On the Road AGAIN!!

   After getting all of our problems fixed, we finally got underway and started our trip south for real.      
  We traveled from Great Bridge, VA to Broad Creek, which is right at the beginning of the Albemarle Sound. Wanting to get an early start crossing the sound, we left at 7:00 the next morning and had a surprisingly enjoyable crossing. The Albemarle Sound is one of the bodies of water, on the ICW, that is always a concern. The weather can really make for a tough crossing on this sound. Everyone dreads it!

5:00 at Dowry Creek Marina.

  We did our usual stop at Dowry Creek Marina. This is one of our favorite marinas and it's because of the owner and staff. They just can't help you enough and there is always a 5:00 gathering in the Captain's Lounge.
  Our next stop was going to be Washington, NC, also known as Little Washington. It's about 27 miles off of the ICW track, but we felt that we needed to explore it not only because it was there but also so we could update the Waterway Guide. The trip up the Pamlico Sound was great. The Pamlico Sound is another sound that you have to watch the weather on. We picked a beautiful day for the trip and found a really small and cute little historic town (founded in 1726).  There isn't much going on there, and it seems that the recession has taken its toll on this little town like so many others. But the people are very friendly and the town provides "free dockage" trying to attract the boating community. Hopefully it's working because they're trying hard to make everyone feel welcome.

Coming into Washington, NC.

Looking down Main St.

One of the little museums in town.



  After leaving Washington, we made our next stop in Oriental, NC., another small town that is very popular with the traveling boater. Everyone is friendly and helpful. There isn't much in the way of shopping here, but with a tiki bar next to the marina how can you go wrong. We also were lucky enough to get one of the two free docks available in town.

Diamond Girl sitting at the free dock!

The Bean. Some of the best muffins and coffee on the ICW!
Very popular with the locals.

  When we left Oriental, we traveled for several days and anchored at night. One of the anchorages is right in the middle of  Camp LeJeune which is a marine base. It's one of the best anchorages on the waterway. Very protected with great holding. A couple of more days of traveling and we stopped in Southport, NC at St. James Plantation Marina. We had plans to meet up with some friends from Long Beach, CA who have brought their boat around and through the Panama Canal. We made tentative plans 5 years ago to meet with them somewhere in 2012. Well, we did it and it was really fun.


Ted and Joan Palango with us in St. James Plantation.

  Leaving Ted and Joan, we needed to get fuel so we again stopped at Osprey Marina which always has some of the best fuel prices on the ICW. We got our fuel and stayed a night and then proceeded to an anchorage, Prince Creek, which has become one of our favorites because it is soooooo pretty.

Looking off the aft deck of Diamond Girl at Prince Creek.

Looking the other direction.

  Now we are anchored in Georgetown, SC and we'll be headed to Charleston next. We're picking up some friends from Long Beach (Mike and Ruthanne Ferreira) who are going to travel with us for a week. We're really looking forward to them arriving, and we are going to have a blast with them! Also, we're excited about showing them what we do.
  Don't forget that you can follow us on Facebook now. We are trying to post every day or two.

Bud and Elaine, and the good ship Diamond Girl