Alligator River, NC

Tuesday June 19, 2012
35 50.594N
75 59.279W

At the end of the man made canal we entered the Alligator River and after a few tight turns it opened up to a wide featureless bay that was open on the north end but with a large long viaduct and and opening bridge that gave access into Albermarle Sound. It was too late to venture into the Sound so we just turned East towards the shore and dropped the anchor.

We were not  looking for shelter as there is just zero wind and nothing in the forecast. First impression - wow, is it HOT and HUMID. The water is as flat as a pancake. We have seen one little boat - otherwise not a person. There must be an air base around here as we constantly hear jet aircraft. Its just a matter of time before we fire up a gen and turn on the AC. Or just get into the fridge.

Old Cyprus stumps

We had left Belhaven about 9:30AM and dropped anchor here about 3:30PM. Most of the day we were in a dreary man made canal thru a large Cyprus swamp. There were lots of tree stumps poking thru the water towards the edges, so we were very careful to keep in the middle. For most of the day we had no phone or internet signal.

About 6PM a thunderstorm blew past us a couple of miles to our west. The wind came up and it was quite refreshing. We rigged the boat in anticipation of getting wet, but it never rained. We watched the  thunderstorm slide past us a few miles to the west.

Tomorrow we will spend the night in Elizabeth City, "Gateway to the Dismal Swamp Canal". Apparently it is a nice place for a night