We stayed at Elizabeth City for a second day due to high winds on the Albemarle. The Alligator River Bridge was closed due to wind as well. So, we spend a lazy Sunday with Jim sleeping through some football games and me working on a little knitting. As the afternoon progressed, several boats arrived from the Dismal Swamp but there was no room at the inn and with the howling winds squishing us onto the bulkheads, no one volunteered for rafting. The new arrivals, circled a while and then found other places to stay for the night.
Monday, the wind backed down to 15-20 from the north so we headed out at first light. It was a sloppy crossing and a damp drizzly day but the crossing was uneventful and we arrived at the bridge just as it was opening. Perfect. There was quite a flotilla behind us as everyone took advantage of the "lighter" winds to beat feet across the sound.
We made it to the top of the Pungo Canal by 2:30, but with many miles to the next good anchorage we decided to drop the hook for the night at Tuckahoe Point. Unfortunately this means another muddy trip to shore for Murphy, a.k.a. Swamp Fox. We spent the remainder of the afternoon watching the rest of the fleet jockey for position in the anchorage.
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We finished locking through the Dismal Swamp canal first thing this morning in the company of about 10 boats. It was a full load, with some boats having to raft 3 across. Murphy enjoyed the rather unique experience of having another Irish Terrier in the lock with him. Our Lancaster neighbors were also in the lock with Puka, a little girl terrier. The two roo-rooed back and forth to each other in that ever distinctive IT yodel.
After motoring down the Pasquotank into increasing head winds, we arrived at Elizabeth City mid-day and were able to get one of the last open spots on the concrete bulkhead. Thank goodness for big fenders and for winds mostly blowing us off the dock.
Halloween evening brought out all the ghouls and goblins for trick-or-treating. The picture shows some well-dressed Canadian boat parents and their children. EC closes off Main Street and with homes decorated to the hilt, the locals and visitors alike enjoy the booty. Murphy even scored a few dog biscuits as we wandered along with the kids.
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Today was one of those almost perfect fall days. Cool and crisp with blue skies all morning. We meandered uneventfully down the canal with several of the boats from last evening and a few new ones from the first locking of the day. Murphy played deck ball with Dad and Tali and Mom birded from the deck. Lots of bird sound, but few sightings in the dense brush. Doesn't matter, it was still a relaxing and beautiful day.
We reached the Visitor's Center just after noon and decided to stay put. The weather for crossing the Albemarle won't be good until Sunday so it made sense not to push on.
Murph got a nice walk over to the park and enjoyed playing with some of the other boat dogs. We are now sitting 3 deep in the raft with two 47 foot boats outboard from us. We're kind of dwarfed by the big girls but that's the way it goes when you get there first.
Tomorrow we're all leaving early to make the 1st lock, it should be pretty full since there are a good dozen boats rafted together here.
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- Chuck
