Day Two on the ICW (Virginia Cut).
We are definitively part of a Great Migration South.
We saw many long V-like formations of Canada Geese flying overhead in the cloudless blue skies, and down below on the Virginia Cut, we were part of a long formation of boats. A few of them behind us and more in front of us, we were all travelling at different speeds, all going somewhere, all trying to make the next bridge, port, anchorage... all trying to make some time in an effort to get somewhere.
As with traffic jams anywhere and everywhere most stay in line, but there's always one needing to create some waves and get ahead, even if only by "one". A game of leapfrog that's always fun to watch.
After a bit of distance covered inland, we entered the wide Albemarle Sound (larger expanse of water) and crossed that without incident as well. The reason I say that as some caution that the shallow waters and opposing winds create a different species of wave here in the Sounds.
We've been fortunate to have had no weather in the days prior to us coming in, so conditions on all fronts were easy and effortless. We even had our jib out for a while, but the wind direction and our direction were not favouring that, so back in it came. That was about the excitement for the day !
Our initial plan was to stop at Coinjock,
but it was barely after lunch when we passed through there and given that there was weather on the way (Tropical Storm Sandy) we opted to go gung-ho and make some time, burn some gas at non-economical speeds, and cover some miles in order to get to some shelter for the weekend. So Plan B it was... keep going !
I think we're starting to get the good ole ICW moustache !! It'll be time for a shave when we hit our next marina.
By that I mean that the water around here is rich brown in colour, sort of like a strong tea or a weak coffee. Tannins are released by the decaying cypress and juniper trees. In the old days ships sought out water with tannin because it wouldn't spoil as quickly as normal water, and each ship would store months of drinking water in the dark wooden barrels called scuttlebutts. Water with added "tannin water" stayed drinkable longer. And that brown-water stains the white hulls of the boats a "yellowish" colour...
We've seen so many butterflies lately. Big, bright, colorful ones, flitting about, landing everywhere on our boat, and flitting off again. This was just a tiny little guy that wasn't scared enough of my camera to fly away...
Ole Indian Legend says that if you see a butterfly you can make a wish and then give the butterfly its freedom. The butterfly would then fly away with your wish to the Great Spirit, and it would be granted.
We wished a few times today.
By late afternoon we were but three boats left of the long line, and we entered the Alligator River (named after the many 15 foot alligator that called this place home in the early 1900's) and anchored off Sandy Point, home to many fishing pots and duck huts (and sadly, no more alligators).
Our cockpit became an immediate home to some bloodsucking vampire like bugs. They seemed to like Dave more than I. That only deterred us for a moment though as we were determined to watch the spectacular sunset, and then it was off to catch some much needed ZZZ's.