When we began our journey to Washington D.C. on June 1 we were feeling the pressure to arrive by June 25 when my daughter Cassandra arrives. Our reservations actually begin June 24 allowing us time to re-provision and clean. Since we made it all the way to Beaufort, NC in only 6 days we can now relax and play and still make it by our target date.
When we awoke late in the beautiful anchorage at Cape Lookout our plan was to walk the sand dunes and explore the area, including the 1857 lighthouse near by. While the generator was running we decided to try out our recently serviced watermaker. After about 3 hr. in the watermaker room beneath the guest stateroom Scott concluded that we need a $15 part. It was actually making water but it was mixing back into the salt water. Thus, he made two calls to the manufacturer and found the easy, and for once, inexpensive solution So much for us having a day off to relax! Since it will come from Ft. Lauderdale and we don’t have an address, our friends Scott and Teri Miller offered their home in Hampton, VA to which we can ship items. It’s been a few weeks since we ordered our mail from the service so we will have it sent there as well. This will be a great opportunity to get together with Scott and Teri, fellow Kadey-Krogen 58 owners.
By afternoon the waters were a bit bumpy but we lowered the dinghy, picked up Neal and Margretta and headed to the brick light house. It is located in a national park so we purchased the “passport” in which we collect stamps from all the national parks. If only we could return to the ones we visited in Alaska in 2014 and get it stamped there. We also learned that on the nearby Shackleford Banks there are wild horses so we motored over and saw several. They were so tame that Neal attempted to feed them grass and was only a couple of feet away from them.
That evening we enjoyed apps on C’est La Vie and met another couple from the anchorage.
Friday morning we pull up anchor and leave around 6:35 a.m. (way too early for my taste) to head up the ICW to Belhaven, 70 mi. away. Belhaven is considered to be the birthplace of the ICW. The Alligator River-Pungo River Canal was completed in 1928 which completed the 1,090 mi. waterway that runs from Norfolk to Miami.
We anchored in the Pungo River and went into town with the Vizinas. We hadn’t been to the grocery store in 8 days so we needed a major re-stock on fruits and veggies. We stopped in a downtown shop to ask for directions to the Food Lion and the mail carrier, Marie, offered to drive us to the store! After shopping, she drove us around the downtown area showing us the restaurants and dropped us off at Tavern at Jack’s Neck. We couldn’t believe how nice she was. Also, the woman in line behind me in Food Lion entered her reward card so that I could save $7! We were amazed at how friendly everyone was in a town of 2,000.
We try to eat Whole Food Plant Based (WFPB) which can be quite challenging outside of the boat. I grew up a very picky and non-adventurous eater so in my old age I am attempting to try new foods, both WFPB and others. The special for the evening was locally caught blue crab so I just had to try it. I squeezed a lemon on it and it was delish!
All in all, it was a great day on the ICW.
Scott and Melissa's "Unforgettable" Adventures 
What a wonderful sounding adventure Melissa! I am sure you are having a blast now that you were with Cassandra 🙂
Thanks for sharing your journey with us. We are enjoying traveling along with you as it brings back memories of my week in the BVI Waters, and gathering provisions at the nearby stores that you find along the way.
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