"April 2001 Taking Down the Bridge" Leechville Travelogue by grandmaR

Fixed bridge in Hobucken taken 2003

We leave Oriental with the computer not talking to the GPS. I later discover this is because of a loose connection.

We cross the Neuse River and go up the canal and down Goose Creek. We see a CSY walk-through on a side tributary of Goose Creek. It has a blue stripe and bimini cover, but it won't answer our hail on the radio. JANET ANN passes as we exit Goose Creek. SUNDANCER and GOOSE CHASE pass about 1 to 1:30 in the Pungo River. GOOSE CHASE goes to Dowery Creek Marina, but SUNDANCER goes on ahead hoping to be able to get past the point where the Fairfield bridge is being removed and the canal is closed.

We go into Dowry Creek also, which is a bit north of Belhaven, but SEA BONDS goes up to the head of the canal to anchor so that can get through early in the morning before the construction blocks the canal. We have done 51.9 miles at 6.4 mph for a total of 874 nm.

New and old Fairfield Bridge and construction cran

Also in the marina in addition to GOOSE CHASE is a power boat called OLIVER'S TWIST - named after the owner's race horse. The marina has a nice lounge with satellite TV like two of our children have. The only problem with that is that the weather channel doesn't have any local weather. There is a pool, and a pay phone, and they let me do e-mail in the office.

Two couples (us and Charlie and his wife of OLIVER'S TWIST - she doesn't make anything for dinner but reservations) took the courtesy car in to the Helmsman to have dinner. All the houses in town are being raised up above what is presumed to be the flood level.

The directions we get with the courtesy car only go one direction - they assume you can get back. We couldn't.

We saw a lot of deer in the fields at dusk. Charlie, who drove, wanted to get gas for the car, but we couldn't find a gas station. So another couple who wanted to go to the market (on a trawler named KAREFREE) had to do it. Charlie stays most of the winter in Daytona and says he likes bike week even tho it is noisy (motorcycles), and race week (cars), but that black college reunion week has the greatest concentration of cops he's ever seen. He said they truck in 400 state troopers from all over the state.

Looking through the dodger at the old bridge

We left early, but GOOSE CHASE, OLIVER'S TWIST, and KAREFREE all left first. Bob pulled out the jib, and I made breakfast. The information we got on the radio indicated that they would pull the boats aside enough so there would be enough room for a private boat to pass.

When we got to the other end of the canal, we saw a tug and barge on the mooring that we anchored next to, waiting for the canal to open. The tug captain was cleaning his windows. He'd been waiting several days and was getting impatient.

Crane against the sun

We got to the Fairfield swing bridge barge before 10, and went through after a workboat crossed in front of us (above)

I took photos. A man standing next to the crane whistled or shouted at me and I looked over and he gestured to indicate that the crane operator was a woman and I should take her picture. I did, but it was against the sun and you can't see much.

Bob insisted on pulling out the main and jib, and rigging a whisker pole. JANET ANN passed while he was doing this, and also a catamaran named ALGERNON.

New Fairfield Bridge in 2003

As Bob gave up on the whisker pole, a dive boat named DEEP ADVENTURE passed and rocked us violently with their wake. I called ALGERNON on the radio to warn him (not that he needed it as a catamaran doesn't rock that much - really more to complain to DEEP ADVENTURE). We see several planes that Bob IDs as F16s and wonders where they are from that would be local.

We pull out the sails again and sail down the Alligator - actually turn the engine off. Finally have to turn it on again and pull in the sails when we see the bridge.

Next Alligator River