Much less traffic meant that the only thing we would have to slow down for were the timed openings of the bridges. (Which, of course we didn't have timed very well!) It was relatively easy for us to slow down to kill an extra 30 minutes or hold position in a channel waiting for the bridges to open.
In parts of the ICW we could see beyond the rim to the open Atlantic. I briefly pondered the thought of the easier cruising on the outside...ie avoiding shallow obstructions and other boats but the thoughts of the very likely possibility of "mal de mer" were enough for me to resolve to just handling the vicissitudes of ICW cruising.
Wrightsville, NC......this sand bar with the palm tree and parking meter was covered in water when we passed by in 2012.
Most of the ICW in the populated areas is lined with beach homes with docs and small boats on lifts at the end of the docks. Danny quipped, "Gee, I bet if you put a bucket with water in it, somebody would try fishing it!"
One of the interesting areas we passed through was Camp Lejeune. This is a live firing zone for the armed forces which they shut down during their exercises. Passing through we could see old troop carriers or tanks spaced out on the island as if they had been destroyed trying to land. There is no question, these fellows are good because they practice all the time.
We passed several marinas and as I was patting myself on the back for getting diesel fuel for $2.18/gal, Danny spots fuel for $1.98/gal! For those of you avoiding boating because of fuel costs..HA! HA! Look around there is reasonably priced fuel and marinas available.
The sunny day had us navigating from the upper helm in a nice cool breeze. Rubber necking around at the homes, farms and bikini dotted beaches distracted me from following the navigation buoys but the real reason I went out of the channel was because I was fiddling with the map plotter....Honest! I had just asked Danny to take over the helm. He was eating an orange and couldn't grasp the wheel in time. Looking up to see we were out of the channel he quickly wheeled back toward the centre line and I felt the prop bump. We carefully brought the boat back up to cruising speed.....Whew! No Vibration. Later when we got landed at Southport Marina, we used my newly acquired fish camera to inspect the props.....No Dings!
This marina is well maintained with new docks, a dog park, and within walking distance of some interesting restaurants overlooking the water. We saw a crowd lined up at the Yacht Basin Provision Company. The receptionist told us it was a 30 minute wait or we could try to find a place at the bar, took our name and directed us towards the beer cooler to get what we wanted on the honor system.
Beth got a beer while Danny and I went to the bar, ordered two rum and coke with lime and grabbed three seats when a couple got up to leave. We were in within 10 minutes. The cooks were hollering out for pick up ...for waitress to come deliver the food because it was ready. They were surprisingly fast....we had our food before we finished our cocktails. Fresh yellow tuna for Danny and me and fresh caught shrimp for Beth. They were so busy that when I received the bill, the only charge on it was for Beth's beer. I waited to get the waitresses attention and had her correct the bill to pay for the meals. The food was good and I certainly didn't want the waitress to have to come good for the bill.
We had covered 80 miles and hoped to do the same tomorrow as we were now pushing closer to Charleston, Va where Danny would be leaving us to return home to St. Stephen, N.B.
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