Virgin – Olina

A Door 2 Fathoms Down

We left our slip in Solomons Island and the captain forgot to close the boarding gate door. We pulled up to the pumpout dock and the dockhand asked me to pull a bit more forward so the pumpout hose would reach and we heard a metal noise? The boarding gates on Simple Life open outward (very strange and a bit dangerous if you lean against an unlocked door) and when open they stick out further than the rubrail. The door caught on the fixed dock pilings and the sound was it being removed from the boat.

What to do? We are tied up at the dock and our door is 2 fathoms below us. It’s muddy brown Maryland water. Now… I love being “on the water” but I don’t like being “in the water”. Especially when the water is 57 degrees! Hmmm. Let’s call for an expert.

Diver Jeff Myers entering the cold murky water under the dock

It made me nervous just to watch Jeff our diver jump into that water. When he entered the water he took quite a few loud deep breaths. It looked cold to me. Jeff disappeared for what seemed like 5-10 minutes as I watched his bubbles appearing on the surface up & down the dock. I stood there holding the line he had attached to the dock and himself. I finally gave a tug on the line (cuz I think I saw that in a movie once) and he came up empty-handed and cold. He agreed to try another spot closer to the stern of the boat and he was down another 5 minutes… He surfaced and smiled a frozen smile. He had me pull the rope and the door came to the surface. Jeff had felt with his hands in zero visibility around the bottom until he felt the metal door and rapped his dive rope around it several times. We had already turned the heat on inside MV Simple Life so it was 80 degrees inside. Teresa handed Jeff a steaming hot coffee and a towel. Judging by how he stood in the path of the heat with both hands clenching the coffee cup under his chin… I’d say he appreciated it.

We spent the end of the day chatting with Jeff and decided to stay another night at the marina.

The door was unharmed. I spent the night pounding the aluminum hinges back into shape before reattaching the door which did not even have a scratch on it. (smile)

There is a great Italian restaurant at the marina called La Vela Italian Restaurant.

The next morning we had a great breakfast and set out for Gwynn Island just south of Solomons Island, MD.

I love the lines of a Chesapeake Deadrise

We anchored just off Gwynn Island and enjoyed a beautiful sunset.

The next morning we set out for Norfolk, VA. As we passed the Norfolk Naval Yard we snapped a few photos.

We anchored at Hospital Point right next to Tidewater Marina.

We snapped a few photos while there.

In the AM we pulled out and circled ICW Mile Marker 0 which is actually this red buoy #36

The next morning we weighed anchor and pushed southward through the Great Bridge Lock.

Soon we docked at AYB (Atlantic Yacht Basin) in Chesapeake, VA and noticed the 80′ Northern trawler that had passed us while we were anchored was docked near to us. We met the owners briefly and discussed some boaters that we knew in common.

iiwii is pronounced E-WE and stands for “It Is What It Is”

We were excited to be docked because we had just enough time to get cleaned up and go to dinner with our boater friends who were driving to Chesapeake to have dinner with us at the Butcher’s Son restaurant. Caroline and Ruth are the best friends anyone could ask for. We wished we could have kidnapped them for the rest of our trip.

By the way that local Mosiac Goat IPA from 2 Silos Brewing was spectacular.

It was sad to leave our friends but the next morning we topped of the 1/2 full fuel tanks ($3000 worth of diesel) and set out for Coinjock Marina. When we arrived we saw MV iiwii was already tied up at the marina. We had just enough time to clean up and rush to get the Coinjock Restaurant’s famous 32 ounce prime rib special.

We actually ran into Fred and Sharon of MV iiwii and while waiting for a seat in the restaurant and Fred thought fast enough to tell the hostess that we would dine together as a party of 4 to make things easier. We enjoyed dinner with our new boater friends who entertained us with their boating stories from all over.

In the morning we cast off the lines and set out for Belhaven, NC. We snapped this photo of a nice looking sportfishing boat called MV McLovin which hailed from a port near me in RI.

Soon we were anchored in Belhaven, NC and enjoyed a night binge watching Friends. We are in Season #2 now.

The sunrise was amazing in the morning.

In the morning we weighed anchor and headed for Camp Legeune anchorage in Jacksonville, NC.

We saw the craziest rainbow spot in the sky. Not a whole rainbow but simply a dot in the sky?

We were now fast approaching Camp Lejeune.

It was a long 100NM trip here today cruising at 10kts. We left as the sun was coming up and dropped anchor just as the sun was going down.

As I sit here anchored in Camp Lejeune I am finally getting a blog post out. The five unblogged legs of our journey that got us to this location looked something like this…

Boarded by the USCG

Floating above the seabed,
Chained to the ground,  
Waves of energy roll through me,
Riding the edge of sleep.

First Light

I awake. It’s still dark. Why I can’t sleep late? Instead, the smell of coffee wafts.

Drizzle Smizzle

As I make my way down Adam’s Creek the drizzle can be seen on the pilothouse glass.

I’m feeling pushed… Pushed along to 7.4kts

1400 RPM should push me along at 6.5kts but I’m feeling the current on my stern.

As I make my way down Adam’s Creek I pass many boats on this drizzly morning.

As I approach the Core Creek Bridge the creek narrows and the water speeds up in an effort to squeeze through.

Newport Marshes

The Newport Marshes are just inland from Moorehead City and Beaufort. There is an area that can be confusing as the channel bifurcates. The Russell Slough Channel is a secondary channel that goes into the backside of Beaufort and the ICW channel breaks off to starboard when you are heading south to Florida. You must be careful to respect the ATONs (Aids TO Navigation) ie. buoys. I see a trawler approaching heading north and he notices that he is on the wrong side of the red buoy and performs a hard-over helm correction before getting right back on course. There is also a tiny anchorage right at the split. I have been tempted to use it but have always chickened out because there is a 4.9′ depth that I fear swinging into at low tide and resting on the bottom. I always keep that anchorage in mind if I’m in a pinch.

As I approach Moorehead City I must pass through a narrow rail bridge.

Hang a Roger @Moorehead City

When you get to Moorehead City you turn 90 degrees around a large building.

After making that turn I was greeted by a rainbow

As I travel through Bogue Sound I’m reminded that today’s run will go through many traditionally shallow locations and I’ll have to stay tight to my line to not bump the bottom.

Boat Porn

As I go along I repeatedly have to pull the throttle back to idle to allow boats to give me a slow pass.

I almost missed slowing down for this diver down flag where these men were working on the bridge.

Diver Down

USCG Boarding

As I came into Swansboro I watched a USCG inflatable with three team members pass me and take up a course on my stern. Moments later they hailed me to tell me they wanted to board Simple Life. I cut speed to minimum make-way speed and explained that the best location to come along side and have crew jump aboard would be my stern swim platform. I felt only a slight bump and heard two Coasties coming through my salon. They greeted me warmly and asked if I was alone. I responded “yes” to which they replied … “oh, OK I guess you’ll have to keep piloting the boat and we’ll do our thing. They were doing a safety inspection which includes me showing them everything from sound devices, PFDs, throwable PFDs, signaling equipment, a digital copy of the USCG ColRegs. They also performed an engine room and bilge check as well as asked for my license and boat documentation. They were very professional and polite about searching through my current home. They gave me a passing grade and handed my my yellow boarded slip to keep for my records. I asked if I could take a picture for my blog and they said “No Problem”.

I like to keep everything digital on Simple Life.

Keep the Water Out

Sometimes it’s a challenge keeping the water out.

Marine Base Camp Lejeune

As I pass ICW statue mile 235, the shot up military vehicles and V22 Osprey aircraft overhead remind me that I’m approaching Marine Base Camp LeJeune.

Onslow Beach

As I arrive at the Onslow Beach Bridge I must wait in traffic for the next opening. The current was on my stern so I made sure to take a visual fix on land and hold my position fixed. Boats who were coming up behind were being pushed by the current past me. They are all faster than me so whenever faster traffic lines up behind me at a bridge I find it easier to let them pass you in line so that you can avoid the inevitable pass after the bridge. I backed my way into the current until I was the last in line. I watched as the boats swarmed like bees attempting not to hit one another.

Eyeballs Be Burning

As the sun gets low you’ll be seeing spots

Need to Hook Up

Now passing one of my favorite anchorages called Mile Hammocks Bay. The boat in front of me Kismet turns in. For a moment I start to follow but think… there is still three hours of daylight left. That said, the challenge with continuing on is… there is probably only one suitable anchorage within 3 hours range called Sloop Creek. If it’s full I could be running into the night looking for somewhere to drop the hook. I have never been to this anchorage so I study the entrance and make note of my expected arrival time which is after sunset. I decide to go for it.

When in route I can’t remember if the Surf City Swing Bridge has been replaced with a 65′ high fixed bridge. I use Apple Maps and it shows it in place. I switch to Google Maps and see it missing.

While enroute to the anchorage, I hear MV Doghouse hail me on the VHF. “Simple Life, do you know where there is an anchorage around here?”. I reply, Sloop Creek and they ask if they can follow me there. I jump at the chance to be helpful and reply “follow me”. We arrive at the anchorage. I do a quick circle to check the depths. It’s not deep or wide but… it’ll do for tonight.

Tyler Childers playing in Topsail, NC

Todays 69NM route looked something like this…

Marine Base Camp Lejeune

As we departed Beaufort, NC we quickly past Morehead City, NC.

The day’s journey looked something like this..

Approximate Route from Beaufort to Marine Base Camp Lejeune

As you approach Camp Lejeune you will see warning signs about live fire exercises.

As we approached Camp Lejeune we had an Osprey aircraft buzzing us from overhead.

Camp Lejeune Osprey Aircraft Buzzing MV Simple Life

Once inside the anchorage we quickly found some space to drop anchor for the night as the sun was setting.

The next morning we departed as the sun popped back up.

I am looking forward to today’s stop at St. James Plantation, NC to meet up with friends.

St James NC & Friends

We had spent the night on anchor in Mile Hammock Bay. The shore around this bay is on the property of Camp Lejeune. Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune is a 246-square-mile United States military training facility in Jacksonville, North Carolina. The base’s 14 miles of beaches make it a major area for amphibious assault training, and its location between two deep-water ports allows for fast deployments.

I woke up in the middle of the night and it was cold.

I spent some time in awe of the stars that felt so close you could touch them. I’d have taken a picture of them but it just doesn’t work when you’re aboard a rocking boat. It reminds me that we are all spinning around on a rock in space surrounded by an endless cosmos. I like feeling small and insignificant in the cosmos. It means my life is more intimate. I chose to spend it with the folks around me and that is what gives it meaning.

It was still dark at 6:30AM as I was pulling out of the bay and onto the ICW. Disappointed that I could not share a picture of how amazing it was to lay under the stars I thought I’d leave the helm and walk to the stern to snap a picture of the proto-sunrise that was taking shape behind us.

Whenever I leave the helm on the ICW you must be quick. There are many times you find yourself looking down at an iPhone or iPad to measure the distance to the next bridge or calculate your arrival at your planned anchor location. Take your eye off the helm for more than 10 seconds and you may find that you’ve run over a crap pot, hit a shoal or just ran into the bank of the ICW. This fellow ICW boater ran aground when his teenage daughter spaced out while at the helm. The boat and crew were fine and while it can be embarrassing it’s something that can happen to anyone when you’re pulling 10-12 hour days staring at the helm and things passing you by.

Soon we were passing Carolina beach and the grasslands are beautiful.

We passed a pink house on it’s own rock island with a dock leading out to it.

Pink House on a Island of Rock
Long Fixed Dock Grants Access

As we made our way South we came to Snow’s Cut. A ‘cut’ is a canal that has literally been ‘cut’ through land to form a canal for boats to travel from one river to another. It appears as if this abandon bridge is a popular place for teen parties.

Next it was into the Cape Fear River. This river is deep and has a strong current. You must stay clear of the larger traffic in the channel like this tug pushing an LNG tanker.

To get to the marina we were going to spend two nights at we had to turn to starboard at the Frying Pan Restaurant. I recall seeing photos of this restaurant during Hurricane Florence. The restaurant was flooded. I can’t tell for sure but they look to be up and running as we passed?

If you are familiar with Cape Fear you’d know that this restaurant is named after the famous Frying Pan Shoals that extend out some 15 miles off the coast of NC.

There is an abandoned tower that marks Frying Pan Shoals and guy bought it at auction and is now making a bed & breakfast out fo the tower that lies some 39 miles off the coast of Cape Fear. How cool would it be to stay for a night? Here is a video of someone dropping a camera off the tower and down into the water. By the way to get into the tower you must be hoisted up on a cable.

Frying Pan Tower B&B

We arrived at St. James Marina and were excited to spend some time with friends. Jim was just getting back from a fishing trip out to the gulf stream some 50 miles of the coast of Cape Fear. The weather was rough so I think it was a wet salty ride back in this fast open fishing boat.

The Marina is a beautiful place to spend time and it was worth the trip. Our trip looked something like this.

Camp Lejeune, NC

We loved our stay in Beaufort, NC but we awoke to 34 degrees and it was time to leave.

We had lots of fun in Beaufort riding around in the sexy loaner car. The car was green but the door was red. You had to pump the breaks to slow down and it had a death rattle sound as you drove down the road. We loved it. It was FREE.

We decided to do a pub crawl through Beaufort but we only made it to the Black Sheep Bar which was 20 feet from our boat. We met Capt. Scott from MV Legacy (58′ Grand Banks). Capt Scott kept us entertained with stories about his grandparents yacht that he was now the captain of. Capt Scott even gave me a tour of MV Legacy when we left the bar and she was very impressive.

Our GPS tracker was capturing our journey as we headed South. It clearly was not recording where the straight lines are shown but it gives a reader an interesting view of our last few days of travel.

I met another fella who said he noticed my Boston accent as he was also from that part of town. When I said well I’m from Foxboro (home of the Patriots to be exact) he mentioned someone he knew from Foxboro and it turned out to be a childhood friend of mine (Small World). Turns out we knew many of the same folks from back home. I snapped a selfie as it seemed like the right thing to do in the moment.

As we made our way out of Beaufort we passed a buoy tender with two gentleman who looked quite cold.

It was a small craft advisory and the whitecaps were appearing even in the small body of water we were in.

As we made our way down Bogue Sound I hailed a boat that was anchored in the channel. Turns out they were having engine trouble but were not in need of assistance.

We passed this fishing vessel that had clearly sunk in the shallow waters.

And around the next corner was the Marines Camp Lejeune. They were doing live fire exercises to we were forced to stop and drop anchor.

https://youtu.be/qa3AjDRH3jA

We dropped anchor believing that no traffic could pass during the exercises but soon a tug boat was passing us on anchor. Maybe he was just slow making his way out of the firing zone?

https://youtu.be/MhbdwIWZjCw

It was fun to watch the Osprey plane flying over the top of us. Recall the Osprey is a plane capable of vertical take off and landing.

https://youtu.be/x8L67uPYD2s

When we were finally allowed to continue down the ICW we and all the other boats were racing to make it to the only decent anchorage within range. You must be careful when you run fast down the ICW because if you run up on a shoal going fast you may not be able to back off of it. Soon the sailboat behind us ran aground and they asked us if we would turn around and come back and wake them as hard as we could to possibly rock them off the shoal that had them stuck. We agreed knowing that it was risky as in order to wake them we’d have to run fast right next to the shoal they were stuck on. We did our best but in the end a local crab boat was the one who deserves the credit for pulling them off.

We were thrilled to see them free as it was still 2 hours away from low tide and if they had not gotten off that shoal quickly they were going to sit there into the night.

As we made our way to the anchorage at Camp Lejeune we passed many bullet riddled targets on shore.