great me. Huge when
you are this small along side. The marina I am in is 75% full and no marina
manager to talk with. Oh well, I will be out of here early in the AM. The weather
looks like rain and I have put down the side certins for the first time in 21 days.

Week 4, Tuesday June 7, 2011

Per Bill Banfield.. Left early again and is moving well up the river.  He is now running by/dodging a lot of debris in the river….trees, tree limbs, junk, etc.  He has a following breeze and is making good time. Passing by West Point and Bear Mountain area is beautiful….noted that as he passed out of the tidal influence area, the construction of docks changed…no longer seeing the floating docks.  Weather is clear….another perfect day!  His goal is Troy, just before the entrance to the Barge/Erie Canal and just above Albany…..a long day……I estimate 129 miles for the day, another 6:00am to 6:00pm day.

Week 4, June 6, 2011

Left at 6:00am…..water was like glass….by 11:00am, he was at Point Pleasant and refueled….ocean was like glass!!!  At that point, he had to transition to the ocean for the 30 miles up Sandy Hook, then across Raritan Bay and into NY harbor….he is passing the Statue of Liberty right now !!!!!!!   Per George, this is the most spectacular day yet !!!!!  His plan is to go to the Nyack Yacht Club at the Tappan Zee Bridge…he will be under the GW bridge within an hour or so, and at the Tappan Zee bridge about 1 and ½ hours later !!!!!!!! Per friend Bill Banfield.

Week 3, June 3, 2011

0630 June 3, 2011, I spent a very windy and rough night tied to the dock.  At 0200 I was up and tied more lines to the boat because the wind was pushing hard at my stern.  I was up and about with Chase and one look out to sea told me I would be here another day.  I checked the weather report and once again the seas are supposed to calm down.  Now it’s a wait and sees and I don’t need to go out in those choppy waters for any reason.  As Jean says, sit around and enjoy the break, a tough thing to do when you want to be on the way.  Oh well, it’s another beautiful day except for the wind. 

Week 3, June 2, 2011

0500 June 2, 2011; I was up and ready to go at 0600 and the waters in the bay were dead calm.  Oh, but what lie ahead and just around the under the Bay Bridge. The following sea and wind turned to a NW wind and came straight at my port bow with a pounding blow.  I headed at an angle to my first way point of the tip of Kent Island and with the help of the Creator; I made it around the point and headed south into the Charles River sound. I saw a red and white light house about 3 miles away and headed that way.  Once inside the break water wall I entered the Castle Harbor Marina.  It was 0730 and the marina was closed so I tied up to the fuel dock after two go rounds because a stiff breeze kept pushing me off the dock.  I moored the boat and took Chase for a walk about. 

At 0800, Danielle the Dock Master arrived and I told her of my plight.  She said welcome aboard and asked me to move my boat ahead so that other boats could have more space when they come in for fuel.  The wind continued to be very strong with 10-15 mph gust and only one boat came in for a pump out and two large boats went out into the rough seas.

Jim my next slip mate introduced me to Dan Humbert, a retired Navy Master Chief and his dog Willy and Dan introduced me to Jim the assistant dock master and a retired Navy chief.  All were interested in my travels and very supportive. Dan, a seven year old cancer survivor, lives on a large 60 ton trawler, and does boat eminence in his spare time.  They and several others took me under their wing and made me feel at home.

Well, needless to say, I spent a full day tied to the dock and watched the white caps build just off the marina entrance.  I did some minor repairs on the boat, started reading another book, had a soak in the hot tub and enjoyed my forced vacation at this beautiful and friendly marina.  The weather report stated that the seas would calm down in the evening and maybe I will be able to head out in the morning. 

Week 3, June 1, 2011

0800 June 1, 2011; I had a nice stay at the Comfort Marina and a free breakfast!

I headed out at 0700 for the local gas dock and they weren’t open.  When they still didn’t open at 0800 I left with the 18 spare gallons I had on board. I can do 6-7 hours of cruising with that much fuel and Annapolis is only 5.5 hours away. The weather was very hot and muggy and the wind was from the south which gave me following seas and tide.  The coast line was a bit curvy so I stayed out about 2 miles to get the best current and a straighter line from point A to B.  I made Annapolis in 4.5 hours, topped off my gas tank, only used 11 gals, and headed for the city marina.  I am now tied up along the main walk way and getting ready for the thunder storms they say are coming.  I have been on the ICW for the past 17 days and each and every day has been beautiful, weather wise.  Tomorrow we are off for C&D canal and Cape May.

Week 3, May 31, 2011

0500 May 31, 2011; Up with the birds and the mosquitoes!  I had to put up the mosquito netting last night and you could hear them swarm over the netting. 

Well, after two days, or maybe because I didn’t witness his potty, Chase finally went to the bathroom.  We then packed up the boat and shoved off at 0600 and made it two feet out of my slip.  The engine quit and I couldn’t get it into reverse or forward.  I drifted a few feet to another slip and Bill my slip neighbor helped tie  me off. 

Bill and his wife Lori and I sat around discussing the situation and getting phone numbers for local marina mechanics and having another coffee.  At 0700, Bill went to the back of the boat and shouted, I think I found out what your problem is!  I went back to the boat and looked at the shaft and there was anchor line wound around the prop!  I was in the water in a flash with a sharp knife and removed the rope. To my amazement, it was my rope!  I have know idea when it came off, most probably in the rough seas but I am surely blessed that it didn’t entangle the prop when I was out there in the high seas.  While in the water, I walked under the toon and inspected for any more concerns and found nothing.  The boat started up with a roar and it shifted into both gears with ease.     

I was off at 0800 into very calm waters.  However around the first point the wind picked up and I had a mild chop coming at me most of the way to Solomon Marina.  When I approached the Potomac River, the water became rougher and I traveled up the south side of the river for five miles where I turned into the waves and headed for Point Lookout five miles away.  When I made the turn you couldn’t see the other side because of the fog and haze.

Once across the Potomac the waves subsided and didn’t pick up again until I was about ten miles out from the Marina.  I was thinking about going further up the coast line but the wave action turned that idea off and I am sure glad it did.  The Solomon’s are a group of marinas located on the Patuxent River.  Once in the river, there were no more waves to contend with but the air got very hot and muggy.  I got into the Comfort Marina, at 1400, and received free dockage and the use of the pool and showers. I spent the rest of the day in total relaxation with lots of pool time for the heat index was 105 and the humidity was 98 %...

After I gas up in the morning, on my way out, I will be headed for Annapolis.

Week 3, May 30, 2011

0500 May 30, 2011; We were up early to the sound of ship horns and look out to see the Tugs already at work.  I got everything ready to go and we shoved off at 0600. 

The passage down the Elizabeth River was very smooth and we passed by half a dozen more navy ships.  As we entered the main channel out to the Chesapeake Bay, I had two super tankers in front of me. They weren’t leaving too much of a wake but their engine cavitations was making any headway bumpy.  I pulled past the stern of the tanker and the wave action was quite rough even though I didn’t see any wake.  At one point, I went up on one wave and came down into the leading wave and berried the nose of my boat and the decks became awash!  Whoa, what’s the rush and I let the tanker proceed out of my way.

Once around the southern point of Hampton Roads, I headed north along the VA coast.  The wave action was slightly choppy but when I came to the York River sound, another 12 mile passage, the wave action was just as bad if not worse than the Albemarie Sound crossing.  Fortuntally the waves and wind were coming from my left shoulder but I had to go out further into the Chesapeake in order to ride the wave action. 

The surfing action came back and we were picking up speed over each large wave.  I would hit a wave at 10 mph and cross over two waves at 14 mph.  After an hour of this I made the other side of the sound and started to pass landfall at the southern end of Mathews point. I believe I must have been five miles out into the Chesapeake Bay and started working my way back to shore as the wave action subsided. I made the Deltaville Marina some 50 miles from Norfolk at 1100 hrs.  I made some great time in all of that wave action and instead of going into the marina; I went across the Rappahannock River sound, an additional eight miles and pulled into the Windmill Pt Marina.  I will say that my chrising to the Chesapeake Bay lived up to my expectations and it could have been worse.

The Windmill Marina didn’t have a fuel dock but one of the staff took me into town to full up my gas cans.  I also had to pay, for the 1^st time in many days a slip fee of $35 but I get the use of the pool and lounge.  I gave Chase his first swim of the trip and then his 2^nd bath.  I went to the pool and had a cool dip and chilled out for the rest of the afternoon. The temperature is in the high 80’s and the Bay is as flat as glass.  I should be out on it but I need the relaxation. I am told that the Bay will remain calm for the rest of the week and the further north I go the better it gets. I hope to be off by 0600 tomorrow.

Week 3 May 29, 2011

0630 May 29, 2011; Well I can’t say the first part of my evening was very nice.  The wave action kept rocking the boat from side to side and it was like trying to sleep in a swaying hammock.  Around midnight it started to calm down and then the mosquitoes and no seems came out!  At 0130 I put up the mosquito netting and off to sleep until 0530 when Chase licked me in the face.  Must be time to do his thing.  The morning sun rise was just one of the very best and the rough sound I passed through last night was now super calm. 

On our morning walk, Chase met another Lab and I met his owner Tom a retired Coast Guard member and he took me to get gas and we also stopped for coffee.  At the gas pumps in town I paid $1.25 less than the marinas price.  Tom gave me his brother’s number in Cape May and told me to call if I needed anything. 

We shoved off at 0730 and headed into the Dismal Swamp waterway to Norfolk, VA.  I was amazed at how calm the water was as compared to yesterday.  About 5 miles up the waterway I came to a RR crossing but from my angle I couldn’t see the passage through.  I slowed down to a crawl and inspected the barrier in front of me and all it was, was an optical elusion for the opening was there but it looked like it all run together.

The Dismal Swamp canal has to be seen up close and personal for anyone to understand what an out of this world nature paradise this is.  I have seen several places on this trip that compare to this natural wonder but each is a spectacular green world of is own.  The trees and bank foliage come right down to the rivers edge and reflect upon themselves and give you a double image.

I came to the 1^st of two locks at around 0930 and they wouldn’t open the lock until 1100.  However, at 1000 the lock master opened the doors and let us in so five other boats that were coming up behind us could get locked in and now we wait. Oh well, this gave me a chance to re-rig my antenna that came loose in the rough waves I experienced crossing Albemarie Sound.

Once through the lock it was like floating through a never – never ending land of green coming down to the waters edge with twin reflections.  It’s like sailing through a green tunnel and the reflection of the water and vegetation is breathless.  I hope the pictures come out.  The Dismal Canal is as straight as one can draw a line on paper and only 50 feet wide in most places with a no wake speed limit.  I can make 8 mph with no wake.

We made the last set of locks and draw bridge around 1500 and had to wait again for the bridge to open and then travel another mile to the lock.  There were four trawlers and two sail boats in our group.  Two of the couples had just purchased their trawler in St Petersburg, FL and were taking them back north to Toronto. Once in the lock it took another fifteen minutes for the water to let down.  At 1630 I was on the way once again to Norfolk.

Ten miles down the canal I made a left turn into the Elizabeth River that took me to Norfolk and past the Navy yards.  There were only three cruisers in dock repair yards and each one had a large Zodiacs rubber guard boat patrolling around the ship. What a boring way to spend the day.  However, I was most impressed the barges tied up along the water way.  I mean large enough to play football on!  HUGE! And all full with something like scrape metal, cement, grain, and who knows what else.     

I pulled into the Tidewater Yacht Marina around 1800, fueled up and got into my slip.  I must admit, I am a wee bit tired.  I sat around with a couple of very nice older sailors and we discussed the Chesapeake and how to cruse on her.  The chart book I have shows me the way north 20 miles per page and I hope to make 3 pages a day.  They showed me several marinas along the way.  Their advice is to start out early and end up early.  This means shove off by 0630 and arrive in my new port of call by 1400 and I should cover 50-60 miles on average per day.  It may take me 3-4 days to go up the Chesapeake to the C&D canal over to the Delaware and then a day down to Cape May.

Additional Info on May 27, 2011

0615, May 27, 2011: We awoke to calm waters in the harbor and decided to head out north to Elizabeth City, NC or somewhere close by.  Bill Strange helped me away from the docks and Bernie Harberts, the town news reporter came by to say farewell. 

As I rounded the bulkhead, the calm harbor turned to rolling seas with one foot swells.  I had to travel down the Neuse River for 1.5 hours in rough seas until I came to the left and the cut off to the back water channel to the Pamlico River.

I made good time to and through the canal system, a straight water way like I-75 or a landing zone for the space shuttle.  The scenery along the way was again out of this world. 

I came out of the 1^st set of canal systems at the Pamlico and had a two mile crossing and then up Rose Bay to Alligator Alley Canal which ran as straight as an arrow for about 25 miles and dumped me off into the Alligator River.  Once out of the smooth canal system the Alligator River turned into a very windy body of water with rolling 1-3 foot seas and mucho white caps.  I would rise up one wave and surf down the others.  The 26 foot length of the boat made the passage easy but very challenging. 

At the head of the Alligator was a bridge and approaching it was not an easy task.  As I kept getting closer, I kept wondering how I would get under it for it looked liked the cars were just above the water.  At the center span was a swing bridge but high enough for me to get under.  All along the way, I kept looking for a marina to pull into but nada!  Later I found out that I passed two of them but I couldn’t see them up the channels they were located on. 

After passing under the RT 64 bridge I headed across the Albemarie Sound, the largest body of water I have attempted to cross and I was still under heavy waves.  Fortuntally the waves and wind were coming from my stearn and this made travel easier but challenging.  The Sound is about 12 miles across because as I started across, I couldn’t see the other side. The ole horizon rule of navigation and being able to see only 12 miles out to sea.   In all, it took me just over 4 hours of these rolling seas to reach Elizabeth City.  I must say I didn’t enjoy this part of the trip, but what a challenging learning experience and sea trial for the other larger bodies of water I will encounter.  The boat and engine handled far better than expected and gave me the confidence for future rough seas.  In all I spent 11 hours on the water today! Tomorrow smooth canal travel through the Dismal Swamp to Norfolk, VA. 

Just before my arrival to Elizabeth City, I noticed a large Blimp Hanger and a Blimp parked outside.  I was told that this facility is where the Met-Life Blimp and all the others come from.  They even make the security operations blimp that we had over our FOBS in Iraq.  Also, a mile past this facility was the largest Coast Guard station and maintenance facility on the east coast.  Mucho jets, C130’s and very large hanger type buildings.

Elizabeth City offered some very friendly folks but nada facilities.  I was luck to find space along the city park dock wall next to two sail boats.  I was totally drained by my crossing of the Albemarie Sound and being on the water for 10 hours this day.  Sleep wasn’t easy due to the constant rocking of the boat and wave action.