We woke up to a beautiful morning in the Dismal Swamp. The sun was rising and the air was peacefully quiet. Wait. Why was the air peacefully quiet? We did not hear the duh-duh, duh-duh, duh-duh of vehicles going over the noisy drawbridge we were about to go under. Closer inspection, er, a look outside, … Continue reading Chesapeake, VA, to Riverside Landing, Yorktown, VA: Do They Know Deisel is Pushing $6?

We were pleasantly surprised that we slept super well. We thought the heat of the night would keep us up, but by cooling off the boat with our AC via generator for a few hours last night and using our rechargeable battery fan we were able to stay comfortable and cool all night. We woke … Continue reading Dismal Swamp Welcome Center, NC, to Chesapeake, VA, Free Dock: Hot, Hot, HOT!

I had a business trip to Raleigh during the week, so we rented a car and drove the three hours. Wendy went too so that she could enjoy a few days off the boat exploring inland. We drove back on Friday and after wrapping up work, we set out for the 20-mile trip to the … Continue reading Lamb’s Marina, Elizabeth City, NC, to Dismal Swamp Welcome Center Dock, NC

I rarely wake up early enough to see the sunrise when it happens at 6:00 am. But when I do, I take a million pictures of it. I don't think I can emphasize enough how peaceful this anchorage was. There was barely a ripple in the water, we could hear birds chatter in the distance. … Continue reading Alligator River to Lamb’s Marina, Elizabeth City, NC: Does This Bridge Open?!

We weren't sure how comfortable our sleep would be in Oriental with the potential for rain forcing us to keep our windows closed. We didn't need to worry, we slept just fine. We have a battery-operated rechargeable fan that we use to keep air flowing, and it lasts through the night. By the time we … Continue reading Oriental, NC, to Alligator River Anchorage, NC: Perfection!

We loved our time in Beaufort, North Carolina. What a beautiful town with something for everyone: history, shopping, food, nature, water,...it's all here in Beaufort. We also really liked our marina, Beaufort Yacht Basin, and its location. The people there are so kind and friendly, and we had nice boat neighbors. The marina is just … Continue reading Beaufort, NC, to Oriental Free Dock, NC: Late Sunsets Make Weekday Travel Work

We lurched into the morning on the bucking boat. After a little coffee, we called the Beaufort Yacht Basin right at 0800 - as directed - to confirm that we would be coming in that morning. Then we called BoatUS. To my surprise, Jay, the same guy from the previous night, answered the phone. After … Continue reading Shackleford Banks Anchorage to Beaufort Yacht Basin: Safe Harbor

After a slightly bumpy, but fairly peaceful night, we pulled the anchor at about 7:20 AM. The Wrightsville Beach Bridge opens on the hour upon request and we were going for the 8:00 AM opening. We were only 1.5 miles away, but we also wanted to swing through a bay and wave at a friend … Continue reading Wrightsville Beach Anchorage, NC to Shackleford Banks Anchorage: “This is not pleasure boating”

We left St. James Marina on Friday afternoon and headed up the ICW to Wrightsville. It was an uneventful short trip to get us in better position to get up to Belhaven by the end of the weekend. Our first-choice anchorage at the beach was full, so we went a little farther out to another … Continue reading St. James Marina, Southport, NC, to Wrightsville Beach Anchorage, NC

I think it's safe to say that our membership to the America's Great Loop Cruiser's Association (AGLCA) has made our trip possible. Our first experience with their events was at a Looper Lifestyle event in Annapolis. Then we watched a presentation at the Chicago Boat Show. We did an online Spring Rendezvous during Covid, a … Continue reading AGLCA Rendezvous