10/06/06-10/23/06

WE STAYED AT SOLOMONS FOR THE WHOLE WEEK. EATING OUT MOSTLY AT THE CAPTAINS TABLE REST. ON THE DOCK.
ON SUN. 10/8 WE WENT TO THE PATUXENT RIVER APPRECIATION DAY FESTIVITIES - SHRINERS PARADE (MOSTLY POLITICAL CANDIDATES MARCHING-NO FIRE TRUCKS), PLENTY OF OYSTERS & BEER & THE MUSEUM WAS OPEN ALL DAY FOR FREE.
WED. 10/11 WE TRAVELED SOUTH TO DELTAVILLE WHERE WE STAYED AT NORVIEW MARINA AND ATE AT THE GALLERY. WE FOUND THE GALLERY WHILE BIKE RIDING ABOUT 3 OR 4 MILES DOWN THE ROAD JUST AS THEY WERE PUTING UP THEIR SPECIALS ON THE BOARD OUTSIDE. SEAFOOD CEASERS SALAD (MIRIAM JUST HAD TO HAVE IT) & A 2 1/2 INCH THICK PRIME RIB THAT I WAS FORCED TO HAVE & FOR ONLY $19.
THE FOLLOWING DAY WE MOVED ON TO NORFOLK VA. TO VISIT WITH MY SISTER NORA. WE COULD HAVE USED SEAT BELTS FOR ABOUT 3 HRS. OF THE RIDE & MIRIAM WAS NOT FEELING WELL WITH ALL THE ROCKING. WE STAYED AT THE WATERSIDE MARINA AND FILLED UP WITH FUEL AT PORTSMOUTH FOR $2.04 A GAL. WE STAYED THERE 5 NITES , ONE DAY WE SLEPT AT NORAS IN NEWPORT NEWS & TWO DAYS NORA SLEPT ON THE BOAT WITH US. NORA COOKED FOR US A COUPLE OF TIMES & WE ATE OUT A COUPLE OF TIMES INCLUDING A SUN. BREAKFAST AT THE CRACKER BARREL THAT MY BROTHER-IN-LAW RICH MANAGES. WHILE IN NORFOLK WE HAD TO INSTALL A NEW BATTERY REPLACING ONE THAT WAS ONLY 14 MO. OLD.
ON WED. 10/18 WE WENT ON TO MID WAY MARINA AT COINJOCK N.C. THERE WERE SO MANY BOATS GOING SOUTH WITH US GOING THROUGH THE BRIDGES AND CANAL BECAUSE OF THE ANNAPOLOS BOAT SHOW ENDING WE WERE LUCKY TO GET A SLIP( COINJOCK MARINA THE ONLY OTHER MARINA WAS ALREADY FILLED WHEN WE CALLED AT 10 AM. WE WRE PUT IN THE BASIN. TWO MORE BOATS WERE PUT IN FRONT OF US & THEY WERE FULL.
THE NEXT MORNING WE WERE WAITING FOR THE BOAT IN FRONT OF US TO SHOW SOME SIGN OF LIFE , BUT NO LUCK - AT 9 AM I KNOCKED ON THEIR BOAT ( I MAY HAVE WOKE THEM UP) AND ASKED WHAT TIME THEY PLANNED ON MOVING SO WE COULD GET BY THEM & ON OUR WAY. HE ASKED WHAT TIME IT WAS & THEN AGREED TO MOVE HIS BOAT UP A FEW FEET BY HAND WITH ME TO GIVE US ROOM TO GO AROUND HIM.
WE ARRIVED AT ALLIGATOR RIVER MARINA N.C. THAT AFTERNOON. AND STAYED ONE NITE. NOT MUCH THERE.
THE FOLLOWING DAY WE CRUISED SOUTH TO DOWRY CREEK MARINA N.C. WE STAYED THERE TWO DAYS BECAUSE OF THE WIND THE SECOND DAY. GOOD MOVE ON OUR PART OTHERS WERE COMING IN TELLING HOW ROUGH IT WAS OUT THERE. THE FIRST NITE THE OWNER COOKED BEER CAN CHICKEN ( A FIRST FOR US)FOR ALL WHO WERE AT THE MARINA - NO CHARGE, BUT A DONATION TOWARDS THE PRICE OF FOOD AND PAPER PRODUCTS. WE ALL BROUGHT OUR OWN COCTAILS & SIDE DISHES. THE SECOND DAY WE USED HIS COURTESY CAR TO GO INTO TOWN ( BELHAVEN ) TO LOOK AROUND & BUY FOOD ITEMS.
THE NEXT MORNING WE TRAVELED TO ORIENTAL N.C. THE MARINAS WERE FULL AS WERE THE FREE TOWN DOCK. THE WIND WAS BLOWING AT ABOUT 15 MPH , SO WE DECIDED NOT TO ANCHOR OUT BUT GO TO WHITTAKER CREEK ON THE OTHER SIDE OF TOWN WHERE THERE WAS ONE SLIP AVAILABLE. THEY DIDN'T TELL US ON THE PHONE THAT THE GREEN MARKERS WERE IN 2 FT. OF WATER. WITH NO RED MARKERS TO GO BY WE RAN AGROUND. LUCKILY FOR US SOFT MUD BOTTOM AND WE HAD NO DAMAGE AFTER GETTING OURSELVES UNSTUCK. ORIENTAL HAD VERY LITTLE TO OFFER. WE THOUGHT IT WOULD HAVE MORE , WE HAD HEARD SO MUCH ABOUT IT. WE HAD DINNER AT THE TUCAN REST. & MET REIS, WHOM WE HAD NOT SEEN SINCE CAPE MAY N.J. HE SAID HE WAS GOING TO NEW BERN N.C. THE NEXT DAY AS WERE WE.
SUN. 10/22 WE CRUISED UP THE NUESS RIVER A DAY AHEAD OF SCHEDULE BECAUSE OF THE WIND FORCAST FOR MON. BEING ONE DAY EARLY FOR OUR RESERVATIONS OUR GOOD FRIENDS FRANK & RONA BANY OFFERED USE OF THEIR SLIP BY THEIR CONDO ON N.W. CREEK ABOUT 4 MI. BEFORE NEW BERN AS THEIR BOAT IS ELSEWHERE GETTING REPAIRS. WE ATE OUT THAT NITE WITH THEM & REIS & BECKY WITH 3 OTHER BOATING COUPLES.
THE FOLLOWING DAY WITH THE WINDS BLOWING FRANK & REIS CAME WITH US FOR THE RIDE TO NEW BERN TO HELP DOCK . THEIR HELP WAS MUCH APPRECIATED. NOW WE ARE SNUG AS A BUG AT BRIDGE POINTE MARINA FOR THE BEGINNING OF THE GOING SOUTH GAM THAT STARTS TOMORROW.