Day 210: Alligator River

Day 210: May 12: Having traveled 75 to 80 miles each day for the past few days, we decided we would make today a short 45 miles or so to the Alligator River. We pulled up the anchor ,which was full of mud; great for holding but tough to clean. The two sailboats (What Not and Camana) that had been anchored with us left a bit earlier than we did but it didn't take long for us to overtake them. What Not's double black mast looked pretty, heeling with the wind. 


We cruised up the Pamlico and Pungo rivers before reaching the 21-mile canal that connects the Alligator River with the Pungo River to its west. We were joined by a few other boats, all traveling about the same speed through the very narrow canal. 


The Alligator River is home to a very diverse wildlife population including wading birds, shorebirds, raptors, black bears, otters, red wolves, alligators and more. A common misconception is that, before the Great War, the Alligator River owed its name to its winding reptilian shape. However, it earned its name because of the large number of alligators along its banks. 

Just as we exited the canal, an oncoming vessel hailed everyone on the radio, alerting us to the snarly conditions on the Albemarle Sound. Wind gusts of 25 to 30 and 3 to 4 footers had riled up the water, making a cruise across pretty miserable. Having heard this report, we were pleased we had planned on anchoring in the river and crossing the Albemarle in the morning. 

We turned to port and made our way up a long channel before tucking in to a well protected spot. Dropped the anchor in 8 feet, surrounded by wilderness with no one in sight. The extra time spent traveling deeper into the channel was well worth it. Our short 45 mile day provided time to relax for awhile on a beautiful afternoon. 


























Comments

  1. Bill AuerbachMay 15, 2024 at 4:51 PM

    The double masted sailboat looks like a Freedom built in Portsmouth, RI

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. John and BonnyMay 16, 2024 at 6:28 AM

      Certainly could be! We passed her a couple of times

      Delete

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