Cruising to and around Elizabeth City, NC

Viridian and Dash Away took on about 100 gal of fuel at Dowry Creek Marina.  When we arrived in Alligator River Marina, NC, we were met on the dock by a sailboat captain holding a can full of muck he had gotten out of his fuel tank.  He knew we had taken on fuel at Dowry and warned us that we too may have gotten a bad batch in our tanks.  Within a few minutes, we were down in our engine rooms pulling out Racor filters to check for black gunk.  Our filters looked like we expected them to look for normal use so new filter cartridges were installed.  Next morning, we started our engines 30 minutes before leaving just to make sure all was normal, and it was.  We later found out that someone had seen the dockmaster change filters on his dock pump just before filling our tanks.  This was consistent with what we observed in our engine performance.

Not a good time to think you may have a bad batch of bad fuel as we were getting ready to cross the Great Albemarle Sound on our way to Elizabeth City, NC.  By the time our three-boat flotilla entered the AICW, three other boats had joined our caravan heading north.  The AICW soon bifurcates at this point where cruisers choose between the Dismal Swamp route or the Virginia Cut route.  Both routes merge again just below Norfolk, VA.  We took the Swamp path and the other boats took the other path.

Elizabeth City is the last town before entering the Dismal Swamp State Park.  We will stay here two days before entering the Swamp.  The docks at Elizabeth City Marina are old, fixed and rickety.  Pilings had to be lassoed as we made our stern-in approach in a stiff crosswind.  By now we are getting pretty confident in docking in suboptimal conditions and were soon plugging in the 50-amp power cord and settling in for the afternoon.  Later, we mounted our mobile devices and peddled all through the historic district on Main St. in Elizabeth City.

That's the news and here are some views.

We are here.

Today's route from Alligator River to Elizabeth City Marina, NC

Morning at Alligator City Marina

Second Wave Mainship 40

Like being in the middle of the ocean crossing the Albemarle Sound

Old tired docks at Elizabeth City Marina, NC

One of many such houses here

Cruising in Old Town

Old Purina Pet Food Factroy