Coinjock

May 3rd, 2017 - Wednesday.  We departed Dowry Creek Marina in Bellhaven around 0800 and decided to go as far as the Alligator River.  Not as much wind today - 5 to 10 knots.  We mostly motored with the staysail up as well.  Our chart plotter was acting up all day - unable to receive a GPS signal.  But as soon as we got closer to civilization it finally picked up.  We get used to seeing the little boat (which is our boat) moving on the chartplotter.  And we don't like it when we can't see it.  Spent the night at the Alligator River Marina (pretty unfriendly place) and departed early next morning.

May 4th, 2017 - Thursday.  Heading to Coinjock, North Carolina which is right before you cross the Currituck Sound and the cut leading to Virginia.  Love the pictures of sailboats on the ICW it looks like they are sailing through the grass!  Very windy today again but no problems with engine for last two days.  Thank Goodness!!  It was blowing 20 to 25 knots again today as we were crossing the Albermarle Sound.  Several sailboats out and they were hobby horsing in the sound.  We had waves breaking over the bow.  We had the engine running with a reefed staysail.  Michael had been running the engine at 2500 RPM rather than our usual 2200 RPM and the engine overheated right as we were coming into Coinjock.  We met the people in the Catamaran (Rush'n Blue) and took a dinghy ride across the river to the restaurant to eat.  Met up with our new Finnish friends and we all ate together - fun times!  All of us planned to hang out here until the storms on Friday passed.  

Coinjock Marina - rafting boats

 May 6,2017 - Saturday
I called the North Landing Swing Bridge at 0600 to see if the bridge would open today with the water being so high and the answer was no - not opening.  And the next swing bridge will not open either.  The water is 4 feet above normal height and we would not fit under the fixed bridge either.  So... here we sit waiting for the water to recede.  The marina across the river from where we are is now rafting boats up two deep and it will soon be three deep.  The boats keep coming all heading to Norfolk.  The marina calls them on the VHF and tells them that "all these boats are not here because the restaurant food is just that good - the bridges are closed and if you continue on there will be nowhere to go and nowhere to anchor".  And so they have been rafting up all day long. 

Oh well, time to catch up on blog and do paperwork.  Dinner with new friends tonite.  Hopefully, we will make it up the river tomorrow.  Fingers crossed.