Fri 01 May 2015
Docked - Great Dismal Swamp Visitor's Center, NC

As I expected, our very early bedtime had us up quite early - me at 0445 and Diane at 0530. I ran the genset for 45 minutes to take the chill out of the boat and re-charge the batteries. The coffee tasted especially good on a chilly morning, but at least it was not raining. The RADAR showed a clear window for several hours. Unfortunately, we had to await the 0830 bridge opening.

We left the dock 20 minutes early to allow time for me to cruise in 2 slow circles to allow the autopilot to calibrate its fluxgate compass. When the bridge opened, we lead the way and sprinted ahead to stop at a nearby marina to take on a little fuel, but mostly fresh water. The tank gauge has read low for several days, but we don't know how much is really left.

The refueling and watering went well and we sprinted again to catch up to Ariel to ensure we would make the 1100 opening of the South Mills lock. At that point, I could slow down and just run on one engine to save fuel and wear. It was blowing up to 18 kts from the N, but we were in a narrow waterway with tall trees and really didn't notice it, except if we had to leave the cabin, when we surely felt the cold.

We caught up with a large sailboat at the lock, but all 3 of us could fit, which was nice. After the lock, the sailboat wanted us to pass ahead, and despite the very slow speed as we watched for submerged logs and other debris, we were at the Great Dismal Swamp Welcome Center by 1220. There were already 2 boats there, and while it was a tight squeeze, we managed to get onto the last bit of dock with our bow extended about 8 feet beyond. Of course, it had started raining again, but there were 4 boaters out there helping us get tied up.

Despite the rain, we stood out there in our various stages of warm dress and introduced ourselves for a few long minutes. Then Diane and I headed in to warm up. I suggested sipping hot buttered rum while we re-heated the pork for lunch along with the last of the coleslaw - a fitting NC meal. Both the hot food and hot beverage were quite tasty.

Sitting in the cabin while the rain came down, I consulted the spreadsheet log and transferred the totals so far to our household financial log. For the first 34 days, ending the last day of Apr, we have spent $2,700 on the cruise. We also have home expenses like pool and lawn service, utilities, etc. The cruising portion reflects a fairly low amount for provisions (food and beverage) because we brought a lot of stuff with us that we already paid for prior to the cruise.

We are well under budget, thanks in part to not using too many marinas and having fuel costs much lower than I had estimated. As we need to start replenishing provisions in earnest and start paying Canadian prices for things, that number will undoubtedly climb.

Looking back at our cruise log, it has been 11 days since we last used the dinghy. I certainly hope that the fuel in the carburetor will not have caused any problems in that time. In fact, it may be another week before we will have reason to use the dinghy. We enjoy anchoring out for many reasons. In the warmer weather, you can often get soothing breezes to keep you comfortable without the need to run the generator and A/C. You also can have some very nice scenery and privacy. On the other hand, tying up to a free dock gives you a lot of convenience for getting yourself and stuff (like bikes and cats) on and off the boat.

Mid-afternoon, we walked up to the Welcome Center in the mist and wind and Diane was thrilled to find the bathrooms and lobby area heated. She kidded with the staff that she wanted to sneak in just before closing and sleep there tonight. I reminded her that she is always toasty warm sleeping next to me and Clyde. The problem starts when she has to get out of bed.

Coming through the trees that almost form a canopy over the very narrow canal, the wind and rain had deposited an enormous amount of leaves, seed pods, and twigs on our boats. Luckily, right next to our boat was a fresh water spigot with drinkable water. First, I finished filling our 80 gallon water tank. Next, I sprayed off 95% of the debris and dirt. It will be somewhat dirty again in the morning, but at least it is not disgusting right now.

About 1700, I felt like socializing, so I walked over to Zendo to find Jonathon and Lynn strategizing with Robert and Corinne from Ariel about the Chesapeake. I chimed in where I could and the conversation took many turns, as it always does. I walked back to Diva Di to get a Canadian tide chart and Diane elected to come over, too. We chatted about many subjects, mostly cruising and weather, and then broke it up about 1900.

Back onboard we cooked up some string beans and heated the rice and shrimp creole. We also had the generator and heat running for the chilled admiral. It is supposed to be pretty sunny and warm by Mon. With the rain fading but the air still quite cold, it was another early night to bed. We plan to leave before the 350 paddlers take off tomorrow from here around 0830 to make the 1100 bridge/lock opening. Shortly after noon, we should be docked at the free dock in Portsmouth, VA by the ferry landing.