Another Kind of Freedom

 Just after we tied up in Beaufort, NC the other day, this beauty arrived.

Isn't she lovely?  Although her name is now Freedom (great choice!) the Captain suspects that she was once known as Sequoia, aka the Presidential Yacht!  You never know who you might meet on the ICW....

Cue Willie Nelson (Mile 141 - 205)

On the Waterway Again. After a two day, three night weather-induced break we were up and on our way before 7 this morning. As we left our creek we encountered a line of southbound boats resuming their travels now that the winds have calmed.
The end of Day Light Savings Time will adjust our travel schedule a bit -- (even)earlier mornings and earlier anchorings each evening. We have amended our plans and will bypass Oriental, NC and instead stay at Beaufort (pronounced Bo-fort), NC tonight. I'm looking forward to a chance to get on shore and take a walk, and possibly visit the North Carolina Maritime Museum featuring artifacts from Blackbeard's flagship Queen Anne's Revenge found in the shoals of Beaufort Inlet.

Hunkered Down at ICW Mile 141

We were up and away from the dock before 7AM yesterday (Thursday 11/3) amid a long line of boats heading south. The day dawned clear and cool, but as soon as we left the Coinjock canal we were enrobed in a thick fog with zero visibility past the bow. Knowing we were in the midst of such a long line of boats brought comfort and concern. Radio calls let us know who was where, but from time to time a boat would appear at our stern and just as quickly disappear into the fog ahead. Some boats were forging ahead at a questionable speed and others, like us, were cautiously moving forward just above idle. Once or twice a panicked call came across the radio warning a fellow mariner to make a hard turn to port or starboard, lest they run aground or hit another boat. It was a tense time. After a white knuckle hour a call came over the radio announcing: "All you boaters heading south in fog: once you reach mark 151 you will find a beautiful sunny day." In fact, the fog lifted for us a bit before #151 and we enjoyed a crystal clear skies, calm waters, and a gorgeous fall day. The line of boats heading out of Coinjock sorted out by speed with the faster boats disappearing in the distance, and Freedom overtaking most of the sailboats. We followed Duet across the Albemarle Sound, down the Alligator River, across the Alligator-Canal, and along the Pungo River until we decided to call it a day after over 10 hours on the water, and duck into our favorite creek just before the Pamlico Sound.

We were up and dressed before sunrise today, but with a check of the weather forecast for rain and gale winds over the next two days, and only 90 miles to travel until we pick up crew on Monday, we decided to stay put. As we wait for the skies to clear we'll be doing chores, reading, watching movies, checking the anchor, and enjoying the beauty of this isolated creek. A sailboat and another trawler are within sight, but in light of the weather forecast, I don't think there will be any visiting among the fleet.

Small World on the Waterway - Coinjock, ICW Mile 50

After a late departure from Great Bridge/Chesapeake, VA on Wednesday (we spent the morning waiting for a repairman who never arrived) we safely arrived in Coinjock, NC, the second last boat to tie-up at the dock.

Several of us were arriving at about the same time, but the dockhands got us in quickly and closely - the anchor of the boat behind us hung over our cockpit! Once tied up, most boat owners and crew jump on the dock, some with beer in hand, for a chance to stretch, put face to names we heard on the radio all day, and talk over What had happened on the Waterway that day (for us, why Freedom had suddenly drifted off course into shallow waters -- all we can guess that the AutoPilot chose an inopportune time to take it's union break!)

As we strolled the dock we stopped to admire a rugged looking trawler with lines similar to Freedom. As we were comparing boats, the owner stepped into the cockpit and revealed that his boat was hull #1 of the boat line that eventually became Selene. When introductions were made, all of a sudden we realized why Duet and her owner seemed so familiar: 10 years, and 2 boats ago, we were docked at the the same marina in Rock Hall, and when we sold our Jarvis Newman lobster hull, Duet took our slip!

Friendships are made easily on the Waterway, and we enjoyed dinner at the Coinjock restaurant with Duet's owners Carsten and Peg. Veterans of the Waterway and wintering and cruising in Florida and the Bahamas, Carsten and Peg were able to give us lots of ideas for where to go and what to do in those waters -

On the Waterway

After 2 1/2 nauseating days bouncing down the Chesapeake Bay, we entered the IntraCoastal Waterway in Norfolk early afternoon today. The commercial traffic was heavy at times, but I was happy to be in calmer waters. The Captain and I handled the Great Bridge Lock with relative ease, and tonight we are tied up at Atlantic Yacht Basin awaiting a quick repair tomorrow morning before heading towards Coinjock and dinner ashore.

Happy Birthday Captain!

We spent the Captain's birthday bouncing down the bay. We left Solomon's Island in the early morning mist, slowly leading a parade of south bound boats out of the anchorage.

Freedom is now settled on the East River of Mobjack Bay -- not much color on the trees down here, so we are enjoying Fall anew.

The Long Goodbye

Late summer and fall went by quickly as we brought Freedom back to the Chesapeake Bay, enjoyed a week long Rally with pthe Cruising Club of America and the Royal Thames Yacht Club, traveled (by air) to the west coast for the St. Francis Yacht Club's Men's and Women's Cruises and the National CCA meeting in Seattle, and made preparations to head south for the better part of the winter.

We planned, packed and provisioned in anticipation of departing yesterday October 29. Then Snowtober happened. With snow and gusts up to 40kts in the forecast we decided to stay put for another day, spending the day stowing gear, shopping at Walmart, napping and enjoying a second night of farewell drinks and dinner with friends along the Sassafras.

There was ice on the docks this morning as we pulled out of our slip at Sailing Associates and began our 1200 miles journey south. With the gulls as our escorts, we were ready.