Belhaven, NC to Coinjock, NC — INDEPENDENCE CHRONICLES

We left Beaufort, NC and continued north up the ICW, A nice slow journey up to Belhaven, NC with some cloud cover that led to some rain and some wind. We anchored out in a nice protected area and after the wind let up it was a very peaceful overnight anchorage (58NM). The next morning we awoke to a silent army of tiny winged creatures (may flies?) carpeting the boat. Our friends warned us this might happen and they were spot on. We decided not to disturb the peaceful, non-stinging/biting flies, thinking if we pulled anchor and got some air flowing around the boat they might take flight…well, think again. The bugs held fast for a free ride to Coinjock, NC (73NM) and beyond. I am told that the name Coinjock is native american for Mulberry. Evidently, this is a requisite stop on ‘The Loop’ where you (Larry) advance order your prime rib (I had the soft shell blue crab just caught hours earlier). You are more than ready to tie-up by the time you reach Coinjock but the better part of this stop is the camaraderie with the fellow boaters. You have just spent the whole day traveling along the same strip of water with these boats, listening to their captains on the VHF radio as some take the ‘Hare’ approach leap-frogging by the slower ‘Tortoise’ boats. Now you get to meet their owners and share your stories and advice. We learn a crucial bit of information regarding our next day of travel. The North Landing swing bridge is closing for maintenance tomorrow and we have to be on the ICW no later than 6:00AM to get three hours up the river to ensure we catch an opening. If we don’t get through it is an eight hour delay…that would not be good as after that we have to catch another another swing bridge, a bascule bridge and go through a lock before we reach Norfolk, VA.

I am falling in love with tugs…they are the undersung heros of our waterways. These are particularly pretty.

Another lovely passage along the way to Belhaven, NC

Belhaven bugs…there is no way any picture I took could give justice to the amount of critters on our boat that morning.

Entering a swing bridge ahead of the pack…

Looking back over the stern toward the rest of the pack.

Nice post-rain light at Coinjock dock. They pack us in like sardines.

My name is Larry…your prime rib awaits you this way…

She is dirty and covered with bugs but looks so pretty from here

We already ate the soft shell blue crab. I am on to my crab cake and scallops…Larry has his prime rib…can you image eating all this?!? It fed us for another day…

Nice evening reflections at the Coinjock dock