Tuesday, October 22, 2024

CODA BAHAMAS BOUND 2024-2025 (28)

 CODA : Dowry Creek

22 October 2024

Dowry Creek Anchorage, Belhaven, North Carolina 

Sunrise over the Pasquotank River.

Marc-  We started early this morning, alarms went off at 06:15, in order to get through the Elizabeth City Highway Bridge before it shut down for rush hour from 07:00 to 09:00.  The bridge opened on request at 06:45 even though it was still quite dark outside.  All of that being said we were not the earliest risers here.  The mens basketball team was in the training room an hour before we awoke.

The weather was great for us today, light North winds, out going tidal currents and calm seas.  Even the boaters we met were good to us.  Imagine that large powerboats actually gave us a slow pass rather than a jarring wake.  We later met up with two of captains of these boats and found out that they were delivery captains.  We also met up with a non stop line of boats heading South once we reached the Alligator River.  Now what were people thinking when they named some of the places we pass through: "Dismal Swamp" and  "Alligator River" to just name two. Then there is the ever famous "mosquito lagoon" in Florida.  No wonder some places are avoided.   The Swingbridge Operator at the Alligator River Highway Bridge had to juggle truck and ato traffic heading to or from the Outer Banks with the constant stream of powerboats and sailboats heading South asking for passage.  Somehow this bridge operator made it work causing only minor delays for those on land and on the water.

Our destination for the end of the day was Dowry Creek.  It is a fantastic spot with a very friendly family owned marina and a quiet anchorage out back.  We stopped for diesel fuel and treated the same as the big boat operators even when we only purchased 34 gallos versus 400 gallons.

View from the porch of the Dowry Creek Marina store.

Sunset from our Anchorage behind the Dowry Creek Marina.

On a final note of gratitude: expert helmsmen Michael Gilmartin avoided hundreds of crabtrap bouys while crossing Albemarle Sound.







No comments: