Motoring North in North Carolina

After leaving from Washington on April 28 we motored out the Pamlico River in perfect calm conditions. The wind and current were so calm that I was able to do some speed runs 180 degrees apart to reset the hull mounted speedwheel correction factor and do an Auto Learn run for my Raymarine autopilot. This got the boat heading and COG in sync and the autopilot working much better. With the late start we just went up to a favorite anchorage at Pungo River Marker G 23 just NW of the entrance to the Aligator River - Pungo River Canal.

On April 29th, the Canal conditions were nice and the Albermarle Sound conditions were about as good as could be expected. A few things fell off the desks and counters but mostly we were able to head away from the wind for a relatively good ride. We reached another favorite anchorage south of Buck Island just off the ICW at marker G 157. This is about 5-6 miles south of Coinjock. The wind blew a little that night but I was extremely pleased with my brand new Ultra 27 kg anchor. This was the third night of use since I installed it at the Core Creek Boatyard. The Ultra is a plow type anchor with a weighted sharp tip that seems to dig in and set quickly. The anchor is a little expensive, but will be worth it if it continues to give quick sets and peace of mind on windy nights.


On April 30, we rose at 0600 to get to the Norfolk bridges as early as possible. It was practically a traffic jam at Coinjock as two other large boats left the Coinjock marina heading north just as we come through. We sort of sorted ourselves out by speed with me giving the right of way to the large planning boat, while the motorsailer fell in behind me. The Albermarle and Chesapeake canal was not as busy as I expected so we made good time. A stop at the Atlantic Yacht basin to fill our tanks with nearly 200 gallons of diesel cost $1.84 per gallon. We therefore missed the first hourly Great Bridge opening opportunity, but made good time through the rest of the locks and bridges. We struck up a radio conversation with a fellow from New England in a Nordic Tug 37. Right at the Tidewater Yacht Marina the boat engine started cutting out and the gauges went to zero. This was the third or forth time this has happened due to low start battery voltage. The previous cause was a blow fuses on the Duo Charge circuit that sends charge current to the start battery. I scurried down into the engine room with a fuse but this was not the problem. Apparently, with too many hours of idle speed running, the alternator wasn't supplying enough current to feed the house bank AND the starter battery. Particularly since this Cummins C-E engine has intake air heaters that may take 50 amps just by themselves. Some boaters have installed a cut off switch to cut off this huge current draw when the heaters aren't needed. Running the engine at higher RPM keep enough current going the the batteries to get us up to a quiet anchorage up Lafayette River on the northside of Norfolk.


On the Elizabeth River the 37' Nordic Tug called us asking where we were staying. A friend of his traveling with him asked it they could follow us to our anchorage. So we led them to the Lafayette River. After anchoring I got the dinghy down for the first time since last November and after several pulls started the 9.9 hp Mercury and did a quick trip up and back on the Lafayette River. I stopped to talk to the folks that followed us and met Carl and Jeannie who are traveling up to Maine. They are Power Squadron members from Columbia, SC.


Kendall