Trawler Punches on the IntraCoastal Waterway

Stats from Trawler Trip Stuart,  FL to Lancaster,VA

Miles traveled: 1088.26 ( note driving distance is 918 miles ),
engine hours 130.39, average speed 7.27 knots – 8.37 mph
Trip was 20 days total- 18 days under way, average of 60 miles per day.
We used 2 private docks, 10 anchorages and 5 marinas.

Sometimes the bear gets ya….

Decisions, decisions – looked at the weather and decided to go up the bay today. Winds light in the anchorage in the morning, but by the turn at
Thimble Shoals at Hampton there was a good chop on the bay.  It stayed Ok until the York river where it was a nasty 2-3 feet and I had my hands full
steering.  Winds built to 15-20 knots and the ride improved a little after we cleared the York River and Mobjack Bay entrance. The good news is we had
a incoming tide all the way and made this run in record time.  We were tied up at our home off the Rappahannock River by 2:30 pm. Underway by Mobjack Bay
we passed fellow MTOA members Ted & Nancy McCarley aboard Aloha Friday.  I always tell people the toughest part of an ICW trip to Florida is the Chesapeake Bay
and Albemarle Sound and again it proved to be true.  I’ll post complete stats for the trip in a few days but we are glad to me home in Virginia for the summer.

Today’s Stats: Location- Home Dock, Punches Cove, Lancaster, VA,  distance traveled 63.12 nm, average speed 9.35 mph, 8.12 knots

Hanging Out in Portsmouth

With bridge restrictions 8 am was as early as we could start.  A chilly morning – 49 degrees and NW winds over 15 mph.  We had a little surprise
at the Gilmerton Bridge which now is only on the half hour instead of on demand while they build a new bridge. The restrictions went into place over the winter.
The new bridge should be in place by October 2013.
We made quick stop for fuel at Ocean Marine paying $3.82 per gallon. With the North West wind we decided not to go to Hampton today across the harbor and
instead anchor at ICW MM zero by Hospital Point.  We had quite a show ; a large barge made two 90 degree turns into Tidewater yachts Marina to replace
a broken piling – amazing to watch them take that barge in with feet to spare on a windy day.  They used the spuds on the barge to help pivot the barge into the marina.
The whole operation going in, taking out the broken piling and putting in a new one and backing the work barge out took less than two hours.

Barge at Tidewater Yachts, Portsmouth, VA:

Today’s Stats: Location- Hospital Point, Portsmouth, VA, ICW MM 0, distance traveled 13.52 miles, average speed 4.72 mph, 4.10 knots

Squall in Currituck Sound

Winds were light and it was still warm when we left Coinjock, NC just after 7.  The radar indicated storms were still to our west so
we hoped to make the short trip to Great Bridge, VA before they arrived.  About 9:30 just as we crossed into Virginia a squall with 40 knot winds
hit us.  The wind shifted north and we had 4 foot rollers coming down the North River.  For a time we could not see and the sailboat in front
of us still had a jib up and damaged it.  After the squall passed we just had a cold drizzle to Great Bridge.  We timed both bridges perfectly
and were tied up at Atlantic Yacht Basin Marina by noon.  We will have to afternoon to catch-up and then go into town for pizza tonight. We plan
a short run to Hampton tomorrow and hopefully can go up the bay to our home on Friday. We are in warm clothes for the first time on the trip and
I have the heat running on the boat!!!! It went from high 60’s to high 50’s just like that!

Pungo River Sunset Monday Evening:

Today’s Stats: Location- Atlantic Yacht Marina, Great Bridge, VA ICW MM 12.1, distance traveled 36.59 miles, average speed 7.62 mph, 6.62 knots

Albermarle Sound Now Behind Us

We started before 6 am hoping winds would be lighter earlier.  We did not reach Albermarle Sound until noon and by then winds had increased to about 15 mph from
the South West which was behind us. The first part of the crossing was OK but in the middle a nasty cross-chop developed and the boat started to roll a little.  All in all not
so bad – maybe a 6 out of 10. We are staying tonight at Midway Marina in Coinjock, NC just 50 miles from Norfolk.  We will evaluate the weather tomorrow morning
and decide if we head further north.

Today’s Stats: Location- Midway Marina, Coinjock, NC ICW MM 49.7, distance traveled 79.47 miles, average speed 8.67 mph, 7.53 knots

Trying to stay Ahead of the Weather

For the second trip in a row we bypassed a stay in Oriental, NC to make time in great weather.  It was near calm today and we decided
to push on and hopefully be able to cross Albemarle Sound tomorrow.  Looking ahead the forecast is for strong winds ( up to 20 knots ),
on Wednesday and Thursday.  Friday’s forecast is no better than tomorrow ( SW winds 10-15 knots, waves 1-2 feet on the sound ) so
it did not seem worth it to try and wait.  There was more boat traffic today, we passed 6 boats heading north and one south, all except one sailboats.
We are anchored tonight just at the bottom of the long Alligator-Pungo canal with 3 other sailboats.  It is not the best anchorage, but the only one so
close to the canal so we can get an early start tomorrow.

Today’s Stats: Location-Pungo River, NC ICW MM 127.5, distance traveled 82.35 miles, average speed 9.07 mph, 7.88 knots

Another Day heading East in North Carolina

We left Wrightsville beach before sunrise to beat the restricted bridge we had to open here. Both Punches and Monk 36 Prime Time traveling with us were able
to get under the next bridge, the Figure Eight which had 23 feet of clearance.  It was then on to the Surf City bridge 18 miles up the ICW which only opens on
the hour.  Even using the GPS we were 15 minutes early due to a current pushing us and that after slowing almost to idle!!. The next bridge Onslow Beach
at Camp LeJeune was timed perfectly and we were on our way.  The day was again chilly in the low 70’s with a brisk East wind between 10 and 15 mph.
We anchored for the night in Spooner creek just above Morehead City, NC in the middle of an upscale residential development.  For now we are the on
boat here.  The forecast is looking like we may have to push on and cross the Albemarle Sound before the next front comes through Wednesday/Thursday. 

Today’s Stats: Location-Spooner Creek, NCICW MM 210.5, distance traveled 74.94 miles, average speed 8.08 mph, 7.02 knots