Nov. 5, 2022 Two Long Travel Days

 Nov. 3  Day 1 - Edenton to Belhaven  100 miles

We are on a schedule.  First time in a while, but we have reservations at New Bern Grand Marina starting on Friday Nov. 4.  We've also got reservations for a rental car there and will travel home for a week.  We'll take care of voting, check on the house, do some leaf removal chores, winterize the water system to the dock and other fun tasks.  Then head back to New Bern for a few days to play tourist. We built in a few extra potential weather days just in case.  

Up well before the sun to get ready for the longest of two travel days.   Not a cold morning but not warm either so we'll be running from inside.  Breakfast done. Engine checks done. Navigation programs set. Power cord retrieved.  We start the engines at first light.  Cast off the lines and Martha eases As You Wish off the dock using the shifters and bow thruster to walk us sideways, then backs us clear of the dock, does a 180-degree pirouette in the small harbor and heads us out the breakwater.   I'm telling you - she wants my job!!

RE Mayo Seafood  on the Pungo Alligator Canal

Traveling the length of the Albemarle eastward we have the waters all to ourselves.  Thankfully it's a bit overcast so the rising sun isn't blinding.  The light NE breeze generates a minor chop but overall our passages on the Albemarle have been mostly tranquil.   As we approach the Alligator River the chartplotter lights up with AIS signals as we catch up to the flotilla of snowbirds headed down the AICW proper.  Mostly sailboats all moving much slower than us.  We pass a few headed toward the Alligator River swing bridge but then get stacked up as the bridgetender needs to clear bridge traffic from his previous opening and wants all the boats in this group to go through at once.  Not a long wait but we jockey around for position and once the bridge opens all the sailboats head for the right side bridge opening.  We head for the left side since there's no upbound traffic.   This move lets us jump ahead of all the sailboats and eliminates the need for a succession of slow passes.  I'm sure this faux pas in bridge transit opening  got us a few comments by the sailors but - c'est la vie!!

Down the balance of the Alligator River then traverse the 22 mile long Alligator-Pungo Canal.  Finally out onto the Pungo River and within an hour we're through the entrance breakwater to the Pantego Creek, past Belhaven and dropping the hook alongside a slew of sailboats with an hour of daylight to spare.   We are definitely in the thick of the southward boating migration but are finding it much more enjoyable running a slightly faster pace than our old boat.  Dinner, a little TV and then bedtime comes early as we prep for another early departure. 

Journey for Nov 3

Nov 4  Day 2  Belhaven to New Bern.  72 miles.  

Weather forecast is calling for a bit of everything.  Nice sunny start to the day.  Easterly breeze around 8-9 kts.  Warming into the lower 70's.  But then showing a good chance of rain showers as we approach New Bern and docking around 2-3 PM.   There is a bascule bridge entering New Bern we'll need to go through that only opens on the hour or half hour and we're shooting for the 2:30 opening.   Again, up before daylight with anchor up at 7:15 and out the breakwater by 7:30. Mostly uneventful other than passing a few sailboats.  Down the Pungo, across the Pamlico River, through Goose Creek, out into the Pamlico Sound and up the Nease River.  

Leaving the Belhaven breakwater as the sun rises

We had been shadowing the Hatteras motoryacht  Southern Snow coming onto the Nuese and when he didn't turn to port to follow the ICW route into Adams Cut we knew he was also headed to New Bern.   Running identical speed as us and staying right off our port side.   There's a defined channel ensuring deep water about 6 miles outside New Bern and I knew at some point I needed to run the engines up to higher rpm's to blow them out after 2 days of slow traveling.  So, I bumped the rpm's up to get clearly ahead of him and then after exiting the channel opened her up and trimmed her out. Good to see we still get WOT at 2900 rpm and speed of 23.5 mph.  Same as with a freshly cleaned and painted bottom. 

Neuse River ferry to starboard as we plan our pass around Southern Snow

Of course, as we're approaching New Bern the skies are getting darker and we can see areas of rainfall ahead.  Buttoned down everything on the flybridge and figured for sure we would be docking in a mess. Unbelievably, the rain passed, the wind died down and we saw multiple rainbows and a possible water spout while waiting for the 2:30 bridge opening.  

Rain on the right, sun on the left, rainbow joining them

Waterspout trying to form??  Thankfully, it didn't.

Stern in docking between a couple of 60+' Hatteras motoyachts went fairly well.  The limited visibility from the pilothouse when stern in docking isn't my favorite activity - much prefer doing that from the flybridge. Anyway, never hit anything so all is good.   Been several years since we last visited New Bern, but this is our first time by boat. The marina has a great weekly rate - even better for 2 weeks, but overall experience has been mixed. No staff to help tie up but thankfully great neighbors who were all hands on deck for us.  Got a pumpout and was flabbergasted when a $40 invoice arrived for it - double the highest we've ever paid!!  

Journey for Nov 4