Winds of Change

Oct 22 Horn Harbor to Queens Creek The last day of my trip. I raise the muddy anchor making good use of my salt water spray down again. The wind is light but at a good direction, close reach, with a slight current to my advantage. I ghost along above 4 kts but not much more.  The migration to the South has begun. No boats heading North like me….dozens heading South. It must be the post boat show exit… There is a race going on at the mouth of the Piankatank and those boats were not doing much better than WOC. As I make the turn up river, the drop in apparent wind speed makes starting the motor a necessity. I drop the sails as I approach Queens Creek and motor to my slip. Tomorrow I will move WOC to my backyard dock but the tide is too low for now. Time to return to live on land…

  Oct 21 Deep Creek to Horn Harbor Knowing this was going to be a long day, I got a very early start. I started raising the anchor at 6:30, a full half hour before sunrise. With all the marinas and town docks, I had not had to deal with a muddy anchor chain until now.    No problem, I have a salt water hose spray down system which is really a necessity for cruisers on the bay. I started out slow in the pre-sunrise darkness. The bridge that blocked my progress last night was open. I did get stuck behind a huge ship going about 4kts. It made sense to hang back and let that huge ship to lead the way.  Before I end my trip I am going to share my success with my solar power setup. My Honda has the ability to charge but only at a very low amp output…like 1-2 amps…not enough to keep my single 100 ah lithium battery charged. I have changed all lights on WOC to LED so lights draw very little power. The autopilot and the ecooler are my largest users. The autopilot power use is...

Oct 20 Lamb’s Marina to Deep Creek  I left at 7:30 AM which gave me plenty of time to make the 11:00 Dismal Swamp lock lift. It was a good thing as the fog was “thick as pea soup”. I zig zag back and forth on the Pasquotank River to avoid the center while finding the less foggy side. Where the sun was hitting the banks the fog was burning off so I used that to my advantage. By the time I was meeting the 8:30 lock traffic the fog had lifted.  I had a slight wait and found myself the only boat in the lock. This time of year most of the traffic is North. I planned to make the 3:30 lock on the other end so I had to maintain a steady 5kt speed. The duck weed was not as bad as 2 weeks ago but the random logs seemed worst. After every hit of the prop…I worried I would break a shear pin or worst…spin the rubber hub. A careful balance of avoiding what I could see and not running too fast was the solution. Once in the Deep Creek lock, the logs were every where but I was able to go slow ...

Oct 19 Plantation Marina to Lamb’s Marina My best sail of the trip! The wind was strong out of the WNW which was either a broad reach or a full run down the Sound. Wave were 2 - 3 ft which propelled me along at 6 1/2 to 7 1/2 kts. Not bad for a boat with a hull speed of 6 1/2 kts. The start of the trip had me heading way out into the Sound to avoid a CIA test restricted area. After a great wing and wing run East to the mouth of the Pasquotank, the fun was over with a sharp turn and the wind straight on the nose. With 16 miles to go, a pure sail with tacking that far was not an option. I dropped the main and tighten the mizzen. Using a moderate amount of outboard motor power and heading about 15 degrees off the wind resulted in good speed and a comfortable ride of about 4 to 4 1/2 kt…..these last 16 miles were not going to be fast. As I approached Elizabeth City I decide to pass up the free docks and pay for marina with power for heat. The night lows were going to be in the 30’s and Lam...

  Oct 18 Chilling at Plantation Marina This is going to be a rest day and time to talk about how I got here. I have sailed the bay my entire life from my uncle’s little 1935 13 ft wooden sneak box (which I still sail) to my last boat, a 1981 Alajeula 38, Grey Fox. That boat was selected as a safe and easy boat to winter 3 seasons in the Bahamas. Before that I sailed the bay in a Cape Dory 28 for 22 years, not quite large enough for me in the ocean. So how did I end up with a Sea Pearl 28. Well I am not going off shore in my own boat any more. I will do trips with friends but having an ocean going boat in the bay is an overkill. Grey Fox was both expensive to own and a physical challenge for my 68 year old body. It was time for a change. I live on a small cove with limited water depth and always wanted my sailboat at my dock. WOC (Winds of Change) allows me to do that will a draft of 19” with rudder and centerboard lifted. This boat has a trailer which will be her winter home in my ...

  Oct 17 Columbia to Plantation Marina The return trip to Plantation Marina was a wonderful sail on the beam out of the West. I was able to sail right up to the marina’s fuel dock. The reason for the return was to refuel and use of the free laundry…and they have very nice machines. JE, the dock master, offered me a golf cart for $25 for two days. I didn’t really need one but the price was right and the slip was free. This is a very nice marina. I ended up driving the cart within a block of a Dollar Store where I bought a case of drink water. While it was too cold for their pool I did try out their hot tub. The only complaint I could make would be their internet. At times it was ok but it is provided by Hughes Net (satellite) so if had a bad latency problem.  Everything else was really great- staff, restaurant, docks - one of the nicest marinas I have ever have experienced…. I stayed fora total of three nights - and paid zero for the slip. Just said I was doing the loop.  ...

Oct 16 Plymouth to Columbia Short trip with West winds. After motoring out of Roanoke River, I was able to run wing and wing down the Sound. It was such a gentle ride that I cooked a breakfast of sausage and eggs while under sail. I arrived in Columbia around noon. The docks are a bit old but functional…and fit me well. Larger boats might have a hard time with the short finger piers. I explored the town and found it pretty much shut down…it was a Sunday. There is a Dollar Store and a Food Lion about a mile away from dock. The single restroom for cruisers was large and clean. These rivers are fresh water with trees growing right out in the middle. Something you do see on the Chesapeake. Next page https://seapearl28woc.blogspot.com/2022/10/oct-17-columbia-to-plantation-marina.html?m=1

Oct 15 Edenton to Plymouth It was a short sail across the Albemarle Sound to the Roanoke River. Once in the river I had to motor the last 6 miles down the winding river to Plymouth. I had no problem docking with the current as it was not that bad and I used it to my advantage. As I docked I notice several people setting up chairs right in front of the dock. Looks like my boat is going to crash a wedding!  I checked out the facilities…located in the warehouse of the Maritime Museum. Super cool! A collection of overflow old motors and boats which you can browse on your way to the bathrooms. They had a washer and dryer…but the washer was broken. Quiet place but worth a one day visit. Next page https://seapearl28woc.blogspot.com/2022/10/oct-16-plymouth-to-columbia-short-trip.html?m=1

  Oct14 Edenton   I decided to head out to Plymouth. My 8 Hp Honda decided differently. It had been running very well with a nice slow idle…the whole way from Hampton. This morning it refused to run except at a high idle and with the choke on. Well, I have been here before. I headed on over to the free docks….carefully going in and out of gear as the idle speed was much too fast to approach the docks and reverse could not be counted on. I killed the motor and took out my kayak paddle to make my last bit of distance to the dock. Once docked, I checked everything except the carb - hose, fuel filter, fuel pump all were fine. It must be the carburetor. Before tackling the job, I headed to Napa for a can of carburetor cleaner. This engine was amazingly easy to work on. There was no need the raise the motor out of the well, the carb came off with two long bolts. Cleaning all the jets and passages was easy. A make shift small probe was fashioned from some copper wire. There appeared ...

Oct 13 Edenton I slept well even with the sore mouth and awoke hungry. I fixed 3 eggs and 6 sausage and ate every bit. I explored the town and learned the harbor docks had been completed and open for use. I wasn’t sure if I would come back to the free docks tomorrow or head to Plymouth. Next page https://seapearl28woc.blogspot.com/2022/10/oct14-edenton-i-decided-to-head-out-to.html?m=1

  Oct 12 Plantation Marina to Edenton Marina I got lucky and found a dentist who would see me at 2:30. ActiveCaptain had listed incorrectly that the free Edenton Harbor Marina was still closed for repairs. I knew I needed to get shore quickly to see the dentist so I opted to go to the other marina a couple of miles up River. The owner was not there but someone working nearby directed as to where to tie up. I headed into town for a coffee before seeing the dentist. I had not eaten anything since breaking the tooth. I arrived early at the dentist to fill out paperwork. After X-rays it was determined that the tooth would need to be pulled. I thought about it for a while before deciding I better get it done and not wait.  After over an hour of struggling the dentist had still not gotten the tooth loose. He decided to cut the tooth up and pull each of the three roots individually. It took another 30 minutes to extract the three roots. The dentist said “this is where I normally say,...

Oct 11 Elizabeth City to Plantation Marina I am finally now in new cruising grounds. My previous trips South to the Bahamas had me immediately heading down Alligator River to get South. This is the true part of my Albemarle loop experience and I am looking forward to the new area. The trip down the Pasquotank was motor sailing as the wind was behind me and light. Once I reach the Albemarle South the wind picked up and I was more on a reach so I was able to cut the motor and maintain better than 4 1/2 it’s all the way up to the Plantation Marina. Plantation Marina is a very nice marina with nice showers, free washer and dryer and pump out. There is a restaurant there as well. The rest of the area is residential and a golf course. That night I bit down on a piece of licorice and cracked a tooth. There was a very loose piece still attached to the gum and I knew I had to get to a dentist soon. My next destination Edenton should have dentist and maybe I can beg an appointment. Next page htt...

  Oct 10 Elizabeth City It has been a while since I visited here and they have added quite a bit to their Albemarle museum. It is a must see. Not much else to see or do but I did checkout another coffee shop, Kracken. Good coffee and a nice atmosphere. You can get a code for the waterfront showers from the museum desk or if staying at the Christian University they can let you use the showers in the guest gym. next page https://seapearl28woc.blogspot.com/2022/10/oct-11-elizabeth-city-to-plantation.html?m=1

Oct 9 Dismal Swamp visitor center to Elizabeth City We all decided it was no need to hit the early 8:30 lock so I had a leisurely breakfast before the lock. The trip from South Mills to Elizabeth City would not be that long except for all the winding back and forth on the Pasquotank River. I opted to stay at the Christian University free docks before the bridge as the main town docks has a bit of a roll coming in from the Southeast. I explored the town visiting the boats at the main downtown dock before having a coffee at Muddy Waters next page https://seapearl28woc.blogspot.com/2022/10/oct-10-elizabeth-city-it-has-been-while.html?m=1

  Oct 8 Old Point Comfort Marina to Dismal Swamp visitor center With a stiff North Breeze I hoisted a reefed main and a full mizzen sail. The wind was somewhat blocked by the North shore so I motor sailed out across the tunnel again. After getting a little distance from the shore the wind was plenty to cut the motor. I sailed straight down the Elizabeth River thru all the commercial traffic wing and wing,something a cat ketch is just made to do. It wasn’t until I came to Gilmerton Bridge that I dropped my sails. I am only 32 ft tall so I did not require a lift but just wanted to be under motor power….just in case…I made it with a couple of feet to spare. The Dismal Canal locks were uneventful and traffic was light. The visitor center was crowded but another boat welcomed me to raft up. We all shared war stories and had a good time.  next page https://seapearl28woc.blogspot.com/2022/10/oct-9-dismal-swamp-visitor-center-to.html?m=1

Oct 7  Old Point Comfort Marina I had a nice night anchored out  next to the Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel. Amazingly the traffic noise is not bad there. In the morning the engine started but still need the fast idle. The wind was a bit on the nose so I didn’t raise the sailed and motored out toward Norfolk. Just when in the middle of the tunnel channel the motor died. There was a tug with a large barge heading for me and I was frantically trying to start the engine. After a couple on minutes I gave up and hoisted the sails…not the easiest with no motor to point you into the wind but I got them up enough to start moving. Meanwhile the tug did see me and headed up…probably thinking why is this crazy guy raising his sails in the middle of the tunnel channel. The wind was now behind me so I quickly got out of his way and back to the Forte Monroe anchorage. I got the motor going but only by leaving the choke out….and that was not a good way to start a several hundred mile trip. I de...

I am starting a new adventure - an October trip of the Albemarle loop. Not only will this be new uncharted waters for me but I will be on a sailboat which is new to me, a Sea Pearl 28. The boat is a 4000# cat ketch, outboard motor powered and a huge step down from my previous 27000# 38 Alajeula, Grey Fox. Her name is Winds of Change or WOC for short. The adventure is a trip from the Piankatank River to the Albemarle Sound byway of the Dismay Swamp. The boat is a Sea Pearl 28. A 28 ft cat ketch with a minimal cabin for cruising. The background story of my last boat and the decision to buy a Sea Pearl 28 will be covered in later post. For now let’s cast off the lines and start day one. Oct 6  Queens Creek Marina to an anchorage off Forte Monroe . The first day was a long motoring day with c lose to zero wind. The skies were a clear deep blue and the bay settled. The outboard motor was pushing me along at 5-6 knots with a slight current against me. While I started out with my fuel tan...