We're Baaack!

Keeping up a blog is difficult - especially when you are pushing as hard as we are to get back to NY.
We have covered over 1000 miles in about 25 days not counting the time we took to fly to NY, Tampa, and finally to Wilmington, NC.  It's also hard to be quite as excited about heading away from the Bahamas as it is to be headed toward them for the first time.  We are pretty excited about the progress we have been making.  Tomorrow looks to be a little rough for much of a passage so we'll look for a short run in the Norfolk area.

The Great Dismal Swamp Canal
first built in 1805.  Beautiful.

We are anchored just north of the Deep Creek Lock on the Great Dismal Swamp Canal.  The locktender, Robert, suggested that we might not like the little cove we were originally headed for since it is a crazy Party Central on the weekends.  He told us that we could anchor in mid-channel just outside the lock.   We were the last boat to pass through the lock today so we’re good until tomorrow morning’s opening at 8:30.  It feels a little strange to be anchored right in front of the lock.

Our 2 Calibers in front of Paul and Joyce's Home

We spent yesterday at our friends' dock on the Pasquotank River just south of the GDSC.  Paul and Joyce are generous hosts who give the term “Southern hospitality” new meaning.  Paul helped with a temporary repair on our autopilot.  The autopilot broke free from its mount again in heavy seas on Albemarle Sound.  We hope if we baby it, it will get us home to NY where we can get a proper repair done on it.  Paul also showed me how to properly tighten the fan belt that has been loosening up on my engine. 

It was hard to take our eyes off the Pasquotank River and our two Caliber 40’s from Paul and Joyce’s laundry, dining and living rooms!  The views of the river with the big cypress trees are exquisite.  Paul also cooked us a sumptuous manicotti dinner – vegetarian style for Maryanne topped off by rich chocolate brownies prepared by Joyce.  Once again we had a wonderful time at the Wheeler's.

The Great Dismal Swamp Canal did not live up to it's original expectations because the water in it was not deep enough.  That issue was partially solved with the addition of locks that lift boats 8 feet for a portion of the canal.  Locking through is fun - watching the water boil in front of you as it comes in and the boat rises slowly 8 feet up the wall of the lock on the rising water.

At the bottom

Going up

Higher

and higher

Are we there yet?

OK, We're finally 8 feet higher.
Time to open the gates.