Under a bridge a few miles north of Beaufort. Our view is different than the cars above.
We left Beaufort NC around 7 with 200 miles left to go on the ICW to Norfolk. Along the way we stopped at Belhaven Waterway Marina, Alligator Marina and Coinjock Marina, all in North Carolina.
Geese directly across the lawn from our boat at Belhaven
Along the canal connecting the Pungo and Alligator rivers out of Belhaven.
We always enjoy the town of Belhaven, although Spoon River, our favorite restaurant was closed on the Tuesday we were there, so we just ate on the boat. Our Wednesday stop was Alligator Marina. It and the long drawbridge by it are the only things in the area other than a large game reserve. They do have the lowest fuel prices for a long way in either direction, so while we weren’t close to empty we filled back up anyway.
Tied up at Alligator Marina. The long bridge is just behind the boat.
Leaving Alligator Marina. Along the bridge until we get to the channel.
Just getting into Albemarle Sound we pass a small ICW cruise ship.
Coinjock Marina was our Thursday stop and our last in North Carolina. It’s pretty remote, with the tiny town of Coinjock is on the other side of the canal. People drive for miles to eat at their steak house restaurant, and we don’t miss that when we’re here either.
Scrap metal just north of Coinjock. There is some commercial traffic along this waterway, but not a lot.
Old rail drawbridge is normally up unless there is a train. Wonder if it still works.
Friday out of Coinjock we had some rain early on, which cleared up and we then had three scheduled drawbridges. The first two were every half hour and 5 miles apart, so we could go through the first and be just in time for the second a half hour later. The last one, the Great Bridge, is every hour. A lot of people ended up waiting for that, so 8 boats went through it and into the lock just beyond. We were fourth in, but had our big ball locking fenders kicked out, so we went starboard and tied up along the concrete side and let the others bounce on the rubber bumper side.
We let these guys have the rubber side.
Already well into Norfolk, but not to the navy area yet.
We arrived at Waterside Marina Friday at 1:30. This is our first time docking in Norfolk. When we first came this way with Paul and Sharon we were across the river in Portsmouth and more recently we were 12 miles north of here in Hampton. Norfolk is the most downtown of all of these and a chance to see a lot more of the city.
Supercarrier across from our marina. Think it may be the Enterprise, being decommissioned.
Jack & Sue 