Oct. 28, 2026 Time for a Short Easy Cruising Day

 Wed. Oct. 28, 2026   Tuckahoe Creek Anchor to Slade Creek Anchor   40 miles and 4.5 hours

Good night's sleep after that long exhausting trip on Tuesday. Winds blew 10+ all night which held us tight in position and the anchorage provided enough protection that waves were just constant ripples.  Decided that we would make it a short cruising day today.   No rush this morning.  Nice leisurely breakfast and anchor didn't come up until 9:30 making us the last boat to leave. 

Watching as our friends on Apres Sail make an early morning departure for Belhaven

This anchorage leads straight out onto the Alligator-Pungo canal - a 20+ mile long man-made canal connecting these two bodies of water.  It's 10 miles straight as an arrow, then a slight kink and another 10 straight miles. Scenery is pretty redundant. Trees, scrub pine barrens and marshland taking you through extremely tannin tinted waters.  Trying to play nice with the other boaters.  Slowing down to let the fast boats get by quickly and then slowing down again when passing sailboats so as not to wake them. 

Starting our cruise on the Alligator-Pungo canal. Straight as far as you can see

Interesting Hinckley flybridge Zeus.  Making 26 mph with water jet propulsion

NC watermen setting crab pots.  Doing a great job keeping them off the channel

This is NC low country.  Marsh, swamps, forests.

The bridge.  Marks the halfway point and the kink in the canal

There used to be numerous markers like this one at 120 miles south of Norfolk. 
 Most have disappeared over the years.  Always liked seeing them to check our progress.

Make it to the Pungo River which opens up as a wide body of water.  Like most of these waters, it's fairly shallow so once again we follow closely to the marked channel. Fellow Loopers on Apres Sail and Kissed Some Frogs make Belhaven their stop for the night.   Our original plan was to anchor up Pungo Creek which we've used in the past.  But these NE winds have me searching for an alternative and decide to check out Slade Creek a bit further along.  Couple of miles up a wide twisting tree lined creek and we drop anchor in a spot offering us some protection.  Anchored and secured by 2:00, so have the afternoon to chill and relax.  Plans for the next few days finally came together.  We'll be making an unplanned side trip! 

Finally exiting off the canal and onto the Pungo River

Tree line at our anchorage helping to break the wind

Journey for Oct. 28, 2026

Oct. 27, 2026 A Long Day gets us to North Carolina

Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2026   Top Rack Marina to Tuckahoe Anchorage    96 miles and 11 hours

Up at 5:45 AM for an early morning departure.  We need to be in line at the Great Bridge Lock for their 7:20 AM opening. Requires that we drop our dock lines and cast off by 6:50 AM. Several boats already ahead of us and more coming around the corner per AIS.  Timing is critical this morning.   The 7:20 lockage gets us to the Great Bridge Bridge for its 8 AM opening.   Then it's a half hour run to the Centerville Bridge for their 8:30 opening.   Get through it and another half hour run to the North Landing Bridge for their 9 AM opening.   King tides from the full moon resulted in a couple of opening cancellations yesterday, so we want to get on our way before high tide.  Snowbird migration continues.  Lock is full of boats. We make a perfectly timed parade until after the North Landing Bridge at which point the fast boats jump on plane and take off.  We're in a group of 3 boats traveling at about 10mph and feel smug leaving the slow sailboats behind.  

Boats arriving and lining up behind us waiting for the lock gates to open

Gates open and we're 4th in line behind this nice Hinckley Love You Tons

Secured to the wall and waiting for boats to fill the opposite side

Out of the lock and headed to the bridge with the rising sun blazing in our eyes

Parade of boats behind us still coming through the bridge

Gorgeous 100-year-old steel and teak beauty was waiting at the Centerville lock

We are on the Chesapeake and Albemarle Route of the ICW which winds its way through some canals, some natural winding river and some open bays.  Most of what looks like open waters is actually very shallow.  Staying in the marked channel is essential and requires constant attention to our charts and the depth finder.   Nice sunny warm day.  Gets into the lower 70's by late afternoon.   Pass by Coinjock Marina - no stopping today for their prime rib dinner.  

Typical waters along the Albemarle - Chesapeake Route

Make our way to the Albemarle Sound.  Fairly nice conditions.   NE breeze has been starting to build, but waves are minimal.   Water across this wide-open expanse is only 15-20' deep so winds can kick up nasty waves in a hurry. We get across without issue and enter the snaking channel into the head of the Alligator River.  A long, wide and open north to south running body of water.  The NE breeze is a bit stronger, and waves are starting to make us wallow.  Going to be worse tomorrow after a full night of winds so glad we're getting this out of the way today.   At the Alligator River Swing Bridge we get a quick passage with no waiting from the attentive bridgetender.   Construction continues on the new high-rise bridge that will replace it.  

This nice Marlow yacht passed us on the way to the bridge

Bohemia rode our wake the entire day right into the anchorage. 
Interesting aluminum hulled vessel

Construction on the new Alligator River high rise bridge is ongoing

Old swing bridge will soon be just a distant memory.  Sort of sad as it's
been an iconic part of our ICW trips all the way back to the 1990's

Got to the south end of the river where it narrows down and after a few twists and turns we find our anchorage for the night - Tuckahoe Point.   Bohemia has been following close in our wake since the start of the day and also pulls in.  Long day and we're happy to finally get the anchor down.    Multiple sailboats already anchored here along with our friends on Apres Sail who came through from the Dismal Swamp route earlier in the day.  Working on options for where to go over the next couple days.  Stay tuned.

Too busy fixing dinner to catch the actual sunset.  This was all we got.

Journey for Oct. 27, 2026

Oct. 26, 2026 Finishing up with the Chesapeake Bay

Monday, Oct. 26, 2026  Jackson Creek Anchorage to Top Rack Marina  64 miles and 7.5 hours

Decided to make an early departure from Jackson Creek.  Great anchorage. Good scenery.  No wind. No waves. No worries. Slept like a baby!  But up with the sun to get the anchor raised by 7:30 and get on our way.   Unexpected greeting by a dolphin in the anchorage as we were raising the anchor.  We'll mark this up as a good anchorage for future use.  Easy in and out from the bay and rare all-around wind protection. 

The full moon finally setting as a new day begins

A little fog on the land but thankfully none out on the water

Dolphin surfaced a few times by us as we were raising the anchor.

Picture perfect Chesapeake waterfront 

Exiting the anchorage.  Couple of houses catching the morning sunrise.

Working our way out to open water with the sun straight in our eyes

We'll be fighting an incoming tide and lose roughly 1 mph for the entire trip down the bay to Norfolk.   Nice sunny day.  Light NW breeze and short waves on our stern. Made the trip riding from the flybridge enjoyable.  Pretty straight shot down the lower bay.  Just a bit of wallowing as we worked our way past Mobjack Bay where the extra fetch generated slightly bigger waves.   Minimal sights to see other than other boaters.   Crossed paths with New Journey.  You may recall that was the 100' Nordhavn yacht that protected us from the nor'easter back in Portland ME.  They did an overnight offshore passage and were coming across the lower bay to Yorktown just as we were headed down. Always find it interesting the way you cross paths with boats you know. 

 Giving way to this tug crossing our path at 15mph and crashing through some waves

New Journey headed towards Yorktown. Pretty sure those 4-5' offshore seas
 were barely noticed by this beast constructed for around-the-world cruising.

Made it into Norfolk.  All the usual sights.  Lots of military craft of all sorts being worked on. Cargo ships being unloaded.  Downtown marinas and buildings.  Overall, traffic didn't seem too bad today.  Couple of tows.  Some tugs helping push a military ship out the river.   Mostly just pleasure boats heading south.   Got lucky with the three railroad bridges.  All of them in the raised position which hasn't happened in our last several transits.  We always seem to get held up by at least one of them. Makes it nice and easy to keep on schedule. 

Giving the ship Pautucket a wide berth as the tugs push her out the river

Couple of aircraft carriers were being upgraded at Newport News shipyard

Pretty good variety of military vessels in port

Waterside marina in downtown Norfolk

General Dynamics shipyard working on this one in drydock. 
Seems like it's a good candidate for toppling over.

Black Hawk headed for Coinjock.   He'll be running several hours in the dark.

Norfolk Southern Railroad bridge waiting for us in the raised position

Made it to Top Rack Marina a little after 3pm.   We were hoping to get through the Great Bridge Lock and Bridge today, but no room for us at Atlantic Yacht Basin.   We've stayed here before and it gives us a good starting place to catch an early morning transit. 

Top Rack Marina faces right onto the ICW. We can expect wake
 from occasional passing tows throughout the night

Journey for Oct. 26, 2026

October 25, 2025 A Short Hiatus then Back on the Water

Oct. 25, 2026    Spring Cove Marina Solomons to Jackson Creek Anchorage - Deltaville               66 miles and 7.0 hours 

We're back!  After a bit of a respite, we returned to Solomons and got back on the water.   Seems the weather just hasn't wanted to cooperate with us lately.  Delayed in Portland. Delayed in Lewes.  And now delayed in Solomons.  This time another slow-moving nor'easter.  Original plan was to just stay 3 days in Solomons.  Gave us time to get our fill of Cream of Crab soup and REAL Maryland Lump Crab Cakes at the Lighthouse Restaurant.  But the more I looked at extended forecasts the more it was clear we needed to stay put. Early forecasts projected this low-pressure system swirling just off the NC coast for days on end.  Thankfully the forecast was off a bit, and the storm stayed further out to sea and eventually became sub-tropical storm Josephine.  Still caused a lot of storm surge damage and kept the Chesapeake waters stirred up for a week with 4-5' seas.  We opted to extend our stay at the marina for an additional week, got a rental car, and head home.   Made good use of our time there.  Played pickleball four mornings in a row.  Lots of good games, but my knees and back are glad that's over.  Took care of getting some Rx's refilled.  Both of us got needed haircuts. We brought home multiple loads of laundry which kept Martha busy, as well as sorting through all the accumulated mail.  She rewarded herself with a nice pedicure.  Time was up so loaded the rental car with 9 gallons of engine oil for my oil next change and assorted goodies from Costco. 

Solomons Island as seen while crossing over the Patuxent River Bridge

Another view from the bridge.  Farmland just off the island keeps the area
 feeling rural.  In the far distance on the right is Patuxent NAS.  Always good
for a few fighter jet flyovers during our stay here.

Sort of appropriate that we should see Pride of Baltimore II as we're leaving 
Solomons.  We had toured her back during the 250 celebrations in
Baltimore when we started our trip.

Today we finally got to continue our trip.  Pretty good conditions overall.  Sunny fall weather with temps just into the 60's.   NE breeze would have made it feel chillier but that was at our stern and not even noticeable.  It did however generate a 2' choppy wave at our stern, so we wallowed about for half the trip before the wind and waves both settled down.    Mostly an open water passage so not much to sea other than the other snowbirds now flocking south with the improved conditions. 

Morning glare off the water really puts a hurting on your eyes.

Marine Traffic is an app we use to see boats around us with AIS.
This screen shot as we're crossing the entrance to the Potomac River
gives you an idea of the parade of boats headed south

.

 Passed a number of sailboats.  Got passed by a couple of powerboats intent on burning up fuel.  Cargo ships, tugs, etc. Smith Point Light at the entrance to the Potomac River was the only real landmark.  Decided to try a new anchorage.  Into the Piankatank River and then up Jackson Creek and the small town of Deltaville.  Popular stopover spot for cruising boats.  Anchorage areas are available in both the north and south channels so plenty of room. We manage to snag a nice spot with great protection from the light northerly breezes.   Nice clear skies showcased the rising full moon shining bright tonight. 

Passing a sailing catamaran from Canada looking for warmer weather

Oregon Highway is a Vessel Cargo Ship.  Headed to Brunswick GA. to load up
used cars which are then sold in third world countries.

In 1868 a screw pile lighthouse was erected at Smith Point. In Feb. 1895 ice
ripped the house from the pilings and carried it away.  This Caison style
 light was built in 1897 to replace it.

As we entered Jackson Creek caught this family sending their child
up the bosun's chair.  Gave them a nice slow pass as any rocking on the
 boat is BIG rocking up high.

Moonrise reflecting off the calm waters of our anchorage

Journey for Oct. 25, 2026