Rain, rain, go away

Rain, rain, go away/come again another day...

It’s raining, it’s pouring/the old man is snoring.

I’m singin’ in the rain, just singin’ in the rain/what a wonderful feelin’/I’m happy again.

You get the idea.  Tax week in Eastern North Carolina was wet, rainy, dreary, and cold. After waiting out predicted bad weather in Hobucken, Midas Touch spent four days docked in “Little Washington” waiting for good cruising conditions.  We had enough decent weather while we were in town to hike to Piggly Wiggly for provisions and to do a bit of exploring.  The town docks, a very reasonable $1/foot including power, made a great base. Just one block off Main Street, we could walk to several restaurants.

Saturday morning, the day we had planned to head back down the Pamlico River to the historic town of Bath, was drizzly and rainy.  Midas and Marian were happy to stay in the boat and “veg out” with a Ken Follett book and a comfortable place to snooze. Mike got cabin fever and set out to find something to do; at a local art co-op, he found a group jamming to bluegrass, and later moved on to the Coffee Caboose, where we finally joined him. 

One of many crabs in Washington

Sunday, April 20^th,  was equally rainy, but we dodged showers long enough for the six-block walk to the Wash House.  Mike and Midas were the advance party, then called Marian to report they had found a good laundromat. Thanks, Grandma Martha, for your luggage cart. With a couple of bungee cords to secure the load, it made the trek with two big bags of clothes an easy, if somewhat soggy, walk.  Once the clothes were dry and folded into the bags, the next challenge was the walk back, through a light but steady rain. The Wash House attendant had disappeared, but another customer overheard our garbage bag discussion, went to his car, and returned with one. Two bags of clean clothes secured in the garbage bag and on the cart, we headed back to the boat. Our benefactor spoke little English, but understood enough of our conversation to offer help, with a smile.  Kind people are everywhere; all you have to do is look.

Monday was sunny and clear, and after a holding tank pump out at the town dock and a new supply of ice, we turned back East to the historic town of Bath and a night at the free town dock.   

 

Town Dock at Bath - we had company

Founded in 1705, Bath is North Carolina’s first town and the home of the first public library in the colony. That library is now up-to-date, and we took advantage of the wi-fi to catch up on emails, Facebook, and bills.  Another plus: used paperback books are free for the taking, and our on-board library has four Nora Roberts novels to keep Marian entertained.  She would have donated Dangerous Fortune, acquired at Harborwalk Marina’s book exchange and finished the day before, but the library’s copy is in much better condition.   

Embroidered Altar Cloth

We strolled on to St. Thomas Episcopal Church, founded in 1734 and the oldest existing church in the state.  It is truly a gem, both inside and out.  How many towns do you know where a church can be left unlocked so that anyone who wants to visit can simply walk in?

Churchyard in Spring

Banner above the altar - He

Interior - the peace that surpasses all understanding

Back to Main Street, where Midas made a new friend, a huge Golden Retriever aptly named Creek, since his house is on the banks of Bath Creek.  We also met Debbie, who with her husband owns the local marina/motel, and enjoyed a glass of wine and homemade pita bread and pizza at their home.  Midas scarfed up several slices of pepperoni, thanks to Paul, and we returned to the boat with fresh spinach from their garden, homemade strawberry vinaigrette in a Bath Marina mug, and a new ball cap for Mike.

As we cruised slowly out of Bath Creek toward the Pamlico River, Mike at the helm and Marian securing the lines and bumpers, Mike spotted what we first thought was an osprey swooping ahead of the boat.  As the huge bird approached, we realized it was a bald eagle, fishing for breakfast.  He dove to the water, extended his talons, and the Pamlico River had one less fish. We saw, live and in person, a National Geographic moment, and it happened too fast for our cameras.  Bath is a charming town, with beautiful homes, lovely gardens, azaleas and dogwood in bloom, and warm, friendly people: everyone from the librarian to Debbie and Paul to the owner of Country Kitchen, where we enjoyed spinach omelets and huge biscuits. It was worth the half-mile walk along Highway 92.

Belhaven was our next destination, and soon after we turned north into the Pungo River, our friends from R.E. Mayo Seafood Company, Beth and Ray on S/V Anastarcus, hailed us on the radio.  They had stayed at Hobucken to wait out the weather that kept us in Washington and were also bound for Belhaven.  They joined us at the town dock, which has power and water at $1/foot, but no facilities.  After we walked to the municipal center to sign ourselves in, we decided to have a late lunch/early dinner and got our fill of fried food (shrimp for Beth and Ray, flounder for Mike, and chicken for Marian) on the deck at Farm Boys, across the street from the dock.

Diana, the town’s self-appointed greeter, had introduced herself as we were docking and offered to take us to Food Lion later that afternoon. Beth and Marian gratefully accepted the offer, leaving Mike and Ray to reminisce about their Navy days.  An experienced sailor, Ray suggested we reconsider our plan to go all the way up the Hudson River to the St. Lawrence Seaway.  He pointed out that we would be traveling up river, against the five-knot current, and that we would be surrounded by large commercial vessels on this route.  Our single engine 120 HP engine chugs along happily and we average 7.5 – 8.5 miles per hour when we cruise with the current. Fighting the current would make for a very slow voyage and burn fuel at a much faster rate.  (So far, we’ve used 174 gallons of diesel.)  It looks like we’ll probably be taking the Erie and Oswego canals instead, but we’ll still use the Trent-Severn lock system to get from Lake Ontario to Georgian Bay.  We’ll save Montreal for another adventure.  Ray and Beth generously shared their cruising guide for the NY state canal system, and we’ll purchase our own at the Spring Rendezvous in Norfolk.  Since reconnecting with Ray and Beth, we’ve met other cruisers who’ve offered other options.  The Spring Rendezvous in Norfolk will include sessions on cruising Canada, and we’ll decide based on all the information we can gather.

Later Tuesday evening, Mke ventured to The Tavern at Jack’s Neck for wi-fi, coffee, and, after Marian joined him, dessert:  lemon chess pie and tiramisu.  Once again, we met terrific people: owners Doug and wife Jimmie Southerland.  They opened The Tavern recently, after gutting and restoring an old building within sight of the dock, and they are enthusiastic boaters, with a wealth of knowledge.

Wednesday morning, we met Beth and Ray for breakfast at Gingerbread Café and Bakery. We had an even better omelet and hash brown casserole almost as good as the one our daughter-in-law makes at Christmas, then returned to our respective vessels for a cruise up the Pungo-Alligator canal to an anchorage that feels as if we’re in the middle of nowhere.  The wind had picked up, and the waves were too choppy to launch the dinghy, so we settled in for another evening on the Loop, listening to waves lap against the hull and enjoying the quiet – no TV, no Facebook, and minimal phone service.  Instead, we were treated to an air show – four jet fighters (F-4 Tomcats, perhaps) zooming around and around and around and around the area where we were anchored. The planes were silhouetted against a beautiful sunset, and we saw some Top Gun flying. 

Dawn came early Thursday morning, along with a brisk wind and waves in the two-three foot range. The sailboats that had anchored near us stayed put, but after running the genset long enough to make coffee, we raised the anchor and motored on, arriving at the Alligator River Bridge/US Highway 64 much earlier than expected. It’s a swing bridge, and we again stopped traffic while the bridge master opened it to let us through. We counted at least four cars eastbound to the Outer Banks (Kitty Hawk, Kill Devil Hills, and Nags Head) and about six cars and three big rigs westbound to sparsely populated eastern North Carolina.  Midas was delighted to see Stanley, his Golden Retriever friend from our stay at Harborwalk Marina in Georgetown, SC and we were happy to see more Loopers.  Stanley’s people, Gale and John, joined us at the convenience store/marina office/restaurant for lunch, and we watched three other Looper boats arrive.  Boat cards exchanged and more new friends made, including a beautiful Cocker Spaniel with the longest eyelashes we’ve ever seen on a dog.  

Killdeer eggs at Alligator River

 Friday, April 25^th, with a favorable weather forecast, we turned west into Albemarle Sound to visit Edenton, another historic town. Wanda, owner of the marina, had warned us to ignore the charts as we entered the sound.  The channel markers have been moved as shoals developed on the west side of the river, but the Garmin 740S chart has not been updated to match. In hindsight, we should have checked ActiveCaptain.com, as another of the Loopers we’d met at Alligator River Marina had done. Instead, while Mike followed the markers on the chart, Marian went below to brush her teeth.  Engine slowed, boat stopped, and we were aground.  TowBoatUS arrived from Manteo in about an hour.  With Captain Harry at the helm and able assistance from his helper, the tow boat attached a line to our bow, pulled it around to face the deeper water, then applied full throttle. Its prop wash created a tunnel under Midas Touch, and we were underway again after 20 minutes.  Fortunately, this was a “soft” grounding, and our unlimited towing coverage with BoatUS came through.

Despite the delay, we decided to continue to Edenton.  Once again, the weather forecast was wrong. Instead of diminishing winds, dark, ominous clouds built in the west, the wind blew harder, and the waves grew larger. We finally reached Edenton Harbor, the city docks, around 4:30, only to learn that the alongside dock we had requested (also called a face dock or T-dock) was already occupied by a 42 – 44 foot boat. With a strong wind blowing us away from a slip and little room to maneuver, we simply could not get Midas Touch into a slip. Finally, with help from the harbormaster, another city employee and a couple of willing volunteers, we were tied to the eastern wall of the harbor, near the pump out station.  It was a long jump for Midas from the boat to land, but he gathered his courage and made a mighty leap, welcomed by Looper friends from Alligator River, John and Pat. They had passed us while we were aground and went on to Elizabeth City, then rented a car to visit Edenton. 

We enjoyed drinks and a delicious dinner with them at Waterman’s, a block from the boat, but lingered too long.  When we left the restaurant, raindrops were falling and lightning flashed to the West; the wind was even stronger than when we docked.  We got Midas aboard, and thought we’d settle in to ride out the storm.  Mike donned his rain gear and went back on deck to add more bumpers, hoping to protect the boat from the short pilings along the wall that is not intended for mooring. He was outside in the downpour when a huge lightning bolt struck a magnolia tree only 30 yards away.  Minutes after he was back inside, we felt a surge as the boat lifted, then slammed into the pilings.  Mother Nature wasn’t done with us; she took a deep breath, then blew the bimini top off, slamming it into the antenna for the upper helm VHF radio and bending one of the support bars. Good-bye, two year old bimini top and side curtains.  We should have taken it down before we went to dinner, and would have, if we had known that the area was under a tornado warning. The wind we experienced was a microburst, a precursor to the tornado that skipped from Edenton to Elizabeth City, leaving a swath of destruction.

Rub rail damage

And more damage

 Saturday morning was bright and sunny, and we found a nearby coffee house, with great pastries and friendly townspeople.  We learned that the storm had blown the roof off one of the historic homes on the waterfront and damaged others.  Later that day, we also learned that an eleven-month old baby had died when his mom, trying to protect him from blowing debris, fell on top of him. The storm had continued east, with damage to Elizabeth City as well as Edenton. Mike took many pictures of the boat damage, and we then called ACE Recreational Marine to report the damage.  The weekend representative said that the company would assign an independent adjuster and that he would call us on Monday.
Between an “Easels in the Gardens” tour and a 5-K run, it was a busy morning in Edenton, and the city park where the marina is located was a popular spot for visitors.  One of them, a county commissioner and boater, stopped by to offer help and check out our Weaver Lever davit system for the dinghy.  He also insisted that we attend a Garden Party at Cupola House later that afternoon.  After a day of putting the boat to rights, as best we could, and contacting our insurance company about the damage, we were ready for a break.  Midas, as usual, was a perfect gentleman and made many new friends at the event.  The gardens at Cupola House, filled with iris, tulips, wisteria, and thousands of other spring flowers, had survived the storm with no apparent damage The beauty of the setting and the warmth of the townspeople lifted our spirits and once again proved that the best part of the Loop is the people you meet along the way.

We went to the garden party...

We stayed in Edenton through Sunday, recuperating, doing laundry (thanks to the loan of a city of Edenton truck to drive to another Wash House laundramat), and doing boat maintenance with the guidance of more new friends. Orville and Teresa had docked Saturday on their way home from Florida.  The boat at the face dock left Saturday, and Orville helped us move Midas Touch to a spot where it was much easier to get on and off the boat.

Monday was supposed to be a favorable weather day, and we were “off the dock” by 9:30, heading east on Albemarle Sound toward the Pasquotank River, Elizabeth City, and the Great Dismal Swamp.  We called ACE before we left to let the adjuster know that we would not be staying in Edenton, then emailed pictures.  (Connie later confirmed that ACE will not need to assign a surveyor; they can work from the photos and estimates.) Mother Nature wasn’t finished with us yet; the waves got rougher the farther east we traveled.  Marian took the helm for a couple of hours while Mike tried to rest below, then returned with a can of ginger ale, hoping fresh air would calm his queasy stomach.  (The fajitas he had at Mamasita’s on Sunday while we did laundry in Edenton didn’t help.)  The sky darkened as we made slow progress against the wind, hoping as we approached the turn north into the Pasquotank River that the water would smooth out a bit.  We didn't find out.  The engine began to cough, we were able to re-start it a couple of times, but it finally quit. Our only option: another call to TowBoatUS, then an almost two hour wait for help to arrive. The BoatUS skipper is based in Coinjock, farther east on the Elizabeth River, and Captain Eddie prudently waited for a helper to arrive before setting out in rough seas and darkening skies. When we tried hailing him from the VHF radio at the lower helm with no response, the Coast Guard responded.  The chopper overhead was able to see TowBoatUS about a mile away, radioed to let us know and to make sure we were not in distress (meaning life or limb in danger), then left when we assured them that we were OK.

Securing the tow lines in the wind and rain was difficult, but Mike did it, after pulling up the anchor (and losing one of the guide rollers in the process).  Twenty minutes after the tow boat arrived, we were on our way to Coinjock. Eddie told us that he knew there was dock space available and that we would be better protected from the wind there than in Elizabeth City.  At 2:00 AM on Tuesday, we crossed under the bridge over the North River, after riding through a nasty squall.  We had been warm and relatively dry in the cabin, helping steer to keep our boat behind the tow boat. Eddie and Danny were out in the rain and wind.  They are truly our heroes. When we reached the dock at Midway Marina and Motel, we had to cut our lines to separate Midas Touch from TowBoatUS because the knots were wet.  Eddie then tied the tow boat along our starboard side and carefully pushed us to the dock, with Danny, who had climbed aboard, directing him.  Marian and Mike had the lines ready, and Danny secured us. Eddie then joined us inside for a ginger ale and the inevitable paperwork. Midas was very glad to get to land and to gobble down a very late dinner.  He usually snoozes as we cruise along, but he was alert and clearly uneasy for most of a very long, very stressful day. 

Mark at the marina office suggested Yacht Doc to determine what had gone wrong with the engine, and Ken arrived Wednesday morning.  He diagnosed the problem in about twenty minutes: a bad fuel injector pump. Since the Ford Lehman diesel engine is no longer manufactured, new parts are not available, but Ken works with a man who rebuilds pumps. Ken used to work at Atlantic Yacht Basin and recommended them. One of the boaters we met at the Edenton garden party had also recommended AYB, and our ACE claim representative confirmed that this is a reputable shop and that they do excellent work.  Mark also recommended a canvas repair contractor, and he’ll begin the work after measuring for a new top.  This can’t take place until AYB straightens the support bar, so we may be topless for a few weeks or so.                                                                                                                                                                                                         

Eddie was back on Thursday to tow us from Coinjock to Atlantic Yacht Basin, and this trip, under mostly fair skies, was uneventful, except for a southbound cruiser (whose boat carried the AGLCA burgee, but whose name we could not read) that did not slow down as it passed us.  We hailed him on the radio to make sure he knew we were under tow, but to no avail.  His wake came close to swamping the BoatUS center console vessel, with its low freeboard, but Eddie skillfully navigated across the large wake.  Common courtesy, as well as the navigation rules that most boaters follow, dictates that when you meet another boat, you hail it on VHF Channel 16 to confirm on which side you should pass. All of the other boaters followed this practice on our trip from Coinjock to Chesapeake, and we are as grateful for their consideration as we are disappointed with the blatantly thoughtless action of the one apparently ignorant cruiser we met.  

Under Tow - Eddie led the way

When we reached AYB, Eddie turned his boat’s bow to our stern and tied the two together, then with great care and skill, pushed us into dock space that had looked impossibly small.  Dockmaster Ed was waiting, ready to catch our lines, and he was right:  we had enough room to fit between two other boats. As usual, Midas was eager to go ashore, and Marian climbed off. Midas jumped – about a four foot drop. Ed later brought a set of sturdy steps to make it easy to get ashore and for Midas to “load up boat.” John and Pat, our friends from Edenton, were here when we arrived, and we were happy to see them again and to meet other fellow Loopers who are going to the Rendezvous.  We were not the only Looper boat that had come to AYB for repairs, and we all commiserated with one another. 

Sunset over Great Bridge, Chesapeake

Being docked in Chesapeake has its positive sides - a beautiful sunset and a visit to the 

USS Wisconsin - a mighty ship

Hampton Roads Naval Museum, where the USS Wisconsin is now docked. Just across the river from us is the Great Bridge Battlefield memorial park. Midas and Mike have visited, and with a good nature trail along the water, we'll all be back.

Barges travel this river day and night

Welcome news: AYB manager John took a look at the boat Thursday afternoon and confirmed that it is not necessary to haul her out of the water to repair the hull damage.  Instead of moving to a motel, we can stay aboard, even in the shed.  He told us on Saturday that Midas Touch will be moved into one of the work sheds on Monday, where we’ll still have shore power and a set of steps. 

It’s now May 5^th, a beautiful Monday afternoon – sunny, clear, and 64 degrees, with a brisk breeze.  Laundry is done and put away, Mike has the bilge pump working again and added a high water pump.  To quote our friend Kelly, the job's not done until all the tools are put away, and we followed his maxim, then brought out the mini shop vac and removed at least a week’s accumulation of Midas’s hair and general dust and dirt. 

This afternoon is registration for the Spring Rendezvous, followed by three days of seminars and presentations that will make us better boaters.  While we’re in meetings, Midas will be living a dog’s life at Happy Tails Resort, a doggie day care center near Old Dominion University.  It has an indoor swimming pool, and his trial run Saturday, while we found a great barbecue place, was a big success.  We don’t know yet how long the boat repair will take, but there’s plenty to do and see in the area until then.  Despite the setbacks, we’re determined to finish the Loop and to have a wonderful time, making new friends, seeing new places, and living our dream.