Portsmouth, VA

May 14

Day 184

This has certainly been a trip of opposites. After cruising along the east coast, anchoring in quiet out of the way spots, and visiting a few small seaport towns along the way, the bustling activity of Norfolk and Portsmouth was quite exciting. Due to the extensive military presence here, there are massive naval vessels docked all along the harbor. Some ships are obviously awaiting a final resting place, while others are at various stages of repair. Between an abundance of pleasure craft, military ships, and commercial cargo ships, this is definitely the busiest harbor we have cruised through. Our plan is to spend a few hours enjoying the historical district of Portsmouth, then take a ferry over to Norfolk for some more sightseeing. Then it is on to the Chesapeake Bay for the next couple of weeks.

The hustle and bustle of waterfront activity requires the captain of our vessel to pay close attention while traversing these congested waterways. 

It appears, to my less than knowledgeable eye, that many of the old naval ships are being slowly dismantled. At some point even these proud old ships are replaced by new modern members of our fleet.

With the city skyline coming into view, there is no doubt how important the seaport is to the economy of this area. 

Bama Dream secured to the town dock at Portsmouth, VA. Thanks to Robert, the lock tender at Deep Creek Lock, we tied up here to enjoy another great day of sightseeing. The historical district of Portsmouth is just across the street. Between that and the walkways along the waterfront this is a perfect stop. The ferry to Norfolk leaves from this dock every 30 minutes, so for $.75 each we were able to visit there as well.

The homeowners take a lot of pride in the historical district here. The homes have been beautifully cared for and the landscaping is gorgeous.

Block after block of brick sidewalks and stately homes make this a lovely place for a step back in time. Most of the homes here were built in the early 1800's. 

This stately brick home, like many of the larger homes, has been turned into apartments. The cost of caring for these large old homes must be enormous. Partitioning them off into separate apartments is probably the only way that many of them can be saved.

Loved these beautiful roses as they reached through the old wrought iron fence in front of a church yard. Roses are blooming everywhere, making for an aromatic, colorful landscape.

While we have been heading north quite rapidly, for us that is, for the past few weeks, we are most definitley still in the south. This majestic monument in downtown Portsmouth is dedicated to the men who lost their lives during the Civil War.

While walking through the downtown area, we came across this artist working on a mural that demonstrates the importance of the sea to the people of Portsmouth. Watching him work made me think about the amazing work our niece, Missy, has done on several buildings in the Guin, AL area.

The ferry took us over to Norfolk, where the U.S.S. Wisconsin is docked. It has become part of the Nauticus Museum, offering visitors a chance to tour the World War ll battleship. We wandered around the busy downtown shopping district before returning to Portsmouth. 

What a fun night we had at the Commodore! This theater was originally opened in 1945, showing motion pictures and hosting community stage presentations until it closed in 1975. It was reopened in 1989, after extensive renovations as a first-run movie theater with full-service dining. Recognized as the first such establishment in the United States.

One of the massive murals depicting important events in our Nations history. The theater has been meticulously retored to give the patrons a feeling of nostalgia for more elegant times.

The regular theater seating has been removed and replaced by cozy tables for two or four. It is laid out in such a way that everyone can see the screen easily. Let's face it, we were not there for the movie. Although, I think our grandchildren would be pleased to note that we sat through the entire showing of The Avengers and actually managed to keep up with the action. By the way, our meal was pretty good, too!

Time to pull in the lines and continue our journey. This Navy Police boat pulled up close to us "suggesting" that we should move as far to our port as possible to make room for a ship coming into the dock.

No problem. This guy can have all the room he needs!

The Dismal Swamp

May 12-13

Days 182-183

The AICW actually offers two different ways to get from the Albemarle Sound to Norfolk, VA. The quickest way is to travel closer to the Atlantic by way of Great Bridge and then on to Norfolk. The slightly more adventurous route is through what is known as the Dismal Swamp. Of course we chose the latter of the two options in the hopes that we would see more wildlife along the way. The Dismal Swamp is the oldest operating man made waterway in the United States. The canal was constructed in the early 1800's, mostly with slave labor. In its hay day it was used as a major transportation route for passengers and commercial vehicles. Today, it is mostly used by pleasure crafts as the alternate Intracoastal Waterway. Jess and I quickly decided it was just what we had thought it would be. While a busy highway now runs parallel to the canal most of its 40 plus miles, the feeling of being in a very remote area still exists. Trees and bushes crowd the banks on both sides of the narrow channel, making it necessary to be constantly on the lookout for overhanging branches and deadfall in the canal. This in no way diminished the peacefulness of the trip, as we slowly wound our way through the canal. Wildlife is abundant here, including many of the slithery kind. This little side trip turned into one of our favorite spots along the AICW, at least so far. Who knows what tomorrow may bring?

The trip through the swamp was necessarily slow, in order to avoid the many logs and branches floating down stream. We never bumped, and going slow through this beautiful area gave us the opportunity to enjoy all the sights along the way.

Passing De De on her way down stream was totally unexpected. We had met Henry and Diane on their hand made boat when we stopped in Apalachicola last December. That is one of the great things about this adventure. You never know when you will run across people you have met along the way. De De had mechanical problems that had required her to miss this section of the Loop, so she was traveling the Dismal Swamp to Albemarle Sound and then north to complete her trip. Loopers certainly don't lack perseverance!

Our first lock since leaving the Tenn-Tom. Might as well get used to it because there are many more coming up. The two locks in the Dismal Swamp are small and the attendants are extremely helpful.

After locking us through, the lockmaster then hops in his truck and sprints down to the bridge to open it for our passage. What an interesting job description!

The Dismal Swamp Visitor Center is the first highway rest area that I have ever seen that also provides free dockage for boats. This is a very nice facility, with employees that seem to be very happy that you are there. They provided us with everything we needed for our short visit, including a warning about ticks. Which we discovered later was not unfounded.

Across the canal is the Dismal Swamp State Park. They have a very informative little museum giving a history and ecological background on the swamp. There are also several hiking and biking trails throughout the park. We found this guy tucked under a log, as we strolled along the boardwalk that takes visitors out into the swamp.

What an unexpected moment! As we hiked through the woods, Jess looked over and saw a doe just at the edge of the trees. About that time this little guy spotted us and came over to check us out. He had absolutely no fear and acted like he would have gladly followed us anywhere.

This is a little difficult to see, but if you look closely you will see our new friend next to Jess as he tries to continue down the trail. We had to go in opposite directions, so that he couldn't figure out which way to go. Momma finally decided it was time to retrieve her wayward child, coming through the trees to convince him to follow her off into the woods.

Blackberry bushes are in full bloom. It looks like there is going to be a bumper crop this year. Wish I was going to be around when they are ready for picking!

This is a replica of the boats used to transport cedar shingles made from the white cedar trees growing in the swamp. They were a favorite roofing material because of their resistance to moisture and decay. These boats were poled along the towpaths beside the canal. When the canal system was first built it was only about 10 feet wide, making it possible to litterally drag these small vessels to market.

Obviously the swamp was not just a haven for wildlife. The remoteness of the area provided the perfect location for a variety of money making opportunities. Most legal, but not all.

The Superintendent of the canal was provided living quarters. It was probably quite nice in its day.

Deep Creek Lock takes us back down to the river level, as we come close to the end of our trip through the swamp.

The lock tender here is very helpful. He took the time to give us some great tips on what to do when we get to Norfolk. Without his suggestions we would have missed out on a really nice visit to Portsmouth. Robert has worked for the company running these locks for 21 years and his pride in his work certainly shows.

Coming to the end of our voyage back in time. Before heading on to our stop in Portsmouth, we went around the corner to Top Rack Marina for one night. They are famous for the best fuel prices around, and it is time to top off the tanks. They also have a Dock & Dine gimmick that provides boaters a one night free stay if we eat in their restaurant, the Amber Lantern. What a great excuse for dinner out! No regrets, probably the best prepared meal we have had on this trip. I had a seafood pasta that was very good, but Jess had a steak that was absolutely perfection!

Trying to Outrun Ana!

May 1-11

Days 171-181

A hurricane in May did not figure into our plans when we considered our trip through South and North Carolina. The early arrival of Ana encouraged us to head north as quickly as possible. Luckily she dilly dallied enough in the Atlantic to afford us plenty of time to outdistance most of her fury.  As luck would have it, Ana only developed into a tropical storm, and from our stand point, not a very vicious one at that. A short visit in Georgetown was necessary, as we were having a package from home delivered to us at the marina. Planning to put in some long days after leaving Georgetown, we took the opportunity to enjoy this lovely historical town. Our timing was perfect, because just by chance we were able to get tickets to see the local theatrical group perform Driving Miss Daisy. They did an awesome job, and we both enjoyed spending our afternoon in this unexpected manner. On Monday night we tied up to the free dock in North Myrtle Beach. A nice walk to the mall around the corner (well sort of), allowed us to check out a new Bass Pro Shops, pick up a few things in Belk, and have an amazing meal at a nearby restaurant, the Firehouse Bar & Grill. Love it when these unplanned for perks just happen. The next night we anchored just north of Southport near what we soon learned (by the noise) is a bird sanctuary.  Don't know how the birds figure out where the sanctuaries are, but I can vouch for the fact that literally thousands of them know where that one is. Not the quietest night we have spent on anchor.  The next anchorage proved to be even noisier for a much different reason. We dropped the hook with several other cruisers in a small cove near Camp Lejeune Marine Corp Base. What an entertaining evening. An Osprey was evidently performing some training maneuvers, and we had front row seats. There was also a lot of bombing going on somewhere nearby. Shortly after dark the marines headed back to base and we all enjoyed an uneventful night. Actually, the only part of our speedy (if you can call about 8.5 mph speedy) trip north that was effected by Ana, was our crossing of the Pamlico Sound. The wind was strong enough in this large open water area that we experienced, what I deemed to be, substantial waves. With strong thunderstorms and high winds forecasted, we decided it was time to tie up in a small secure marina, putting our trip up the Dismal Swamp off for a few days.

Not sure if the birds are looking for fish in our wake, or if they just like the way the wind flows around the boat, but we seem to have quite a noisy following as we travel these days.

So far we have had only a few short rain showers, but the clouds have been moving in during the day. Negotiating the hundreds of crab pots in the area has been more of a problem than weather at this anchorage on the Santee River. 

The scenery along the AICW has not really been what I would call awe inspiring. After miles and mile of saw grass and marshes I am ready for some trees.

 

Georgetown is the 3rd oldest town in South Carolina. It was laid out in 1729 and became an important seaport by 1732. The historic waterfront area provides visitors with a look into the history of this area, as well as many fine restaurants and shops. 

This beautiful fountain is part of the stunning landscape that leads visitors onto the grounds of the Kaminski House Museum.

The Kaminski House predates the Revolutionary War. It was built in 1769, changing hands many times over the years. In 1931 the property was purchased by Harold and Julia Kaminski, and upon her death in 1972 it was bequeathed to the city in hopes that it would be established as a historic museum.

The door you see opens onto a porch leading to the actual entrance of the home. At the time these homes were built taxes were determined by the amount of street frontage the lot had. Therefor homes were built one room wide and several rooms deep. The door provided residents privacy on their porch.

There are picturesque moments everywhere in Georgetown. 

This is Bethel Church AME (African Methodist Episcopal). It was established in 1863 shortly after the Emancipation Proclamation.

A glance down the historical business district, including the old Strand Theater that is now home to the Swamp Fox Players.

As we continue northward the landscape begins to include trees along the banks. We have seen turtles, eagles, osprey, and snakes, but no more alligators.

Traveling along the AICW means we are inland from the coast, so we don't see many lighthouses. This one was actually alerting cruisers that the Lightkeeper's Marina is located up the channel.

Talk about a view! If my boat was at the top of this dry storage rack, there is no way I would be able to stand by while it was placed in the water. They looked like a small breeze would send them toppling to the ground.

I don't know what is in worse shape. The old dock or the boat. Anyone looking for a fixer upper?

A beautiful sunset over Southport, S.C.  This was about the time the birds got going good, and our peaceful anchorage was not so peaceful after all.

The bridges along this section of the AICW do not open on demand. Most open on the hour and half hour, with some only opening on the hour.  This usually causes a minor traffic jam as we all wait patiently. We would have made it to the previous opening, but a little shallow spot set us back about thirty minutes. An opening in the landscape to our right allowed us a small glimpse of breaking waves on the beach at a moment when we should have been paying better attention to the markers. Being on the wrong side of the green meant we were a foot or so short of enough water to keep our keel from going aground. The fantastic captain that he is, Jess managed to work us off the sandbar and we went merrily (with a huge sigh of relief) on our way.

The bridge tenders along our route have all done a great job. We even got a "Roll Tide" from one guy. Actually we have been thrilled to receive "Roll Tides" everywhere we have been.

This is the first Osprey we had ever seen in action. They were evidently performing some training exercises that kept us all entertained for a couple of hours. 

Another amazing sunset over our anchorage near Camp Lejeune.

Our numbers have increased, as we are all trying to get as far north as possible before Ana comes ashore. We prefer traveling around 40 miles a day, but this week we have been cranking out 70 to 80 each day. 

While we had been concerned about our crossing of the Albemarle Sound, it turned out to be not even close to as rough as the Pamlico Sound had been. We have decided at this point to take a break for a few days and let what is left of Ana go on by us. This is one of those days that luck was with us. I called a marina in the harbor at Elizabeth City to see if they had any transient dockage available, but they did not answer. Then I called Lamb's Marina just into the Dismal Swamp and luckily they had room for us.  When we passed by the first marina we realized that they were open to the rough water and we would have been rocking and rolling our whole stay.  Lamb's has been great!

One last bridge opening before entering the Dismal Swamp.

When we were in the Bahamas sundown was signaled by the sound of conch shells being blown by a few talented travelers. One of the live a boards here at Lamb's Marina has his own little cannon that he fires off as the sun dips into the west. 

These roses were transplanted to Marina Wharf Park after the death of Joe Kramer in 1987. He and a friend, Fred Fearing, began what was to become the Rose Buddies tradition in 1983. Joe provided roses and Fred provided refreshments to boaters as they traveled the Intracoastal Waterway. Thus Elizabeth City became known as the Harbor of Hospitality.

Using the marina's courtesy car we were able to enjoy a nice walk around the historical district of Elizabeth City. We also made a trip to McDonald's, a grocery store, Walmart, Ace Hardware and Dairy Queen. What more could anyone need (other than possibly West Marine)?

As you can see the wind is causing the harbor to get quite choppy. So glad we are back in a little creek where the water is calm.

So many architecturally interesting old homes. There are many that need some major restoration work, but just as many that have been well cared for or renovated to show their original splendor. Another very charming seaport town along the AICW.