On Monday 25th 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.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTteZGo4BjSNxoLML_TqXifn56SpUfy60Uctm5We9hugmEIqh237-oeFOn_SasQwblH0JcpdTzGw869KUycRedqgxyGwgypVhv46YdPrbg51flQC6UXiRxkPv7swWUd3VPjfEvgqSnyLQ/s320/02+Adams+Creek+traffic.jpg) |
Traffic on the ICW |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5rEWT0YJjHE7CALetPWxBmQVhBceMipfZCfHtTXnz_dx1ix1F2MKDsOy50bo3PA-N4SkrdMGqNHuCsqG0U9QRlZFQS3TrY-w8kdNGpgXtWesRm4MmkTR25AhOKV26cvO0LziQSZSsMCs/s320/05+Fishing+in+ICW.jpg) |
Fishing in the ICW |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-tBB8R-YACQhIJvKqdQ3EbkoZduqurPhdI5i_rtxKs4FQFtns8TUxYJwvMUzmUnbWX3hZljr6D8pPPiL8Na4o6zS0DyN0hPZyClpg91bAySFJMQc0Sgx79C4vpKuzojbT0rDHoY3e9X8/s320/06+Neuse+River.jpg) |
The Neuse River |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjfCvGFH61vwjyiiRN4CADlThIEpCrsQEias24F6YaADKFqirTjkxqrA6eBmsS_HsuDulnd4OtrjmJXbweUQOh5d-toyuEKMvcJUwSxji4ukDQubQqkRZRubQ0st2Zg1Xi73S2dbDEWns/s320/11+Another+sunset+in+South+River.jpg) |
Sunset on South River |
Up at sunrise on Thursday 28th 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 29th
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 4th 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 4th 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.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGWBZQk-Gvy42Z8gW4cA-CnnyyuRsotBfxdawmeMXQHD1VHNLg5xs-fZy8jKEcNSLatAFYNrWN9ORPf4-RIGXXMwwasBxE_sQfAcsuQbQln7Rcgz_O1NcC3nQCh6cNdbVx6sf38UDqCnU/s320/02+Young+Osprey.jpg) |
Young ospray on ICW marker |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJXBRt4Eh35hkOw7xRFttR-tV3eIR99uXlEjAcbD4zfpafPaXDJpJqeDUwSyLaJsIyiygAzDvErfQGPQd8fGG-lozn_nFC1xPvykufYZbf2jBP6Ktoje12eTsQckbyAqmm6KDKWqxgn10/s320/04+Sunset+in+Slade+Creek.jpg) |
sunset in Slade Creek |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYrKxhtaE56Jf22U-VMYNR_g12t3TdVc3RfJ-QPqippaKztJ443LZvkgt34S2RtdcMIYKJy_ixQmWBMKp2Gd7eV8h25VX5A7lKdz-l65nkKrTPqc8Qi2Erst5ZdLBvP5mAGjWb3-9HNvk/s320/06+Belhaven+from+anchorage.jpg) |
Belhaven from Anchorage |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI18XwEXgt-HJvQv7ohGNJr8FbWSDfwhyphenhyphenkFLS-OstjnSKRd-xPrkkHZsDoRElUIfxzQz7t8GSKm_yv7lSbXF7QMbTvxWXpxbicpKtp2-ZuTrkvgT7JEwFiNRhMRksq4XmQveWZwGq_z8I/s320/07+Belhaven.jpg) |
Belhaven |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBTvKjJoWqtQ8Lm8RP7nMUBCW-SuSNY9WL0QEhW5Hj4KQWVcjMDBJlX20wr8xTevEdg8Cn81AvD_TQA24-tlb1umDpd1FzSZB4tb5MEBiHk8TbnuxYz6K6TiSLIW2E2G2oZFtHVcBURiM/s320/13+July+4th+Parade.jpg) |
4Th July Parade |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfVp3Y5lT56TdW-n7TV7J71d9eUxAv5rbhyphenhyphenY0MJj4KAVWOI0vR1YMk2-iiUMgQwcVQk79ipqoUWFmBWss1P0SAzcHs4-5uBM1-ZF5HiPj1z6QZJE9nPucpO_-5FEkmVxULUuzOXljlVp4/s320/17+Sunset+on+4th+July.jpg) |
Sunset on 4th |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv0XaQJ32kD1Pqvc7Pv7f7dqDNISDcnUtgSFW9EXwglBccdXxWrnSV-cjyge9RBGkLPXOLQjIeIqlWlWQ8CJyKt_ZVrDKwduZzAmkq1l21UV2I36UrjbOnXTmYYzgF_0ZAyeC0mUdH6BE/s320/18+Firework+Display.jpg) |
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 7th it
felt so peaceful I decided to rest up for the day.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEWxcWXLHkLHrqNrzgVnuPkRpY4bgEg1p5ldETJ9ACGkY91lcGddHUd9hpWQpqa8DszXnIQu2XryKgBh6pG9Fepap4HrZ87SVV7XKheK8l82NPVWj6uHk0SoSo6QntRxO1AL_vRPn_kE8/s320/02+ICW+Wildlife.jpg) |
Alligator River Pungo River Canal |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPjF_Cm7cCWBAG3MbIHSlnU7hL3npayuNx6xaQN5Y7wMRNc6lAv_pVm_cryr-wL5XifBNChVDsEkRPwA-05hbR494kNkv4jOkzFTh-JmwXgPFDWpQ7a7KESIghh8tsV_JmU32qn5Bg5Tg/s320/06+Alligator+River+Bridge.jpg) |
Bridge over Alligator River opening just for me |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4XgYMozvK5rW0MnYO9J67unKwyDLyWCf3cPSmyzLaOqbXoHygAAgWd_XdLn5IJJr7XaTHn55ooZs_cwsz8sHXxINnN7HOOXJsMszeSaUDct_fn1Qfmo4VSaIgXWgSrFpj2QDn2x9WqJ0/s320/07+North+River+sunset.jpg) |
Sunset in North River |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5a5jzT02DI7ZHylOwAr_FMRfeZo9KlXt8SroOHT31VLp52zoU4y1IRKSlmuyPLTdtiXOwboJ2HokWNF8eQgMApGqUC9TfdnGKvk1Zjx_fd9tt3x31pfUKjQ2IEEBB2X5nxy_ZXLI3q64/s320/08+Osprey+hunting.jpg) |
Ospray hunting |
Left Broad creek at dawn on Sunday 8th
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.