"2000, November 8-10 ICW First Trip- Elizabeth City" Elizabeth City Travelogue by grandmaR

Magic Eye, Carellen and Ephemeral coming through

We tied up in Slip 17 in Elizabeth City about 1:00 after 23.2 miles at 5.5 mph.

There was a walk through boat in Slip 18 next to us from the West River in MD, and a big aluminum boat a couple slips over in Slip 13. The rest of the crew were in the slips north of it.

Location for Rose Buddy party (taken 2002)

The Rose Buddy (Fred, a local resident and retired postal carrier) on a golf cart came by and told us the wine and cheese party would be at 4, and gave us maps and literature. (Elizabeth City is famous for its hospitality which includes free dockage for 48 hours, although they said we could wait for the weather there as long as we needed to.)

We walked across the street to Stocks (Comstocks) for lunch, and then walked around town a bit. We got a sewing needle in the Singer store next door to Stocks, and I got a new trackball in a computer store, and then we stopped in the Chamber of Commerce to see if I could indeed pick up e-mail. Then we walked back to the boat, stopping to mail 3 rolls of film in a post box on the way.

Some of the other folks from the Visitor's Center got there later in the day including the PDQ catamaran with the kids and the 3 Siamese cats. They need more width than one slip so they are over on the side. Also some folks that did the whole trip from Norfolk in one day, and didn't stop at the Visitor's Center came into slip 14.

History mural on newspaper building

Bob left to walk around on his own, and I got the computer together to go back to the Chamber of Commerce. A man stood at the pier leaning on the railing, and struck up a conversation - he said he had a boat like ours. We conversed until Bob came back to the boat, and then I left them comparing boats and went and downloaded e-mail.

I finished the write up of the 6th and 7th and sent that. Then I came back and they were still here. This picture is two halves of a mural on a printer or newspaper building that I've joined together into one picture. I took the pictures on the way back from the Chamber of Commerce, along with the one below.

Harry was with the guy on the aluminum boat, and they had a centerboard problem - the centerboard was partway up and the rope that pulls it up and down had broken and come out of the track. They couldn't see what they were doing because the water was so dark and full of tannin. They borrowed our dive light to help. (Harry wasn't taking his own boat down from NY because his wife just had a baby - the baby was unexpected and arrived early, he said.)

Historic church in Elizabeth City

We went to the wine and cheese party and I got my rose (they give all the women roses which is why they are called Rose Buddies), and smooshed with the other cruisers and Rose Buddies. The Canadians and the folks on the cat are home schooling. Then we went to dinner at Mulligans with Fred and Sharon.

We had a conversation with the people on the next boat who have a retriever named Dreyfus. They put him in the dinghy to get him to shore because he won't walk off the bowsprit. They are former sail/canvas makers from Annapolis who built their boat and moved to St. Mary's County, and their house is on Cuckold Creek right across from Blackstone Marina where we used to be. She has 7 daughters and a whole bunch of grandchildren.

It is amazing how many people we meet from home - Caroline (RAGGY WALTZ)'s parents have also moved to St. Mary's County. I called our son and spoke to our DIL for a bit. We watched Jeopardy and Who Wants to Be A Millionaire on TV, and then went to bed.

Sunrise

November 9th

We decided to stay in Elizabeth City another day because the weather is forecast to be strong gusty winds and rain from the SE which will be in our face and slow us down.

We go over to Comstocks (they let you read the paper over there and then you put it back) and I had an egg sandwich, and talk to Fred and Sharon. They decide to go today anyway, and several others do also. We see them off.

Then I call the PO on the cell phone to see if they are forwarding the mail (our son in Charleston says he hasn't gotten any) and they say that they just sent the first packet Mon. She adds that I sure get a lot of mail, and that our daughter can pick up the 3rd class mail anytime.

I also call Radio Shack and they've got my computer back but lost my address, so I give it to them, and they promise they will send it today. I go over to the Chamber of Commerce to get and send e-mail. They are building a new museum across the way.

Crossing the street that runs along the waterfront requires skill and daring as there are no lights or crosswalk. I have my leftover Chesapeake Chicken for lunch and Bob makes himself tuna salad.

Some people come down from the canal - a boat with a couple of kids, and a Brit couple with a deck and dink full of leaves from running into trees. They go into the slips beside us.

One couple is out of water, and Bob lends them his hose because theirs won't reach. We decided to go to the Colonial Restaurant for dinner. After the wine and cheese party (some of the new people had brought dips because they had been there before), we walked over there.

I almost fall in getting back on the boat (there is a very short finger pier and we have to climb off the bow - there is a plastic milk crate to step up on, but it is still a good big step, and this time I knock the crate into the water), and Bob says I won't be allowed off the boat again. He's only half joking.

Elizabeth City from the Pasquotank

We are leaving this morning, and SANTA MARIA (the boat next to us with Dreyfus) is also. We cast off the lines by 7:15. Bob has to free up the speed log so that we will know how fast we are going. We put up the staysail and main.

I'm not sure if we are going to be able to get past the Alligator Swing bridge because it won't open if there are high winds, and it's pretty windy.

SANTA MARIA followed us out, and drew up even with just the jib and mizzen. Bob said the boat wasn't balanced without the jib, so we put that up too, and passed them.

Joy B over by the shore

Another boat called JOY B tried to call SANTA MARIA - an old bearded single hander (from Bermuda), but they apparently didn't hear. He called 'the boat near Santa Maria' and I answered. They apparently heard him for the first time and tried to reply.

JOY B asked if we were going the 'long way' or were going to cut across. We said we didn't know we were just going to sail. I think JOY B was following Santa Maria because they've done the ICW numerous times. Both SANTA MARIA and JOY B went off to the starboard. As SANTA MARIA passed us on the port side, we had to circle to let them past, and lost a lot of ground. Bob eventually pulled in the jib.

SANTA MARIA was ahead of us and JOY B (being a smaller boat) was still off to our right.

We crossed Albemarle Sound and entered the Alligator River.

Next stop - anchoring at the head of Alligator River