In this log I cover my trip from Solomons, MD, to Beaufort, NC. Most of this leg I had to motor but some parts lent themselves to sailing. As usual I've included too much detail for some tastes, and not enough for others.

The route take is as shown below.

My route down from Solomons, MD, to Beaufort, NC.

And the narrative follows.

28 Oct 09, Wednesday
Anchored in Belle Crk, MD (N37° 41.421' W076° 20.033')
Trip: 50nm, Total: 50nm Engine: 2257hrs

I departed Solomons, MD just after dawn this morning. Actually I was up at about 4-AM and could not get back to sleep. Even though most of my friends consider yesterday's departure from Patuxent River Marina as the official start of this winter's voyage, I'm still not convinced. I traveled a whole 3 miles yesterday and it was to the north, not toward warmer weather.

Calm morning on the Patuxent River as I depart Solomons, MD

I sailed down the bay all day without incident, excitement, or really any fun. Once or twice I was inclined to run the engine. But the same overheating problem that Galena has suffered for the past few weeks was still plaguing me. So I sailed as much as possible. And when I motored I did so at just a little over idle.

I had considered stopping somewhere different this year. Every year on the trip south I stop here at Belle Creek, just off Indian Creek, which is just north of Windmill Point. It's a tiny little anchorage; room for only two or three boats. But there is usually no one else here. At the most I've seen one other vessel anchored here. And while I'd be a bit exposed to the south, winds were forecast to continue to be out of the north and northeast.

Galena at Belle Creek

I came in, anchored, put Galena to bed, and almost immediately went to sleep myself. I had the usual perfectly flat, calm night.

29 Oct 09, Thursday
Anchored at Hospital Pt, Norfolk, VA (ICW Mile Zero) (N36° 50.765' W076° 18.010')
Trip: 53nm, Total: 103nm, Engine: 2265hrs

I departed Belle Creek just after dawn. There was a bit of wind this time; every other morning I've departed this anchorage I've been stunned by the silent, still, beauty of the place. i.e.: No Wind.

Now I feel like I'm really on my way south. As such I'm starting to get into living off-the-grid again. Things like leaving the cell phone off.

Here's the thing: part of this lifestyle that many of my friends find…. What's the word? Arrogant? Selfish? …is that I do exactly what I want and on my schedule (weather permitting, of course). Part of that philosophy includes leaving a place as well as going to a place. When I leave a place I sometimes leave everything that's there… there.

I arrive at Norfolk late in the day. I'm motoring down the Elizabeth River past the Naval Base and all the big warships. We have some very cool warships. The security boats keep pace with me as I move along. I like to think that they are simply bored but I know that if I were to suddenly turn toward those aircraft carriers they would cut me and my little craft to pieces with that .50 cal Browning on their bow. I'm careful about course corrections here.

I find Hospital point and the 20 other boats already anchored there. This is just at the start of the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway (ICW); in fact it's just about exactly at Mile Zero. Many boat's insurance constraints include that they will not be south of Norfolk before November 1 of any given year (the official end of hurricane season). So the hole-up in marinas and anchorages here in Norfolk and Hampton until then.

I anchor in 30-ft of water next to a familiar boat: s/v Lady Slipper. I've seen LS several times in the past few years at places like Beaufort, NC, Lake Worth, FL, et al. But I've never met the captain.

I spent a relatively quiet night at anchor there. Norfolk would never be called 'quiet' and it's never dark there. All night I was rocked by wakes and whistles and lights as boats plied the river.

30 Oct - 02 Nov 2009 (Friday-Monday)
North Carolina Welcome Center, Dismal Swamp Canal, NC (N36° 40.413' W076° 21.365')
Trip: 24nm, Total: 127nm, Engine: 2271hrs

With the closure of the Jordan Lift bridge I have only one drawbridge between me and the cutoff for the Dismal Swamp. I wan to make the 0830 opening of the Gilmerton Bridge. They were doing repairs on that bridge and were not opening very often during the day. In addition, the bridge would be closed to river traffic all weekend. My reduced motoring speed allowed just about everyone to pass me on the 6-mile run to the bridge.

To make the 0830 opening I had to be underway by 0715. I just made it. As usual I procrastinated a lot of prep the night before. I had left the dinghy in the water and I wanted it on deck for the run down the ICW. I had left my sail-covers off and really wanted them on, since I would not be sailing for the next few days. All of this had to be done when I got up. And of course I had to hoist anchor and get underway.

I made the bridge and shortly there after (ICW Mile 10) I made the turn toward the Dismal Swamp. I was the only one in the 15 or so boats coming down the river that made that turn. Someone radioed me saying that they had heard that the swamp route was closed. I didn't respond and hoped they were wrong. I know that Capt Ron (s/v Lastdance) had gone through a few days ago. But I heard no radio traffic from the lock tenders. Finally I arrived at the lock (about 0930 hrs) and called the tenders to let them know I was standing by for their next (1100 hrs) opening. They said "Ok" so I knew I was good to go. I had a long wait so I dropped the main anchor and went below to make breakfast.

While I was below several other boats joined me waiting at the locks.

At 1015 or so the locks opened and we motored in. I was the last on the starboard side. We had about 8 boats in the lock. I've seen as many as 13 with the last three center-moored. I was happy to be the last out of the lock as my overheating engine may cause me to go even slower than usual. There's no room to pass anyone on the Dismal Swamp Canal and I didn't want to hold up anyone.

At the risk of sounding more arrogant than normal I must say that I have never seen so many inept line handlers as I saw in the lock that morning. Consider this: you know you are going to tie up in a lock. You should know that you will need fenders out (to protect your boat from the walls of the lock) and you will need lines to run from your boat to the bollards and clears on the sides of the lock (to hold you in position while locking up or down).

As a single-hander, I try to get all lines and fenders ready before I get to the lock. I don't know which side of the lock I'll be assigned so I get lines and fenders ready on both sides of the boat. I know that the lockmaster wants to take a loop of rope around the bollard and that both ends will be on Galena: on secured to a mooring cleat, the other in my hand. The end in my hand I can keep tension on to keep Galena against the wall while I lock up or down. And when it's time to go, I can slip the lines myself and be off. As I enter the lock, the lockmaster comes by with a boat hook and lifts the loop of line from the bow cleat (which I've left looped over a lifeline so he can see it and grab It) and drops it over a bollard. Same for the stern line. I'm left holding two ends of two lines and he moves on to the next boat.

What I see all along the other side of the lock is people handing the lockmaster a coil of rope…. Not even attached to their boat!!! Or they hand him an end of a line. Over and over he says, "Give me a loop of line; one end attached to your boat, the other in your hand." It seem no one is prepared. He glances over at me and we both just shake our heads.

At the last minute, a very small motor boat came into the lock. I moved up a bit and m/v Whisper tied up behind me. Dale and Carla. Carla had the same misunderstand about the lines and fenders as everyone else that day. She stood there telling me over and over how embarrassed she was over her bad line handling. Because she was very cute I told her not to worry; everyone does that the first few times they come through here.

Finally, we locked up and were discharged into the canal. I told Dale that I was going to be traveling slowly and he should get around me as soon as possible. In face he went around me in the lock.

Another thing about the northern lock of the Dismal Swamp Canal is that there is a bridge just a half mile down the canal from the lock. The lock master is also the bridge tender. When everyone is out of the lock he hops in his pickup truck (they always have pickup truck, you know) and goes to the bridge and opens it.

This means that once everyone is out of the lock we should slow down and give him time to get there. But some/most didn't read that information in the guides and while I'm idling forward people are racing by me at full speed. One boat seemed no to see that all the boats ahead of me were stopped. As he powered by me I yelled at him to cut it back; that everyone is stopped; that there's a bridge ahead. Now this is a very narrow canal and there is scant room for maneuvering. When boats get too close together there's bound to be trouble. I was backing away from the fray as the boats turned into the muddy banks rather than into each other.

Finally we were through the bridge and I watched as the crowd of boats moved away down the canal.

As it was I was able to maintain about 4.5-kts most of the way. When I ran at 2500 rpm everything was ok, except that I was putting out a lot of steam from the exhaust; a clear indication that there was insufficient cooling water going into the mixing elbow. When I ran the engine at 2700 rpm I had only 2-minutes before the overheat alarm sounded. Backing down to 1000 rpm let the engine cool down and after a couple minutes the alarm went off and I resumed my 2500 rpm speed.

I arrived at the visitor center and rafted up third out and the north end.

The visitor center is just that: a standard highway visitor center (US 17 I think) with a small bulkhead dock where boats can tie up for a day or so. They have free internet, restrooms, and that's about it. Bad weather last year caused Ron and I to stay there for almost a week. This year the same thing happened. But it was only 4 days this year.

After the first night there, just about every other boat left. In the morning I moved to the south end of the dock and, for a while, was all alone.

Day 2 at Visitor Center, Dismal Swamp State Park, Galena is all alone on the dock

I wandered about and eventually went down to the little bridge that swings across the canal. There a lonely, lovely, bridge tender has the job of watching for boat traffic and then swinging the bridge out of the way before the boats get there.

Bridge with lovely tender watching for boats

I felt it was incumbent upon me to go keep her company for a bit.

The above lovely, lonely, bridge tender being harassed by lonely boater

When I asked what she was going to be when she grew up, she smiled and said, "Probably an old bridge tender standing right here looking for boats."

The morning lock opening at the north end of the canal spewed a bunch of boats. Two hours later they arrived at the visitor center. Some stopped to tie up.

I finally met Bill on s/v Lady Slipper. He also stayed there for a few days.

Bill of s/v Lady Slipper

One morning Bill and I were sitting on the dock having coffee when a guy walks down to the dock from the visitor center parking lot. He's looking at boats and we all say, 'Hi.' Turns out he has just bought a vintage motorboat, about 60-ft, wooden hull. The kind of thing you might expect to see FDR on. Beautiful boat. He has pictures (http://www.wildheartscharters.com). He said it needs a lot of work, but that that's what he does. Very cool, we say. We're talking and getting along fine when I ask when he expects to be finished with this boat. He says something like, "Well, my son will finish it for me." Huh? We ask. Roger says, "I only have a few months to live." What a horrible turn to the conversation. It seems Roger has all of his parts going bad at once. He wants to start this project for his son, also in the business.

I really liked Roger and was quite bummed out to find out he's dying. I don't know about you, but I just don't expect to get that kind of a jolt in the middle of a friendly conversation. I'm sure he's more bummed out than I. But at least he's had time to get used to the idea.

Dale and Carla (m/v Whisper) stopped by on their way back north (They were behind me in the lock). The tied up long enough for Dale to change fuel filters. During that time I was treated to a jug of chocolate milk and a bag of homemade chocolate chip cookies. It seems that Carla is not just a pretty face (well, she is certainly that, too).
When they left, they left a rather small hole in the stack of boats.
So when other boats started showing up they left that hole empty. Eventually we were three deep, and three wide, and had a hole in the middle. When s/v Hibiscus showed up I jokingly said, "Well, you could Med-moor here in this hole." To my surprise, she did just that. I'd never seen anything like it at the visitor center.

Hibiscus Med-moored behind Galena at the visitor center

Bill and I were invited to s/v Creola by Rick and Carol for dinner. We were served the most wonderful beef stew. Afterwards I taught them all how to play Dominoes (Mexican Train).

The next morning, s/v Creola departed the visitor center. In the process they came a little too close to the shoreline and took a piece of tree with them.

s/v Creola departing visitor center with bit of tree in spreaders

Bruce and Lin (s/v Alize) were a fun addition to those hanging out at the visitor center. They have a big catamaran that they want to sell. You can't tell from the picture below, but Bruce really was a fun guy. His wife, Lin, was a hoot. Always very quick with a salty comeback.

Bruce of s/v Alize

George and Kim (s/v Adagio) were also way too much fun.

When I went in to the visitor center to sign their guest book I noticed their book exchange. I had accumulated a dozen or so books that were in the 'already read' pile. So I said I would come back that day and do the book exchange. I also mentioned that it was my birthday (01 Nov). When I was finished exchanging my books the ladies who work there called me over and presented me with a little gift bag and birthday card. It was such a sweet thing. I was speechless.

Birthday Goodies from the Swamp Girls, Dismal Swamp Visitor Center.

In the bag were candies and toys and trinkets. I was very pleased.

I also had the great pleasure of finally meeting a Facebook Friend, Claudia (http://www.claudiaanghel.com/). A wonderful, effervescent girl on her way south with friend, John. We had 'talked' a few times on-line. She and John stopped by just long enough to say, "Hi" and then John whisked her away from me. What a lovely young lady.

Claudia

Claudia wants to sail single-handed from Florida to the Bahamas. I see no problem with that. She wants to talk with me more about my thoughts on single-handing and crossing the Stream to the Bahamas. I'll be looking forward to that, too.

Weather forecast is looking good for a Wednesday crossing of the Albemarle Sound. Most of us who have tarried at the visitor center have done so because there was just too much wind from the wrong direction to cross the sound. That meant the Elizabeth City would be full of boats also waiting. So we had elected to stay right here with our little community of travelers.

But now it was time to move on. So preparations were made. Departure times were discussed. Lock schedules were confirmed. Trash hauled out and lines shortened.

03 Nov 2009 (Tuesday)
Elizabeth City, NC.
Trip: 21nm, Total: 148nm

I departed for the lock a bit early. About an hour early it would seem. I arrived at the South Mills bridge, which is worked by the lock master, so early that I really didn't want to try to hold station in the canal. So I dropped my dinghy anchor and used it to hold Galena stationary while waiting for the bridge/lock.

Locking down the 8-ft to the river was uneventful. As usual it seemed to take forever. Finally I moved out and let everyone pass me (overheating, remember?).

The drive down the river was fairly quiet. For some reason Bill (s/v Lady Slipper stayed behind me all the way. Later he said, "I'm just in no hurry."

I get to Elizabeth City about 1530hrs. I had never been to the "Rose Buddies" free town dock. In fact I wasn't even sure where it was. As I came through the draw bridge I spotted a boat that had been with us at the visitor center and figured that was the free dock. Thy had several slips open but there was also space on the bulkhead. I pulled in there and was told that that area was usually reserved for catamarans. But when I said I was 11-ft wide, they said, 'Oh, Never mind." It seems their slips are rather narrow.

Lady Slipper came in behind me an took the last few feet of available wall space.

Charlotte came by to tell us about the welcome party at1630hrs. Free wine and snacks and beer. She is a lovely southern belle who takes her job as one of the Rose Buddy hostesses very seriously. I asked where I might get a beer now, and Charlotte, in that wonderful southern accent that I just love, directed me to a nearby pub. Bill and I headed over.

We were soon joined by George and Kim (s/v Adagio)

George, Kim, and myself at Elizabeth City, NC.

After a beer or three we all went out to the Rose Buddy reception. There we were entertained by the mayor of Elizabeth City. Well, I was entertained by Charlotte and Susan.

Rose Buddies, Charlotte and Susan at Elizabeth City, NC.

Bill and Luke and I stayed out pretty late. We hit all four bars a couple of times that night. Then we staggered back to our boats and passed out. I was invited to a wine tasting the next day (by a most beautiful bar tender) but when I awoke at 0600hrs I decided to just cast off and head out. So I did.

04 Nov 2009 (Wednesday)
Deep point, Alligator River, NC
Trip: 45nm, Total: 203nm Eng: 2284hrs

I left Elizabeth City at daybreak. As soon as I was away from the dock I raised sails and headed south toward the Albemarle Sound. There was only just enough wind to move Galena along at about 4-kts. But that would get me into this anchorage just before dark.

Several boats left town just after I did. All eventually raised at least a headsail. But they all were motor sailing as they pasted me.

The Albemarle Sound lived up to it's reputation and even in this light wind was unusually rough. I had not set the Aries wind steering vane for use before I left so I just hand-steered all day. I motored through the shoals at Middle Ground (just north of the swing bridge) and again through the bridge.

As I approached the Alligator River swing bridge I called for an opening. The bridge tender replied that he had people working on the mechanism and would not be able to open for 30 or 40 minutes. So I just anchored and made lunch. In about 30-minutes He called me and gave me a few minutes to raise anchor and then he opened the bridge as I started making way south.

Once I turned west and got into the lee of the headland at ICW mile 101 I had a smooth sail. All three of the boats that had passed me motor sailing out of Elizabeth City were anchored there. I picked a spot, setup my anchor trip line, and anchored in 9-ft of water.

On the radio I had heard and talked with Lee (s/v Krosna). He was a buddy from George Town, Exumas, Bahamas. He said he was heading for the same anchorage but would not arrive until after dark. I suggested that he raft up with me (this is almost always a very calm anchorage).

Lee said that his friend, Michelle, would cook dinner for us. He arrived about 1900-hrs and rafted up on Galena's starboard side. I had the pleasure of meeting Michelle who cooked a great meal. We had dinner, drinks, and played guitar till about 2200-hrs. As usual, we had a very, very quiet night.

05 Nov 09 (Thursday)
ICW Mile 159.8 (N 35° 121.557' W 076° 35.497')
Trip: 50nm, Total: 253nm, Eng: 2293hrs

I awoke at Deep Point and prattled about until I made enough noise to wake up Lee and Michelle. I had them over for coffee and we chatted about where we were going to anchor that night. Lee and I agreed it would all depend on how fast we could sail down the Pamlico River. Lee cast off from Galena and I raised anchor and followed him about a half hour later. Motoring down the canals I again had to hold back on my speed because of my engine cooling problems. Everyone was passing me… even other sailboats!

Once I was able to sail (once the canal turned into the Pamlico River) I had a rather riotous ride. Galena, with everything up (including her 130% Genoa) was surfing at 7.4-kts. Since her hull speed is only 7.1 that's a bit exciting.

During this brisk sail I actually started catching up with s/v Krosna. Lee later said that he was shocked when he looked back and saw a Westsail 32 charging down on him. He hardened up everything and started making max speed. He said he could tell that I was really pushing it since I was constantly dipping a rail into the water.

Almost passing s/v Krosna in the Pamlico River, NC

Once Lee started seriously sailing he pulled away. But I still closed to within a few hundred yards of him.

I waited too long to dowse the headsail. As I entered Goose Creek I found the wind just a little too close to the center-line of the channel. So I tried to lower the headsail; in the channel. By the time that I got the recalcitrant sail under control and on deck Galena has drifted out of channel and into 6-ft of water. I gave up and fired up the engine. I motor sailed the next mile or so and then dropped all sails.

Lee and I entered the little cove at ICW mile 159.8 and he decided it was just too 'open' for him. There were forecasts of 25-kt winds for that night. I decided to stay there and he went around the corner to Bear Creek. That night was almost completely calm.

06 - 13 Nov 09 (Friday - Friday)
Town Creek Marina, Beaufort, NC (N 35° 121.557' W 076° 35.497')
Trip: 37nm, Total: 290nm, Eng: 2300hrs
Fuel: 50 gal @ $2.59 = $140; Marina: $1.50/ft/day

I had a good sail down the Neuse River and into Adams Creek. I was making good time so I continued all the way to Beaufort, NC.

I stopped at Town Creek Marina for fuel and to see my buddy Ron and his lovely wife, Terry (s/v Lastdance).

I decided to take a slip. I know that's way out of character for me. But I did it. As it turned out that was a very good idea. I had some work to do on Galena. There was that persistent overheating problem as well as a couple of cracked chainplates that needed to be replace. A slip would make all that work a lot easier.

One of the cracked chainplates had an obvious crack visible on the outside. And it was radiating out from the uppermost bolt. So only half the chainplate was holding the shroud. (For all my non-sailboater friends out there, a chainplate is a long hunk of metal that bolts into the side of the hull. At the top end is a hole and into that hole goes the wires (shrouds) that hold up the mast. If a chainplate fails, the mast may well fall down.)

When I pulled off the chainplate I found not just the crack visible to the right of the bolt hole below, but also a crack on the left side of that bolt hole. In essence the chainplate was only held together by about 1/4" of steel. Way too close to the mast falling down.

Close-up of chainplate with two cracks highlighted by the arrows

Of course, reaching the nuts on the inside of the hull was not all that easy; nothing ever is on a boat.

Upside down, feet on commode, back on vanity, head in locker, arms up in bulwarks, just to reach a damned chainplate bolt.

Ron, Terry, and I went out for a drink. We headed up to the Back Street Pub, my all-time favorite bar in the world.

Lee and Michelle dropped by and said, "Hi" and met Ron and Terry. Michelle is not feeling well and is heading back home. Lee is looking for crew.

Michelle and Lee (s/v Krosna) at the Back Street Pub

Ron, Terry, and I ended up at the local wine bar (yes, I drink wine) where there was some great entertainment (besides Terry, that is).

Ron and Terry at the wine bar in Beaufort, NC

Finally I attached the cooling problem on Galena's little engine. It's a Yanmar 3GM30F. That's a nice, solid little diesel engine that should last a hundred years with even reasonable maintenance. I usually give it at least reasonable maintenance.

The only thing I have not done to solve this cooling problem is to remove and clean out the mixing elbow. The mixing elbow is the place where the cooling water that has gone through the heat exchanger gets injected into the exhaust hose. That place will get carboned up and needs to be cleaned out or replaced. I was unable to unscrew the elbow from the exhaust stack riser. So I took it over to the shop here at the marina. I gave the guy $20 and he put some heat to it and took a huge pipe wrench and spun it off. When I look inside the elbow I knew it was time to replace it. $108 later I have a new mixing elbow.

Galena's new mixing elbow

I changed the oil, flushed the coolant and called it a week. Now I'm waiting for weather to clear up so I can continue south to Key west.