Pura Vida Loop

I remember when they started the state quarters for the U.S., Delaware was the first quarter.  That town is cool and I look forward to going back.  After taking on 209 gallons of diesel we headed back out Branch Channel and entered Delaware Bay.  It’s roughly 56 miles to Cape May Canal,  the channel is 12′ deep.  Delaware bay has some shoals and they are marked by the lighthouses and they show up on the GPS.  Just gotta pay attention, for the most part I ran along side the ship channel because their was a good amount of commercial ship traffic.  You pass Hope Creek Nuclear Generating Station on your way down the bay, big tankers are prevalent and also are ITB’s which are Integrated Tug Barges.  Some of the tankers are loaded to over a 40′ draft and this is too much for some areas in the bay.  To solve this problem they have mooring fields for these ships and the ITB barges come along side the ships and offload fuel to help lower the draft on the tankers.  Cape May is beautiful, UTSCH’S Marina is a great spot.  Only a 10 min walk to the trolley stop then for 1$ you can go to the beach or about 4 other stops which allows you to see most of Cape May’s attractions.  We had a great meal Saturday night aboard the Bayflower.

The lighthouses below are throughout Delaware Bay, they are from the late 1800’s and early 1900’s some have been auctioned off to people who can take care of the upkeep and preserve these historic aids  

entering Cape May Canal 

UTSCH’S Marina arial

The Flowers family Mandy and Langdon with their daughter Maggie and her two daughters Ann and Clara, and Maggie and me

Homes here have beautiful architecture 

 

Its 6$ a person to visit the beach here but we never saw anyone who enforced this 😉

Cruising to Delaware was beautiful.  Moving through the Northern Chesapeake and the C&D Canal was such an awesome scenery change.  The Hills are starting to be more noticeable and the homes are looking historic, I can picture this area covered in a blanket of snow.  I’ve never done any boating in an area where it snows during the winter.  The Chesapeake & Delaware Canal (C&D Canal) takes you from Maryland to Delaware.   It is a 14-mile-long, 450-foot-wide and 35-foot-deep ship canal that connects the Delaware River with the Chesapeake Bay.  The C&D Canal is owned and operated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.  The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers operates the C&D Canal Museum at Chesapeake City, Maryland, housed in the original canal pump house with a waterwheel and pumping engines. The museum illustrates the canal’s history and operations.  Delaware City Marina is the best marine facility to stop at in Delaware, Tim the owner will make sure you are taken care of and his employees Austin and Bob will give you a run down on the city and whats neat to do.  They have a nice ships store, land storage with 35-ton marine travel lift, Diesel fuel that has good turnover and over a 1/2 mile of lay along floating docks.  The marina also does a weather report meeting every day at 5:30 to prep you for going down Delaware Bay and discuss all the tricks to navigate this area stress free.  There are 4 other loop boats here, Pura Vida, Bayflower, and two gold loop boats a Sabre and Quo Vadimus ran by Captain Foster and his wife Susan.  Gold loopers are people who have done the loop once and plan to do it again.  Hopefully I can join the Platinum looper club one day which means you have done it twice.  There are some great restaurants here, we met a nice musician that played some of my favorite blues Mr. Dub Glenn and knew my men Eric Lindell and JJ Grey.  Tomorrows destination, Cape May New Jersey.

Delaware City Marina layout, 4 floating lay along docks

 

Last night at anchor was peaceful and a good spot to spend the night.  I departed the Honga River around 08:00, weather was warm with a light south wind.  It’s about a 6 mile trek back to the Chesapeake ICW, leaving the Honga River there are thousands of crab pots.  You have to avoid these like they are Naval Mines, some crabbers have big flags on their buoys and this makes seeing them so easy (thank you).  The beginning of the Chesapeake was very clear and clean, after about 100 miles the water gets darker and doesn’t seem as clean.  I’m sure this has to do with the high density cities that use this body of water for their runoff.  My friend Maggie arrived in Annapolis today to ride with me for a week, I look forward to covering a lot of ground.  Hopefully we will be meeting back up with the Bayflower tomorrow on the C&D canal in Delaware which connects the Chesapeake to the Delaware Bay.  Arriving in Annapolis was beautiful, lots of sailboats, big yachts and a great mooring field.  The town is full of great history and tons of great places to walk to, It was busy for a Thursday night.  Feels good to be making some progress and to be making it to another state tomorrow.

Annapolis City Marina layout

Pictures of Historic Annapolis 

Departed Little Creek at 07:00, it was warm sunny and a light 5mph SW wind.  Leaving Little Creek was beautiful.  As I entered Chesapeake Bay there were some small 2′ swells rolling in from the Atlantic, the wave period was long so the ride was good.  Once I got about 20 miles north on the Chesapeake with Cape Charles off my Stbd the swells from the east laid down and the wind picked up to about 11mph out of the South.  This was a good because I was in a following sea at this point and you really couldn’t feel the waves much because we were going the same direction.  The autopilot I’m sure was making corrections all day with the following sea, but she stayed true to her course and the trek up the Chesapeake was really relaxing.  The Chesapeake is a huge beautiful body of water, I mainly saw around 30-40 ft depths but did see an area about 60 miles north that was 150-175 ft deep.  The water gets a little more murky the further up the Chesapeake you go.  I got anchored on the Honga River around 17:00 found a beautiful spot protected from the South East winds.  You still can get free things these days, Mother Nature decided to give me a spot free fresh water rinse today after my 98 miles.  I love a good rain shower any day.  Its cooled down some this evening after the rain so I’m going to cook some steak.  Hope all is well with everyone and thank you for following my journey.

below is a ship the Navy uses for target practice, it’s on a sand bar on the east side of the bay, it is a site to see.  these pictures are from over a 1/4 mile away they are round because I used my binoculars to get a close picture.

Lighthouse in middle of bay

if your going to anchor be sure to use chafe gear

engine room was 127 degrees today lol two Cats can build some heat

My good friend Tucker Lipscomb invited me aboard the ship he is working on, small world I wasn’t expecting him to be on little creek literally a golf ball drive from my boat.  The USNS Trenton (T-EPF-5) is a Spearhead-class high-speed transport vessel.  She is the 5th vessel made of her kind.  These Spearhead-class ships are used to support overseas operations, conduct humanitarian aid, disaster relief, and support special operation forces.  This type of vessel also has an aviation flight deck and can operate in shallow waters.  This ship was made close to home in Mobile Alabama.  Our nations military is amazing and these men and woman who run these ships will always have my utmost respect and support.  Powered by (4) v20 8,000hp MTU diesels powering 4 jet pumps, similar to what you would have on a jet ski except one of these jet pumps can fill an olympic sized swimming pool in less than 30 seconds.  The ship has a large garage so you can transport vehicles and it is equipped with its own crane on the stern.

Length:	103.0 m (337 ft 11 in)
Beam:	28.5 m (93 ft 6 in)
Draft:	3.83 m (12 ft 7 in)
Propulsion:	4 × MTU 20V8000 M71L diesel engines 4 × ZF 60000NR2H reduction gears
Speed:	43 knots (80 km/h; 49 mph)
Troops:	312
Crew:	41
Aircraft carried:	Medium helicopter

Tucker took me into the deepest crevasses of USNS Trenton, we spent over 4 hours checking everything out climbing ladder after ladder and seeing tons of beautiful machinery, sea systems and aluminum construction.

This is inside one hull, you can see the driveshafts running to the reduction gear and then going into the JetPumps.  The engine room is beautiful only 500 hours on the mains thus far.

Helo pad with ultra high-speed refueling nozzle

The anchor rode is cable to save weight, apparently steel cable weighs less than chain, you can see the galley and big 350 seat + seating area for the passengers.

Proud to be American

In God We Trust 

We left Atlantic Yacht Basin around 6:50am so we could make the first opening of the Great Bridge Lock, this is the very first lock of my whole trip.  We eased onto the channel this am, the weather was pretty and today was going to take us up the Southern Branch River through Chesapeake VA.  Then you meet the Elisabeth River, from here you go through the Norfolk Naval Shipyard and enter the Chesapeake Bay.  What a beautiful ride, our nations navy is indescribable the feeling of pride it gives you as you pass by these massive ships that were built to defend our freedom.

 I really enjoyed meeting some new friends at atlantic yacht basin, on their 1967 48ft Hatteras LRC called “Black Powder” from Maine headed to Tx.  They used to own a company that designed and built mini cannons for the coast guard and people who wanted one of these awesome noise makers.

Nuclear Submarine headed down Elisabeth River

Pura Vida and Bayflower at Little Creek Marina condo docks reminiscing about the last few weeks of great cruising and tasty diesel fuel

Little Creek Marina is a great spot to stay a while, their weekly and monthly rates are great and it is very protected.  Sharing the same cove with the Navy

My friends aboard the MHIWAD had me for lunch today, a very beautiful french couple with an impressive 68′ Bruce Roberts design ultra long-range cruiser with two John Deere main engines. MHIWAD stands for My Home Is Where Anchor Drops

 

We departed Coinjock around 10 AM, it was overcast with a 10mph SW wind.  We enter Coinjock Bay and pass Piney Island.  From here the bay turns into North Landing River, which takes you by Knotts Island and you cross into Virginia at this time!  Then the North Landing River meets the Albemarle and Chesapeake Canal.  In the canal you have 2 swing bridges that need to open for you to pass, they open on the hour and 1/2 hour.  You head west and arrive at Atlantic Yacht Basin where you can get dockage for 1$ a foot and they have a full service marine facility if you need anything.  Around 1pm we ran into some light rain, we checked with the boats in front of us and they said it was only rain no wind or lightning so that reassured us so we kept pushing through the trench.  We got soaked docking, It was a lot of fun! and we are at the far end of the 1/4 mile long face dock.  We purchased 8 gallons of oil here and did an oil change on my main engines, it’s very easy with my oil change pump.  The hose water has been getting cooler and cooler the more north I get.  It’s great to be getting north during the summer this is refreshing.  When we move to Norfolk Thursday we will go through a lock its only a couple hundred yards from the marina I am at now.

Mother Nature is breath taking you can get lost in her beauty so easily, these pictures dont do it justice! go explore see

Marina shots, transient slips ICW side and also covers slips available for long term.  & boat refit shop

It was a little warmer this morning and the conditions were absolutely perfect to cross Albemarle Sound.  There was virtually no wind in the marina this am so it was a breeze getting going.  Louis has been making great breakfast and lunch, its been great because we can stay rolling steady during breakfast and lunch.  Entering back into Alligator River we went about 3 miles north avoiding the long point shoals and all the duck blinds.  From here we entered the sound and took a heading that would allow us to cross to the entrance of the New River.  Albemarle Sound was very smooth, it’s over 16 miles across.  once your away from shore it stays from 15-17 feet deep.  The hardest part is paying enough attention so you don’t hit any of the crab traps, there are sooo many.  There is no tide change in this area which is great but also very interesting, I will find out why but I have not yet.  From Albemarle Sound the ICW goes into North River for about 12 miles and you arrive at Coinjock NC and the Coinjock Marina MM50.  Coinjock has a population of 335 people according to a 2010 census.  The Coinjock Marina is nice, it sells fuel and has a ship store and restaurant.  There are 5 boats here that know Pura Vida and I have been traveling with them throughout various parts of the trip.  Such a great feeling having so many friends on the dock, like a small reunion.  Coinjock Marina restaurant is steps away from the boat it was delicious, I had the fried chicken and Louis got their famous prime rib.  It was great, and thank you Louis for the dinner! again haha

dinner at Coinjock Marina with Mandy and Langdon from Bayflower

hard working dock attendant removing a log from the river

 

Today we left Dowry Creek and headed back to the Pungo River, it was overcast windy and in the 60’s.  Beautiful weather for this boating, wish my parents and sister could be here!  We worked our way to Alligator River.  The Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge was established on March 14, 1984, to preserve and protect a unique wetland habitat type—the pocosin—and its associated wildlife species.  It is one of the premier strongholds for American black bear on the eastern seaboard.  20 miles of the ICW through this area is very narrow with  hardwood swamps, Atlantic White Cypress and marsh land.  It is so beautiful.  Driving through the tannic acid water was like operating the boat in sweet tea.  After the narrow portion of Alligator River it opens up into a wider body of water.  The waves in the bay were 1′ or a more, from the stiff 15mph NE wind.  It was directly on the bow so we sliced the waves like a hot knife through butter and the Hatteras was riding like a Prevost Bus.  You continue about 10 miles to the Alligator River Swing Bridge. With only a 12′ height, you can get to open on channel 13.  Then head west after passing through bridge and arrive at… yes can you guess it?  Alligator River Marina, everything is alligator in these parts. Alligator Marina is at the foot of the Alligator Swing Bridge MM84.  This is a nice quiet little spot, I enjoy these types of places.  The fuel station on site has a diner called Captain Charlies that serves a small good menu.  Mandy and Langdon met Louis and I at the diner tonight and it was great.  Tomorrow we will  be in Coinjock NC.

 

 

Beaufort has some great food music and shops.  We left Beaufort during slack tide which was around 8am.  We started out on Newport River then on to Neuse River, the wind was blowing pretty good so there were 1.5-2′ swells out there.  Luckily our course had the waves hitting directly on the bow so the ride was smooth.  Turning up Bay River this leads to the Pamlico River which you cross to get on the Pungo River.  After a few miles on the Pungo we arrived at Dowry Creek Marina in Belhaven, located 1 mile off the ICW at MM132.  My friends on Bayflower were here also, so we all had a great time talking.  Mandy and Langdon from Bayflower invited Louis and I to dinner aboard their boat.  The Salmon and stories were great and I loved eating in the pilot house.  Mandy and Langdon are looping on there beautiful Marlow the Bayflower, I’m looking forward to doing a lot of cruising with them.