Memorial Day 2009 - Ocracoke Trip

An impromptu "concert" aboard Long Gone with Lee Bettis & Zeke

Thursday, May 22, 2009 -
We left New Bern about 7:30 am and hoped to make it the whole way to Ocracoke but the winds were on the nose so we couldn't sail and the choppy water didn't allow for lots of headway. We made the decision to anchor out in South River and continue to Ocracoke the next morning. The weather was perfect with a nice cool breeze for sleeping. We were visited by a pod of dolphins with their babies which was just WONDERFUL. Vickie and Donnie from "Charisma" joined us in the anchorage about 6 pm and rafted up to Long Gone. We all turned in early with the hope that we would get a very early start.

Friday, May 23, 2009
We left South River about 6:15 am and arrived in Silver Lake at Ocracoke about noon. Luckily "Charisma" and "Long Gone" procured the last 2 slips at the Government Docks. As we were sailing down the channel, we heard a call to "Tally Ho". We met Andrew and Vanessa in Marsh Harbour and they were just on their way home to Maryland from the Bahamas. They too went into Ocracoke and anchored in Silver Lake. They dinghied over for a visit and we all made plans to go for Pizza the following day. On Friday evening Lee Bettis (an attorney from New Bern) came aboard and brought his guitar and we had an impomptu jam session. SO fun!

Saturday, May 24, 2009
Chris and I took a long morning walk to the hardware store and back stopping at several little shops along the way. Vickie, Donnie, Vanessa, Andrew, Chris and I all met at the Pizza place at 2pm for a late lunch/early dinner and we all ordered one topping (an Ocracoke custom). So....it was a pepperoni, sausage, sun dried tomato, mushroom, artichoke and garlic pizza. YUMMY! We ordered one to make sure it all worked together and quickly ordered another to go with all the Coronas!

On Saturday night we probably had the biggest group of musicians on the boat ever. We had 3 guitarists, a bongo player and about 30 folks showed up to sing along. At 10 pm we were visited by the Hyde County Sheriff's Department to ask when we might be "wrapping it up". That certainly killed the sing-a-long! It could not have been any boaters at the docks who complained since they were all part of the party!

Sunday, May 25, 2009
We left early on Sunday morning bound for River Dunes to meet up with "Alchemy" (Dave and Mia), "Picasso" (Faye & Phil) and "Three Sheets" (Vinnie & Sandy). It was a great sail over with just the right amount of wind. We did have to finally roll in all the sails as we neared Broad Creek as a rain squall hit with some heavy wind. We arrived at Grace Harbor about 1 pm and the guys promptly got into Dave's Dinghy to ride over to a new little bar at Paradise Shores. They claimed that the rays were spawning in the river and were everywhere! The girls stayed behind to enjoy the pool and multiple hot tubs. For dinner that night, we all grilled steaks by the pool, brought some potluck side dishes to share and had a great time. Dave drug out his boat guitar and we went down below on "Three Sheets" as the mosquitoes drove us indoors.

Monday, May 26, 2009
We left about 8:30 am and had a gorgeous sail all the way back to New Bern. The wind was perfect and we had a beam reach all the way up the river. It was glorious! We were back in the slip by 3 pm and waited for Vickie and Donnie to arrive about 5 pm. Back to the real world of job hunting.

Our Crewing Opportunity with "Enchantment"

Tuesday, May 12, 2009
We left Lew & Teresa’s in Virginia Beach this morning at 9:30 am. We stopped at a pancake place called “Pier 23” on the way out and treated ourselves to omelets before making the drive. It took us about 4 hrs. to get home but we piddled in Elizabeth City as we had never been there before and wanted to take in some sights. It’s nice to be home, I suppose, but I’m ready for the next adventure!!! Sorry for forgetting our camera on this trip - I was so upset that I left it at home!!!

Monday, May 11, 2009
We locked through the Deep Canal Lock at 8:30 am, their first opening and continued down the Dismal Canal. So much history! To think that George Washington first started dredging this canal in the 1700’s is pretty darned impressive. We met up with “Catharsis”, the catamaran in Oriental and another beautiful trawler named “Sea Flat”. When we asked if they were musicians, the captain said “no, my wife likes the seas to be flat” henceforth their name. Cindy and Merrill were first in line in the lock and when the spillway opened, it was a darned tidal wave. They had a very rough time trying to fend “Ambition” from the sides of the lock and we christened Cindy, “The human fender”. Seriously, it was pretty awful for them and the lockmaster should have forewarned them of the velocity of the incoming water.

We made it to the 2nd lock on the canal for the 1:30 pm opening and the lockmaster there was full of personality. He entertained us by claiming that he was “the world’s greatest conch horn player” and you know what….he was! His dog also greeted each boat knowing he was going to get some attention.

Merrill and Cindy left us at Portsmouth (sniff) and it was hard waving goodbye across the water. We’ve had such a great time with them but hopefully we’ll go up to Montreal for the jazz festival in July which they claim is absolutely the best anywhere.

Lew, Chris and I pressed onward to Norfolk where Lew was leaving the boat to get hauled on Tuesday morning. The last 2 hours of the trip weren’t pleasant – very rough and pitching seas with rain and chilly temps. We were happy to get tied up and ride over to Lew’s house.

Teresa, Lew’s wife, made mac & cheese, chicken and of course, we all drank lots of wine. Lew hadn’t seen her in 10 days so it was a happy reunion for those 2. Their home in Virginia Beach was lovely and very unique. Their hospitality was certainly appreciated! They even had “Lucy”, their tabby kitty for me to pet and get my kitty fix.

Sunday, May 10, 2009
We left the anchorage on schedule and decided after the Alligator River Bridge to go through the Dismal Swamp Canal. Chris & I had never been through it and it was just beautiful. It was neither dismal or swampy! Unfortunately we didn’t make it to the Deep Lock by the last 3:30 pm opening so both boats tied up together at the entrance to the lock. Cindy made killer chili and I contributed the cornbread and wine. Again, lots of wine, Dark & Stormy’s, laughter and friendship ensued. The weather was brisk and perfect for sleeping with open hatches!

Saturday, May 9, 2009
It was a GREAT day today as we made a record 83 miles. We traveled up the Neuse, through the cut, across the Bay River, up the Pungo River and went through the Alligator-Pungo Canal. We managed to get in a bit of motor sailing and anchored just after the Alligator-Pungo Canal. Unfortunately “Ambition” drug a bit that night and because of the winds gusting to 25, we were unable to raft together. Lew had some fresh Mahi in the freezer which Chris grilled and it was EXCELLENT. Lots of Dark & Stormy’s made with Goslings Rum & Ginger Beer brought back from the Bahamas was consumed and Lew even had COFFEE ice cream (my very favorite). We turned in early in anticipation for a 7 am departure from the anchorage.

Friday, May 8, 2009
We’ve agreed to be crew for “Enchantment”. Back in November as we proceeded south, we met up with Lew and Joe (the crew that cooked!) somewhere south of Wrightsville Beach and both boats stayed together all the way to Florida. We had a great time with them and met up with them again at Boat Harbour in the Bahamas. Lew & Joe again brought the boat back north, but Joe had to get back to Virginia Beach as his baby girl was turning 1 so Lew needed crew. We quickly volunteered to go. Even better was that Cindy & Merrill from “Ambition” had come down to New Bern for a quick visit and were also heading north so the two boats traveled up to Norfolk together. It was GREAT to be back aboard a boat again – even though it wasn’t Long Gone. We all went to dinner at M&M’s on Friday evening and agreed to depart Oriental at 7:30 am on Saturday.