8th July Coinjock North Carolina

On Monday 25^th I got up at 6am (having paid up dues on Sunday) and finding no wind and little current let go lines and backed out of my slip, managed to get away without damaging any of the pretty plastic boats, and made my way round to the bridges and Adams Creek Canal (Intracoastal Waterway) being overtaken by sailboats, speed boats and trawlers, oh what it is to be slow. We made it into the Neuse River at 1pm and to our chosen anchorage in the South River by 4pm, where a thunder storm passed us during the late evening. Here we were anchored with another boat for a while (he left to go further downriver). By morning the wind had come round to the North so we moved to the eastern bank off a cemetery of an abandoned town accompanied by dolphins. I went ashore for a look around but got eaten by mosquitoes so left rapidly, and cleaned Snow White’s boottop which was getting green and furry.

Traffic on the ICW

Fishing in the ICW

The Neuse River

Sunset on South River

Up at sunrise on Thursday 28^th raised anchor and left the South River by 6am, raised the sails in the Neuse River and had a lovely sail for a while, but the wind eased so decided to go for the Hobucken cut, I considered anchoring at the North end of the cut, but there was a fire in the forest and we were making good time so continued across the Pamlico River and into the Pungo River, motor sailing most of the time, to our chosen anchorage in Slade creek in 2.7m of water, with no neighbours except the occasional dolphin, osprey and seagull.

We left Slade creek in the morning of Friday 29^th creeping into the deeper water of the Pungo River, where sails went up for a lovely sail for about ½ hr when they had to be doused for the entrance to Belhaven, anchoring at the far end of town by 9.30am again without neighbours, although the guide book says this is a popular cruiser stop! Having decided to stay here for the July 4^th Independence celebrations, I went ashore to restock my supplies and having failed to find the supermarket I asked a couple where I could buy a loaf of bread, they gave me a lift there (it was well out of town) and back to where I had left the dinghy! On another day I was wandering around town and stopped to ask what events were planned and ended up being invited to lunch on the 4^th which was a wonderful experience sharing in a family get together, these really are welcoming people. The bay filled up with small boats as the sun went down for the impressive firework display.

Young ospray on ICW marker

sunset in Slade Creek

Belhaven from Anchorage

Belhaven

4Th July Parade

Sunset on 4th

Some of the fireworks

 Next morning I was up sunrise and headed North through the Pungo River to Alligator River Canal, encountering a small amount of traffic, mostly alone bumbling along at 3knots finally anchoring at the Southern end of Alligator River by 3.45pm; after a very hot night even with the hatches open (spraying self liberally with mosquito repellent) up again at sunrise and we headed up the Alligator River and through the swing bridge (opening just for me) and across the Albemarle Sound, mostly motor sailing in the light breeze, and avoiding the many crab pot markers all over the place, into the North River where we anchored on the South East side in the entrance to Broad creek in 2.6m of water. Waking up at sunrise on the 7^th it felt so peaceful I decided to rest up for the day.

Alligator River Pungo River Canal

Bridge over Alligator River opening just for me

Sunset in North River

Ospray hunting

 Left Broad creek at dawn on Sunday 8^th and motor sailed up North River motoring the windy bit through the land cut to Coinjock 11 ½ miles north where we tied up at the marina at 10am to fill with water and fuel.