Passage from Atlantic Yacht Basin to Coinjock, NC 31 NM

We got underway about ½ hour before the Great Bridge Lock opens at 10AM. This will cause the spilling of many southbound boats behind us. The radio traffic indicates LOTS of boats will be following us and most overtaking us as they move faster than Liquid Therapy. We get the 2 ½ miles to the Centerville Turnpike bridge a few miles before the boats get out of the lock. Only one boat caught up with us as we waited to open the North Landing bridge 8 miles further.

The radio is ablaze with passing protocol communications of faster boats behind us catching up with slowed boats. What I see on my AIS screen looks like I95 of the water. Many boats are polite with slow passes. Some just blast on by Liquid Therapy throwing huge wakes. And many will be tying up in Coinjock where we will be docked. Water Rage could erupt on the docks about dangerous passes on the water. But everyone has cooled off and happy to be docked with a celebration of beer and cocktails. And, water and pop. Maybe wine. I had a beer at the dockmasters counter. Susan had some kind of wine cocktail. Anyhow, we wind down and slip into dock mode watching others arrive.

This time of the year is extremely busy for the marinas and I have been asked to allow a boat to tie to the side of Liquid Therapy. A nice couple on a 40’ sportfisher boat are our guests on our starboard side. They have to walk across our boat to get to the dock. (We have been the 4th outboard boat tied in this manner in the Dismal Swamp. Yep we had to cross 3 other boats to get to shore.) The dock hands do a great job of tying the 2 boats together. We meet Alexa and John from Boston. They run their boat down to Oriental, NC instead of winterizing it in Boston. My thought is that it's much better on the boat, plus Oriental is really a nice port. Of course I joke about Alexa’s name as it sets off Amazon’s Personal Assistant’s tone on my watch. I think this woman named Alexa has already heard too many jokes about her name. And like Motel 6, I leave Liquid Therapy’s deck lights on for them to board L.T. and cross over to their boat after dining at the marina restaurant.

Susan orders take out from the restaurant for Redneck Egg rolls. These are huge appetizers made with collards and barbeque. Uh, eating one of those is just about right for dinner. And we have plenty because Susan ordered 4 of those. She got 4 orders of 2. Lot’s to freeze for a rainy day or two.

Tomorrow our passage will take us to Manteo, NC. And, I’m caught all up now.

Today’s picture is looking forward from Liquid Therapy’s stern with our guest boat rafted to us.