5/6 and 5/7 Winds and Pig Pickin in Dowry Creek

Finally, about mid day on 5/6 the winds died down to about 15 MPH.   It felt as if we had been becalmed after the strong winds of the last few days.  It turned chilly though.  Time to get the jeans back out.  Everyone was doing errands.  I did two loads of laundry.  We noticed that the AGLCA burgee of the boat Happy Happy was in tatters.  Terry was on the bow trying to salvage the part that said AGLCA.  I took our old white looper flag over to them.  We wrote Hydrophilic down the side and Terry and Pat are now flying it from the front of their boat!!

Neal, the new owner of Dowry Creek Marina, made sure all of us knew we were invited to a pig picking at the club house that evening.  Meanwhile, it was chore time.  We did a lot of cleaning.  I opened one of the cabinet doors under the sink and the door came apart in my hand.  No one will pick a fight with me.  John took the rest of the cabinet off and I went to the office to ask if there was a carpenter in town.  The same thing must have happened to one of our other cabinets and it needed wood glue and some brackets on the back.  Neal and his staff looked at it and after a short discussion said, "Don't worry, we will take care of it."  One of his sons was told to get brackets when he went to town to get his sister.  I left it there.

Meanwhile, some new boats came in.  We met the crew of Sauvy B, and Joe and Pat Apicella who are well known gold loopers on Glory Daze.  On one of my trips on the docks, Neal told me the door was ready.  It was perfect!!!!  You could not see that there had been any issue at all.  He told me the part was $1.47 and that is what we owed him.  Well, we added some to that with a thank you note and promised a 5 star review on Active Captain.   Talk about service!!!

Dinner was terrific, true Carolina barbecue.  Terry from Happy Happy timed this picture of the crews from Sauvy B, Happy Happy, Glory Daze, Overtime, and Hydrophilic.  Look at that view.

Good food, lots of sharing and great conversation.  But by 9 PM, boaters' midnight, we were all snug in our boats and ready to head out in the morning.

Overtime was first out of the marina and we were second.  It was bright and sunny but still chilly.  We headed up the Pungo River to the Pungo Alligator canal.  The canal is very straight and protected and was easy cruising.  As we entered the Alligator River, the waters broaden and the wind increased.  It wasn't too choppy but the winds kept the sun from warming us too much. 

Tonight, we are docked at the Alligator River Marina.  We are positioned to cross the Albemarle Sound tomorrow.  The winds should be from the west so it should not be too bad. I hope.  Last year, we took the Dismal Swamp north to the Chesapeake.  It is closed due to damage from Hurricane Matthew and continued high waters.  So we will be taking the Virginia Cut and will be heading to Coinjock where the restaurant at the marina is famous for their roast beef.  I have had it once before and am looking forward to it.