Tight squeeze in the Alligator-Pungo Canal
22 May 2011 | Leaving Oriental, NC
May 19th, 2011
True to their word Steve and Kim were at the dock at 6 and we backed out of the slip not knowing which way the breeze and prop walk would take us. The bow gently came around to the port, as if we'd planned it, and we drove out of the fairway to the channel. With no wind to speak of, we headed north up the Neuse and then into the Bay river. From the Bay it was up Gale Creek, into the Hobucken canal to Goose Creek which dumps into the Pamlico River. We crossed the Pamlico and entered the Pungo for about 20 miles and then we entered the Alligator/Pungo for another 20. When we were about two miles from the Alligator and out of the canal, we met a tug pushing a barge. We were in one of the more narrow sections and there were submerged stumps on both sides of the canal so I called the Captain requesting a port to port meeting. He acknowledged and told us that he was going to head right at us and dodge to the starboard just as we met. It would be close, but he said but that we'd be ok. I pulled over as far as I dared and slowed as he barreled toward us. At the last minute he swerved as advertised and missed us by about 15 feet. Breathing hard, we entered the Alligator and anchored out of the wind after 73 nm and 11 hours of listening to the motor. The engine hasn't been on much this year and never for extended periods of time... I had a headache.
Jet fighters were after each other during the late afternoon and evening, screaming around us as they often do in this wilderness area. Once they quit at about 2200, we spent a quiet night in the exact spot where a few years ago we were bounced out of bed by 3 foot seas when the wind shifted to the north.