Oct 20 , 2022 South to the Albemarle Sound

Sun Oct 16.  Yorktown to Top Rack Marina - 48 miles

Today we leave the Chesapeake and begin our slow trip back south.   We've got a couple days of decent temps before it turns cold.  Trying to get to the Albemarle sound when it hits.   This is just retracing our trip north in reverse.   Today we left Yorktown, down the York River, down the bay and into Newport News, around to Norfolk and Portsmouth and finally to the outskirts of Chesapeake and Top Rack Marina.  We stopped here for fuel on the way up and now complete a needed refill adding 475 gallons. 

Military activity everywhere around the Norfolk area

The Navy presence in Newport News and Norfolk is always impressive. Seeing multiple aircraft carriers being serviced along with dozens of other vessels is something you need to see to fully appreciate.  Light traffic as we transit the no wake zone around Norfolk.  Fall festivals are in full swing everywhere and Norfolk had a full complement of tents and music on the waterfront.   This is the area we had so much trouble with delays due to railroad bridges being in the down position when we came through northbound.  We were making great time until we rounded the corner to see NS RR Bridge #7 in the closed position.  Hailed them twice with no reply.  After a relatively minor delay both an Amtrac and a short freight train rolled across.  So overall, could have been worse.   

Journey for Oct 16

Mon. Oct 17.  Top Rack Marina to Chesapeake City free dock- 3.6 miles

Coming north we had the AICW pretty much to ourselves but sitting at Top Rack last night and this morning we watched a steady migration of boats headed south.  No room at our next stop Coinjock tonight when we called for reservation so made them for Tues. night and did the short move to Great Bridge and their free dock.  Allowed us to get the transit through the lock and under the bridge completed and a secure place for the evening when that cold front passes through with rain and wind.  Perfect timing for the lock as we were the last ones in. Five boats following about a mile behind out of luck and had to wait an hour for next lockage.  Nice new free dock right beside the Great Bridge Battlefield Park and across from Atlantic Yacht Basin with a close-up view of boats headed south.   Easy bike ride across bridge to Kroger's for some essentials. Unfortunately, the battlefield museum is closed until Wed. 

Interesting pair of these military boats passing thru Great Bridge 

Journey for Oct 17 
Possibly one of our shortest ever travel days

Tues.  Oct 18 - Cheasapeake City, VA to Coinjock, NC - 36 miles

After a few bands of rain and wind overnight things settled down and we had a good night's sleep.  We'll mark this as a good convenient stop for future transits.  Temps were a bit cool this morning and staying in the 50's all day.  Really cold weather starts tonight with a frost advisory. Glad we're plugged in to shore power for a bit of heat if needed.  We timed our departure great.  Left at 9:30 so we were in between the crowds passing through the locks at 9 AM or 10AM.  We were able to hit the Centerville Bridge opening at 10AM all by ourselves and then pushed up to North Landing Bridge for 10:30 opening. Again, all to ourselves.   We finally caught up to several sailboats who left CC much earlier than us when we were several miles out from Coinjock.  Gave them all nice slow passes and continued on.    Sort of liking these leisurely half days of travel.  Nice to not be in any big hurry.  Off the dock mid-morning and then docking for the day by 2-3.  Steady parade of southbound boats continued right until dark. Reservations tonight at the Coinjock restaurant where we SPLIT their famous 32-ounce prime rib dinner and still took home plenty for another meal.

Southbound Tow - no dinner stop for him at Coinjock

Late arriving sportfish - gone well before we got up the next morning

Journey for Oct 18 - Crossing onto NC

Wed. Oct 19 - Coinjock to Elizabeth City, NC - 39 miles

Pretty cold this AM but at least no frost. Amazing the size of some of the yachts headed south that put in at Coinjock for the night.  We let them all head out at first light knowing they would be running hard and putting up big wakes.  By 9:30 we almost had the place to ourselves so headed on our way for another half day of travel.  Destination Elizabeth City and the starting point for our tour around the Albemarle Sound visiting numerous small historic towns. To get there we had to finish going south down the North River, then west across a part of the Albemarle Sound, then north up the Pasquotank River.  Northwest wind blowing 10-15 put up a snotty chop in the open waters and wind driven spray coated the boat in salt water.  The windshield wipers got a workout as we drove from the pilothouse.  Only excitement for the day was a radio call from a passing sailboat warning us of a sunken sailboat ahead on our track with just its mast sticking above the water.  Next thing the Coast Guard is contacting both of us for more information.  We wound up giving them the coordinates as we passed by and sending a picture to them as requested.  The boat is directly on the ICW travel line so a definite danger to navigation.  No way anyone would see it traveling at night.  Hope our good deed of the day saves someone from a misfortune.  Arrived at Elizabeth City and got the primo side tie spot in front of the park.  Perhaps some karma payback for our good deed.  We'll spend a few days here.

Sunken sailboat in the Albemarle Sound we reported to CG

Journey for Oct 19