CODA Mid-Atlantic 2025 (1).

CODA : Leaving North Carolina.

24 April 2025

Coinjock docks, Coinjock, North Carolina

Enticing boat at the Coinjock docks.

Marc- Coinjock is an Algonquin name meaning and of the blueberry bogs. It lies on the eastern edge of the Great Dismal Swamp and is home to wind ground blueberries. Unfortunately we did not find any blueberries.

We arrived on board Coda last night after a 13 hour drive from South Hero, Vermont that included a 2 mile ferry crossing of Lake Champlain and a 23 mile multiple tunnel and bridge crossing of Chesapeake Bay from the Delmarva peninsula. All was fine. This morning the wind had removed something over 6 inches from the water level in the Lamb's marina basin. Coda was partially resting in sand. Mr. Lamb simply indicated that it was soft sand and we can pull it off easily into deeper water at the fuel dock. This plan sounded good since we needed fuel anyway. Mr. Lamb must have grown up as a can-do farmer since nothing seems to stop him. He indicated where I should tie the boat and I just hand winched it over to the fuel dock using Coda's genoa sheet winches. We then filled up and were off on our merry way no worse for the experience.

Our second exciting event of the day came as we were leaving Elizabeth City via the lower Pasquotank River. Elizabeth City is home to a very large US Coast Guard Search and Rescue base. It's also a training base and some of the younger members were out on the River when they came upon Coda. Charlie was at the helm and I was storing provisions when we were hailed by the Coast Guard. The Coast Guard boat came from behind and then alongside Coda. The Chief officer indicated that we would be boarded for a safety inspection. Then they just came aboard without either boat slowing down or attaching to each other. Two Coast Guard officers came aboard and proceeded to ask a series of questions and to view certain locations on the boat. They inspected the holding tank set up and made certain that any discharge seacock was sealed off with a wire tie. Next came the inspection of fire extinguishers. Extinguishers must be less than 10 years old. Two of mine were 4 years old and one was 12 years old. The regulations require only 2 extinguishers so we passed. Whew! There were various safety placards and documentation of a plan for waste management. The officers only found one thing missing: an oil discharge placard. I know there is one such placard on this boat but I could not find it. They decided to give me a warning and left. Several minutes later they came back with a free placard and the warning went away. All of this was handled in a professional and friendly manner. One of the Coast Guard officers admitted that he wants a sailboat after seeing Coda. We spent some time discussing their mission and how far they go out to rescue sailors in distress and their resources. They also pointed out that they have an observation blimp at the base. It is housed in a funny looking building that looks like a beached whale.

The rest of the day was rather routine with motor sailing over to Coinjock via the Virginia Cut canal route. Things got more exciting when we tied up at the Coinjock docks when an incredible wooden boat tied up behind us. The amount of brightwork on "Enticer" is impressive.