Leaving Baltimore Harbor we remembered to look for the Stars and Stripes bouy that the city maintains marking the spot where Francis Scott Key wrote the poem that later became the Star Spangled Banner. I missed it on the way into Baltimore, so I was very careful to keep an eye open when we left. Sure enough, the sun was shining so brightly, it was hard to see and quite anticlimactic. Cool to think about, but not very exciting to see.
There she is–the stars and stripes bouy. Apparently it is painted red, white, and blue and is very well maintained. Did you know Francis Scott Key was a lawyer who went on board a British ship to negotiate release of an American civilian when he was detained during the battle at Fort McHenry? Just a little historical info!
We headed out into the Bay at the most optimum time to get a push from the current up the top of the Chesapeake Bay and thru the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal (C&D Canal). It is important to pay attention to the current thru this section because it can be pretty strong through these bottleneck areas and can make or break your fuel economy.
This does not look like the most comfortable way to travel, but apparently she’s fine with it…This looks much more comfortable!!
After we turned and headed north in the Chesapeake, we had 2 foot waves on the beam for a while. Mike was trying to get some stuff done on the computer, so I was at the helm. We were rocking and rolling and stuff was crashing down all around–not the most comfortable trip, but after a few hours we neared land and the water calmed down.
Entering the C&D canal is kind of crazy because it is a long (14 miles), narrow (450 feet) canal that is used heavily for shipping. It was hand dug between 1824-1829 by almost 3,000 workers. The idea is similar to the creation of the Dismal Swamp, but the C&D canal is MUCH bigger and deeper, as it is meant for big ships, where the Dismal Swamp couldn’t handle a boat much bigger than INNTW. Also, the C&D isn’t near as swampy and woodsy nowadays, though it might have been more natural almost 200 years ago when it was built.
There is really only 1 place to stop once you’ve entered the canal, so once you’re in, you’re going all the way thru. As I mentioned earlier, the current is really strong in the canal, so it is essential that you look ahead to see the rate of the current and plan accordingly. Luckily, this information is on the Navionics app we use regularly as a back up for our navigation system.
There is an actual stoplight at the entrance to the canal telling you if it is safe to proceed or if you need to wait for oncoming traffic. I believe this stoplight is meant mostly for the large cargo and tanker ships that use the canal regularly because turning into the canal could be dicey if there was a ship right there heading out (those things don’t exactly turn on a dime). In the middle of the canal, there is plenty of room for these big ships to pass each other when they are just chugging along straight, but turning is a different story. In the canal we only passed by 1 big Army Corps of Engineers ship along the way. Unfortunately, I have 0 pictures of the canal?!
We exited the canal just south of Delaware City in the Delaware Bay. We headed towards the marina which was located down another long, skinny channel. We got very detailed instructions from the marina about how close to stay to the banks so that we didn’t run aground in the shallow channel. It didn’t really work, because we heard a loud bump that sounded like we hit something hard. Mike was annoyed, but there was very little water and no other alternative marinas, so there wasn’t much we could do beside proceed with caution.
This giant nuclear power plant was in the distance, looking ominous.
We fueled up and then headed to the very end of the 1 loooong dock to tie up. The channel is so narrow that the dockhands have a very unique way of tying up boats. We pretty much gave them both the lines from the stern (starboard was along the dock). They pushed our bow out into the current, holding on to the stern lines tightly. The current caught our bow and pushed it around so that eventually our boat did a 180 and now the port side was along the dock. The dockhands then caught the port bow lines and tied us up. Confused yet?! It’s basically that they use muscle and the power of the current to turn these big boats around instead of trusting the captains to spin on a dime and parallel park. I’m not quite sure their plan is a better way to dock, but they have obviously come to this system for some reason, so who are we to say we can dock ourselves?!
Whew…we were glad to be done with that skinny, shallow channel getting to the marina.
After we checked in, we saw some other loopers headed out to dinner, so off we went. There is a small town adjacent to the marina so it was a short walk to Crabby Dick’s. How can you say no to dinner at Crabby Dick’s?! We enjoyed visiting with the other loopers and many of them have the same plan to stay one night and head for Cape May the following day. Traveling the Delaware Bay can be quite daunting as it is big water and very open to the Atlantic. The current again plays a big part of when you should travel, but you also need mid to high tide to get out of the marina here, so we touch base with the other loopers and everyone decides to head out around 7am.
Tobin got an actual whole crab in his kids meal. I have to say, he wasn’t thrilled.We enjoyed the short walk through town back to the marina.Writing thank you notes to send out with our INNTW stickers.We had an absolutely gorgeous sunset to enjoy.Mike saw an equally beautiful sunset from his evening bike ride.
Thanks for reading and following our adventures about our quick 1 night stop in Delaware City! Our one and only night in Delaware!
**Obviously this is being posted extremely late. There are lots of reasons (excuses) why I fell behind on the blog, but I will attempt to catch up and post about each stop along the way, even if it is a few months late. If you’re still reading, thanks for being patient and following along! If you don’t follow us on Facebook, you should!! INNTWadventures–look us up and see what we’re actually up to after being home for a month!**
Leaving Annapolis, we saw a lot of big ships out in the Chesapeake. They were far away from us, but it was a busy place! The kids worked on some schoolwork and played, as we had a pretty smooth trip up to Baltimore.
Naval vessels out giving tours to kids attending summer camp experiences.Big ships out in the bay!Finishing another book!Practicing his coding skills on Scratch.This girl loves playing in her room!There are many lighthouses in the middle of the Chesapeake. It is interesting to look up the history of each of them and imagine the lives of the keepers before the lights became automated. This is the Sandy Point Shoal Lighthouse, built in 1883.This is the Baltimore Light, the last lighthouse built on the bay, constructed in 1908. It is the only American lighthouse to ever be powered by nuclear energy (in the 60’s) before being converted to generator power.
Heading in to Baltimore there was a lot to see!! Industry and ships and bridges oh my!!
A replica of the Lazaretto Lighthouse built in the early 1830’s at this spot across from Fort McHenry. It was named the Lazaretto because of a well-known quarantine hospital on site in the early 1800’s that was meant to contain contagious diseases that immigrants brought over to the new country.
We finally caught up with our friends Kent and Heather from Heartbeat, and they even helped us land at the dock. We made plans to meet up with them and other loop friends on Ceci Kay for docktails later, and then headed to the office to check in. During the process of checking in, we also had some questions about picking up our rental car and using it to catch a train to get us to DC. The lady in the office seemed to think there was an easier train direct from Baltimore to DC which got us thinking maybe we didn’t have the best plan. (Side note: She actually said to Mike “If you’re the adventurous type you could…” which cracked me up–11 months and 6,000 miles on a boat with his kids–he’s probably a bit adventurous, though I’m sure she didn’t know our story.) We talked to a few other people on the docks about it, as well and ended up cancelling our rental car and deciding to take an Uber to the train station to catch a certain train that would take us right into DC.
Changing the plan we already spent hours figuring took us a while, so before we knew it, docktails were in order! It was nice to catch up with some friends we hadn’t seen since back in the Bahamas. We reviewed all things Bahamas and East Coast and also covered plans for the coming months. One of the best parts about this trip is how we cross paths with the same boats again and again while always meeting new people, as well. Having a loop flag means instant camaraderie with other boaters everywhere you go. We had a nice evening and then went back to the boat to make dinner.
Side note: we brought scooters, sidewalk chalk, and legos to keep kiddos occupied during docktails. It turned out that we were right next to the boaters lounge with big comfy couches, large tables, and a water cooler, so the kids played inside most of the time. I thought this was worth noting because we are regularly trying to find that balance between kid entertainment and adult entertainment. Sometimes we have to get creative, but today worked out great. And luckily our boating friends didn’t seem to mind the kids eating up all the snacks they brought.
The next morning we wanted to get out and see more of the city, so of course we headed for the nearest playground!! There was a giant park with several playgrounds and even a pool nearby. It was a perfect spot to run around and burn off some energy!
This pagoda-style building is a landmark in Patterson Park. It was built 1890! Hampstead Hill is a portion of the park that played a part in the Civil War and the War of 1812. Some signs of it’s history still exist today.
In the evening we went to dinner in the Fells Point neighborhood with Ceci Kay and Heartbeat. We had delicious Italian food and it was great to spend time with friends once again. That is something Mike and I have been missing since we left Livin the Dream behind in Florida, having friends to boat with. Nothing is as much fun if it’s not shared, and we’ve been feeling this big time lately. When we got back to the boat, we finalized packing for heading to Washington DC in the morning.
Dinner with Heartbeat and Ceci Kay. Not pictured is Heather who is actually taking the picture! Can you believe it is one of the adults and not one of the kids giving bunny ears?!
We were up and at em early, catching an Uber by 7am to get the Metro train to DC. The train was mostly empty when we got on because it actually starts picking up passengers in Baltimore. We headed up to the second level and got comfy for the trip. It was just over an hour with a few stops on the way. The train goes up to speeds over 100 mph and that was absolutely crazy to us, considering we travel at about 8 mph most of the time.
Adios INNTW!! We’re heading to the big city!
We got to Washington DC no problem and decided being sheep was our best bet, so we followed the crowd and ended up easily following the signs for the Metra train or subway. We stood in line to buy cards (of which everyone needs to have their own which seemed crazy!! 5 cards to manage!) Mike put some money on them and off we went.
Luckily, Google Maps has a “transit” option (as well as a “walking option, that we use quite regularly–I wonder why no “boating” option?!) that tells you exactly what train you need to get on, what time, and where to get off to get to your destination. That was a lifesaver getting around the city!!
Our hotel was right by a subway station so we headed there first. We were not able to check in yet, but we were able to extend our stay with an extra night, which was great. 1 night in Washington DC was just not going to be enough!! We left our backpacks and headed off to check out the town.
On our first day we:
-visited the Museum of Natural History
-Checked out the Air and Space Museum
The kids completed some experiments, making a project that would fly level in a stream of air.Checking out some space stuff! We even got to touch a moon rock!This is the actual plane that Amelia Earhart flew solo across the Atlantic Ocean and also nonstop across the United States. She was the first woman to achieve both of these feats. Hayley was super excited to see it!
-saw the Declaration of Independence, Bill of Rights, and US Constitution
-selfies in front of the Washington monument
-mastered mass transit
-took a train to a shopping mall to buy swim suits. (Since we were staying 2 nights we would definitely need to check out the hotel pool!!)
-took dinner back to our room where we watched Disney Junior and put our feet up
We also choked on our dinner when we saw our view!! The POOL we were so excited about ended up being right outside our window….but it was closed for renovations and completely under construction!! No note of the closure at booking, online, when adding an extra night, or upon check in. We were so disappointed, partly because we went well out of our way to go buy suits, and partly because we thought the Washington DC Hilton would have an amazing pool!! Or at least a decent view?!!? Mike went down to the desk to talk with them and we ended up with free passes to the breakfast buffet for the next 2 mornings. It wasn’t the pool, but it did save us hundreds of dollars in breakfast (can you believe it’s that much $$??) and get us a pretty deluxe start to our day.
16,000 steps and in bed by 7:30. Finally around 10:00 we turned the tv off so the kids would go to sleep. I was thrilled to relax in the big comfy bed with the air conditioning blasting freezing cold air. Ahhhh…
The next morning we started off hitting the super fancy breakfast buffet for day #1. There were not many people there and those people who were there were dressed much differently than us. They all looked like they were heading to a very important meeting on Capitol Hill right after breakfast. They were definitely not in the “The hotel pool is closed and I complained so I got free breakfast” category!! Oh well—I’m sure we’re much more fun!!
On day #2 we:
-walked 26,000 steps
-walked thru the World War II memorial, just 1 day after D-Day
These stars each stand for 100 soldiers who went missing or died in WWII. It was stunning to all of us.
-Lincoln Memorial (Hayley’s favorite part of DC!! She “just thought it was cool.”)
We made some connections to our time in Ottawa, Illinois where Lincoln participated in debates in 1858.
-Vietnam Memorial
Tobin said there were so many names even I couldn’t count them all. It is always overwhelming to see the wall, and I think the kids understood how somber it is, too. There were lots of kids on field trips there and some of them had to write letters to soldiers that were left at the wall. What a great history/writing lesson. I can only imagine what the letters say.I looked up a special Hays family friend that my dad and uncle will always remember.
-visited the White House from the south lawn
-Bureau of Printing and Engraving where they make 500 million $/day?!?! Can you imagine that amount of money every single day?!
-Museum of American History (we saw Lincoln’s top hat!)
In the basement the kids build and created in a maker studio. Tobin was thrilled that he closed a circuit and made a little propeller spin. The power of discovery!
-Changing of the Guard and the eternal flame at Arlington
Did you know JFK and Jackie O are also buried next to two of their deceased children?
-stopped at a mall food court for dinner on the way back to the hotel (I’m way too cheap to actually eat at a restaurant in DC apparently!).
-once again mastered mass transit all day to get around the metro area.
-took many many amusing pictures along the way.
Isn’t this one great?!We all needed a break. Even Colin said his brain was getting full and he needed a break from museums!
Once again we were thrilled to get back to the hotel to rest our tired feet and let all that exploring soak into our brains. We watched American Ninja Warrior and relaxed in big fluffy beds with very cold air conditioning!
On our last morning we visited the breakfast buffet (of course!) and then dropped our bags off at the concierge for another day of exploring.
We visited-:
-the Capitol Building (but apparently you can’t take snacks into the Capitol Building, so we didn’t actually go in–who walks around DC without a backpack full of snacks?!)
-Library of Congress
This was one of the prettiest buildings I’ve ever been in. It was amazing!
-watched skateboarders at Freedom Plaza
Tobin decided he will be a skateboarder when he is 17. Sounds about right!
-earned Junior Ranger badges at the White House Museum
-saw the White House from the north lawn
-watched protests in front of the White House which was a good lesson in our freedom of speech and what makes our country so great.
-mastered mass transit once again to get us back to INNTW in Baltimore.
Tobin was absolutely fine sitting by himself. He only covered his eyes because I was taking his picture.
We had an amazing time in Washington DC, but we were glad to be home!! (Interesting how INNTW truly feels like home!!) All those people and all that walking!! Whew!! I was ready for a lazy evening on the sundeck, and all of us were coming down with a cold so laziness was in order!
We had 2 more days to hang out in Baltimore before moving on. The next day it was dreary and rainy for most of the day. We were disappointed to not have a good day to explore, but we were all low on energy and ambition after being on the go so much in Washington DC.
Later in the day we did drag ourselves outside during a rain break for a walk along the harbor. We were stunned to see the garbage that fills the water in Baltimore (especially after a big rain!). There was garbage floating in the harbor the whole time we were there, but the amount of trash after all that rain was astounding and disgusting. They have a few boats that drive around and collect garbage, but something still needs to be done. The water here was by far the most filled with garbage of anywhere we have been on the trip. It made us wonder why people would want to boat there because the water was so gross.
By the next day we were ready to burn off some steam, so we headed out. We wandered along the wharf and thru some old areas of the city and ended up in the Fell’s Point neighborhood. We went on a random walking tour that led to a park, happy hour, and a 7-11 for ice cream to take back to the boat. It was a good afternoon of wandering, though we wished we had a home baseball game to go to or the interest to go to Fort McHenry, but we just weren’t that motivated to navigate our way to another historical site.
Happy Hour!Love from my littlest love.Selfies with mom turned in to a competition between the boys over everyone wanting their own selfie with mom.Which led to this funny pic of Colin photo bombing us and Tobin trying to block him out. Signs of the past. We found this beer ad and it seemed quite fitting for a picture of a bunch of pirates!
Other than that, we enjoyed Baltimore. I wish we would have explored a bit more, but our marina wasn’t very convenient to many of the attractions and really our main focus was to use it as a home base for Washington DC. It served it’s purpose well, but we were ready to keep moving on!
We had a long, busy stretch to get to Annapolis, partly because we were arriving on a weekend. It is very obvious to us which travel days are weekends and which are weekdays.
We passed by this ship docked way out in the bay. There was some kind of factory and long pipes leading to the dock that I’m sure are used for filling the ships.These lighthouses are scattered around the bay and so interesting.
As we neared the harbor, there was a sailing school out and about, zipping all around like crazy, which is actually pretty stressful to avoid. Sailboats under sail have the right of way and quite often their path is unclear—maybe because of shifting winds, or maybe because they are tacking. Regardless, as soon as we think we have enough distance to get around one, they always seem to change direction to head right across our line or even head right towards us. I digress, but watch the video and you’ll see.
We caught the mooring ball pretty easily which was a good feeling because you’re kind of in a fishbowl in that harbor. There are about 40 mooring balls in the harbor and they are first come, first served, so you just pull up and find an empty one and tie up. The other moored boats like watching their new neighbors to see if they know how to catch a mooring ball (Great boating mantra: sometimes you watch the show and sometimes you are the show…). There are also lots of restaurants and a town square that overlook the mooring field, so all of those people are excited to watch the boats, too. Luckily, we caught the ball and felt like champs. Immediately we arranged for the pumpout boat to pay us a visit so we could cross that glorious chore off our list. The harbormaster came by to collect the mooring fee and we headed off to the dinghy dock to explore Annapolis.
Right away I was surprised by how many people were out and about, how many restaurants there were, and how fun Annapolis seemed!! We wandered through town, checking out the other boats that are essentially tied up right along the main strip, with live music pouring out of the restaurants, and hundreds of people milling around. It started to sprinkle after a bit so we headed to dinner at an Italian Restaurant and then went back to the boat, excited about what Annapolis had to offer!!
The Captain thought “Loose Cannon” sounded like an appropriate IPA for the day.Our table overlooked this mural. It was the kind of place with paper covering the table, so the kids decorated it while we waited for our food. Colin did a great replica of the mural!Colin’s version.Beautiful sunset view from the bow.
The next day we headed to the Naval Academy to tour the grounds. We started off watching a quick overview movie about the academy and then left on our own walking tour. The whole place had a formal feeling of grandeur and greatness throughout the campus, both because of the look of the surroundings and the attitude of the students (who were actually out of school and on summer assignments). We learned that students attend free of charge in exchange for 5 years of military service (they might even actually get paid?!). The training students receive puts them in the position to be officers with the Navy or the Marines when they graduate. It looked like such an awesome place to go to school with so many specializations in areas that would benefit them in the future. There was also a big emphasis on sports, and we learned the Naval Academy is one of the colleges with offering the most sports options to students. I guess it makes sense!!
The popular Navy sentiment was originally a dying command by a soldier during the war of 1812. It seems to have many real life applications!
After walking around the campus we headed for lunch at Moe’s where they had a Monday special going on. Woo hoo Mexican food!! We wandered around the town again and found ourselves in a comic book shop where all the kids picked out a new book. Colin found a new Dog Man book which made him happy and Hayley picked out a babysitters club book that has been redone in comic book style. I love that she reads the same books I did when I was a kid!! Tobin chose an actual comic book from some show on tv and everyone was happy.
Playing with the ducks. These kids are always trying to capture creatures!!Relaxing at the end of the channel that goes past all the restaurants. Apparently this channel is a popular place with boats cruising down to the end and turning around to “show off” for the crowds at the park and in the restaurants. We couldn’t believe how narrow it was for the big boats that would traverse it. Wouldn’t be a comfortable cruise for me!!The kids found the Black Dog Shop and begged for all things with Madie on them!! There were tears as I said NO over and over and over again.Midshipmen hanging out around town.
We headed down to one of the restaurants overlooking the mooring field to listen to live music and enjoy happy hour and our new books! Win win right there!! Plus, we had a great view of the boats cruising the channel. It was a great plan!!
Tobin showing off his famous dance moves!
After a little relaxing we headed to the playground across the street for the kiddies to burn off some energy. This was a great playground that is used by a school during the day, though it seems more like a city park. There was a big brick wall PERFECT for playing wall ball which is the kids’ favorite game from their school. They could have stayed there all night, and they pretty much did. At least until I offered up ice cream and a movie before bed.
We swung by some mega yachts that came into the harbor on our way back to INNTW and then started studying up for Washington DC with the 2nd Night at the Museum movie which is set at the American Museum of Natural History.
Our well-used dinghy at the dinghy dock.Cruising past some of the mega-yachts that we watched pull into the harbor.Oh sheesh…look at Hayley and Tobin. Real-life here!!A little NYC prep with Night at the Museum!!
We loved our time in Annapolis! It was such a fun town with restaurants and shops all centered around the water. This would be a great place to stay if we had more time, but…we don’t. So on we go to new adventures. Thanks for reading and following along!
We left Tangier for Solomons Island which we were looking forward to since several friends recently stayed there and enjoyed it. Heading through the area, there were lots of marinas and restaurants right on the water, making us think of our home waters in Lake St Clair. It was beautiful.
If the captain is relaxing on the bow, who is driving the boat?!Our charts have this ship marked as a Liberty Ship/American Mariner. It apparently is on the ground in shallow water and used as target practice for the Navy. At night it is unlit and has been hit by several boats who then sank. The area surrounding it is filled with metal and sunken hulls. Listed as a BOMBING AREA. The Chesapeake is CRAZY!!
However, when we got to the marina, we were slightly unimpressed with the quality and location. We were really excited about the pool, but it was a super long walk from our slip and closed early so we would have to wait for the next day, which was fine. Oh well. I guess it’s our fault for picking the low rent marina.
The next day Mike needed to do oil changes on our engines. He has already done 3 oil changes, as it is required every 150-250 hours. He is hoping this will be the last time for that chore on our trip. Oil changes for Mike require the rest of us to either hide away in the aft cabin or get off the boat. We chose to get off the boat and start laundry, receive our grocery delivery, and then head to the pool. The kids also spotted a water snake and some foxes playing by a tree, which was the highlight of our stop here.
Good eye, Tobin! He makes us say EXACTLY that whenever he spots something of interest.Heading off to look for foxes while I put groceries away. I absolutely love when they use good teamwork!
After all the effort of trucking laundry to the laundry room, getting it started, meeting the grocery guy, hauling the groceries in our wagon to the boat, sneaking them through the boat to the kitchen past open hatches to the engine room, gathering quick lunch items and swim suits, we finally started our 10 minute walk to the pool. Whew!!
When we got to the pool, we were greeted by a pool attendant who told us we were not allowed to use the pool because we were not slip owners. I assured her we were welcome to use the pool because we were paying to stay at this crappy marina, and the pool is really the only good thing about this place. (I did not say those words, exactly). She admitted that she was new and wasn’t sure, but she still refused to let us use the pool.
So the kids and I left our stuff there and trucked 10 minutes back to the office where I explained the situation. The ladies working were very apologetic and called the pool attendant right away to explain that we could, in fact, use the pool. Since I was right there I switched the laundry to the dryer and started a new load before heading the 10 minutes back to the pool. When we got there we did not hear an apology or anything similar, but at least she let us use the pool (she almost didn’t let us in again because I didn’t know my slip number!). It wasn’t long before we got in trouble for eating our apples and bagels in the pool area and she made the kids stand outside fence to finish eating. I think there was something else we got in trouble for after that, and within another hour I was done with the excitement of the pool. Luckily, Mike was done with the oil changes and he was ready for pool duty. So I tagged him and headed back on laundry duty. Life on a boat is not easy, I tell you!!
We got cleaned up and took a very exciting bus ride to the busy part of town where we learned it was “concert weekend.” This is apparently a long awaited event for the townies as it was packed with people!! The wait for every restaurant was ridiculous and I ended up encouraging us to leave after waiting at a place for 20 minutes. I was pretty sure we would have cranky kids and pay too much anyway (obviously I was already feeling cranky), so to the playground and ice cream shop we went. It wasn’t the evening we were expecting, but then they very rarely are. We ordered an Uber ride back to the boat and listened to the concert from the sundeck of the boat while we had some quick dinner that we already had on the boat. The boys also went back fox hunting with Mike–success again!!
We took a crazy bus/taxi to get downtown with lots of friendly locals on board.We headed into this cool tiki place with live music and lots of people prepping for the concert. While it was “kid friendly” we were the only people with kids there and there was nowhere to sit, so we left.I sat down in the extreme heat to look for casual restaurants nearby hoping some place wouldn’t be packed. NO LUCK…Keeping themselves occupied while they waited for mom to make a plan.Beautiful sunset over the marina.Another fox sighting. Good eye, Tobin!
Our stay in Solomons was not quite what we’d hoped, but we don’t ever know exactly what to expect going to new places all the time, so we rolled with the punches the best way we know how and booked it out of there asap the next morning!!
Weather was perfect to leave Yorktown and head to Tangier Island. As soon as my brother, Brad, heard we were going on this boat trip, he made sure to tell us about Tangier and how we had to go because it is sinking and won’t be there forever. It has been on our “must visit” list ever since.
We had a HOT and SUNNY trip–the fan has only been at the helm for a few trips.I wasn’t sure how close we should actually get to the area labeled “DANGER: Unexploded bomb shells.” WHAT?! Not something you see on the chart every day!!Tobin did some school work that we call “trace, trace, write, write, write.” Very original!Lots of time for games when you live on a boat! Especially when it is hot and the only air conditioning is downstairs!!Protecting us from horseflies.
Heading to Tangier, we had to go all the way across the Chesapeake, which seemed like we were heading out to nowhere. The weather and waves cooperated and Tangier appeared before us.
I could spot that lighthouse from quite a ways out, and I was thankful to see it!!Getting closer!
Tangier Island was settled in the 1770’s (though Native Americans and others were here long before that) and is based on a crabbing culture. Most people here make a living by crabbing, calling themselves “watermen.” The residents speak a unique dialect of English that sounds like a foreign language when they speak amongst themselves. Many linguists have studied the language and find it to be quite unique from other dialects and even different from that of early settlers. One thought is that the isolation of the island has allowed the dialect to evolve over time, separate from what exists elsewhere since these people do not interact with those on the mainland often.
Just some unique phrases.
One more interesting aspect of the island is that it is, indeed, sinking and is predicted to be uninhabitable by 2050 due to rising sea levels and lack of sea wall fortifications around the island. They say 67% of the island has disappeared since 1850–hard to imagine. Already, there are signs of rising water everywhere. Small “crab condos” that crabbers use to house molting crabs have become individual islands that can only be reached by boat. Front yards are constantly flooded, and the streets are quite often underwater at high tide (as you’ll see in our pictures).
They are obviously very proud of their heritage and their island. I think their recognition of the diverse history of the island, and their wish for others to realize it as well, is remarkable.
There is one marina for transient boats on the island. Mr Parks is 80 something years old and runs the marina though he can barely walk. He helped us battle wind and current to get into our slip and then rested against the side of our boat for a while to regain his strength. We learned that many places on the island are only open from 10-4 or so each day while there are tour boats visiting. There was only one place open for dinner, so we headed there to get a feel for the island. Of course we ordered all things crab—fried soft shell crab (basically a crab that just melted and shed its hard shell right before he was dropped in the fryer) and she crab soup. We also had salad and pizza!! It was unique and different.
Crabs under the dock.The streets are narrow–most people use bikes, mopeds, or golf carts, though we did see a few cars on the island.Mike said the crab was very salty.The soup was tasty!
Afterwards, we walked around town and almost lost Tobin to a speeding biker. (These fast bikers need to settle down and keep an eye out for 5 year olds!!) The houses are quaint and quite often rundown. There are graves all around the island, and it is not unusual to see a small plot in each yard. We found a sign that said keeping graves near homes helped make tending graves convenient, protected bodies from grave robbers or animals, and also minimized flooding or high tides that would float bodies to the surface since the area around homes is usually built up. Interesting and creepy!!
We found a playground, toys to keep us entertained, and one other looper who was also visiting the island. We also found this cute cat who wanted to become a boat cat. There were cats everywhere on the island. This beauty finally left me alone after following me around for an hour.
Sitting on the boat that night, we contemplated the fate facing the islanders. When would they move? Where would they go? How much would they leave behind? It is a fascinating problem to ponder and one I’m glad doesn’t impact me directly.
The next morning we wanted to explore a bit more before heading out. We walked thru town and crossed over a few walking bridges covering flooded areas (previous to the bridges being built, they had to take a boat to get to different parts of the island). The museum finally opened up and we got to see artifacts islanders donated to the cause and watch a movie about the life and future of the island. The islanders seem discouraged that no one has built a sea wall around the island to protect it from complete devastation, and as far as we are aware, nothing like that is even in the works. Sure seems like time is running out to keep the island a safe place to live.
Keeping Tobin close so he doesn’t get run down by a biker.At the museum.Our kids were interested to see that some students ride dirt bikes to school!
It was an interesting place and I’m so glad we checked it out. After picking up some souvenirs, we headed back to the boat to get ready to head out. We did stop to buy a slice of the famous Smith Island cake to try before we left. Smith Island Cake originates from a nearby island where the women would send these cakes with many small layers of cake mix and fudge out with their watermen when they left home for the harvest season. The cakes would last a long time and were used to celebrate all kinds of occasions. Yum!
Stats for May 28, 2019 Origin: Norfolk-Whitewater Marina
Destination: Yorktown Anchorage
Distance: 40.5 miles
Speed: 8.5 mph
Time on the Move: 4 hours and 46 minutes
We left Norfolk for Yorktown knowing we were going to venture into the Chesapeake Bay for our first time. We were excited to check out the famed Chesapeake and also a little anxious because storms were expected off and on and we did not want to experience it on a bad travel day!!
We passed by many large military ships on our way out of town. It is amazing to see how many big boats are out there, at the ready. We even got to watch the Putuxant refueling ship come in to fill up.
These 3 appeared to still be in production.Container ships loading up at the new port.There were armed guards on deck and police boats in the water keeping a perimeter around a whole line-up of ships.This “comfort ship” is a floating hospital.This aircraft carrier had a bunch of planes on the deck.The Putuxant refueling ship coming in to load up with fuel.
We heard some chatter on the radio about a submarine somewhere in the bay so we kept our eyes open, and sure enough, it was heading our way!! The law says that you have to stay 500 yards from military vessels, and we’ve heard submarines can throw quite a wake. This guy was about a quarter of the way above water, so he was pretty easy to spot, and he had 4 police escort boats surrounding him. We were super excited to see him heading our way and stayed just at the 500 yard mark. One of the police boats contacted us to let us know the submarine was passing through and to maintain our distance, so we figured we were good. The sun passed pretty quickly but it was an experience we will always remember. The wake wasn’t too bad, I’m guessing because he was going a little slower since he was coming into a harbor.
The rest of our trip was fairly uneventful. The clouds threatened, but we avoided getting rained on and before we knew it, the sun came out and it was hot and steamy.
Another looper spotted us underway and sent this picture.Cap’n Tobin….makes you wonder how we ever get where we’re going?!We passed this interesting craft along the way. All kinds of people out here!
We chose to anchor near the Yorktown docks to save some money. It was a quiet area on the water with beaches and a Main Street nearby. We caught the FREE shuttle to the Yorktown museum after a quick lunch. Yorktown was a major turning point of the revolutionary war, as we learned. Our boat was pretty much anchored right where ships battled to hold their ground, right next to the spot where the British were finally defeated and surrendered. The museum was full of information, but it was a lot of reading and a little difficult for the younger kids to understand. I usually read the displays and then paraphrase in kid-friendly language for Tobin and Hayley, but much of the information was very detailed or specific to one person. It wasn’t our favorite museum, but we made the most of it!!
We love riding shuttles!This is the 3rd cannon demonstration we’ve been to in the last 10 months. I think we could light these babies on our own if we had to.Checking out the tents that the soldiers would stay in.Official business.Don’t we look fab?
After the museum, Mike and Hayley left to pick up a rental car for the next day and the boys and I went to the beach. They had fun digging, but it was just buggy and hit and gross water so I wasn’t too comfortable. Nothing like the gorgeous beaches from the Bahamas. We went to get ice cream after a while and I can’t believe how expensive Ben and Jerry’s is!! It cost us $17 for 3 small cones! Mike and Hayley went to Golden Corral and paid about the same for all you can eat buffets, complete with a dessert bar, so they definitely came out the winners on that one!!
Digging holes and finding creatures. The beach here smelled like bleh and it was just unimpressive to me. On a positive note, I drove the dinghy on my own twice like a boss and didn’t run it aground anywhere!We found this interesting cave/house/foundation nearby that led to lots of questions but not many answers.Hayley was in her glory at Golden Corral!!A pretty nice evening at anchor!
After a peaceful night at at anchor we started our day off with a stop at the Yorktown Battlefield. We learned more about the actual battle that took place here and walked the fields where the battle was fought. It was interesting to think about life at that time, and how the soldiers lived. It also just looked like a lot of grassy fields. The kids earned Junior Ranger badges and they were a lot of work!! For kids and parents!!
Junior Rangers extraordinaire!
Moving on we went to the Jamestown Museum which was about a half hour away. As an awesome surprise, one of my mom’s college roommates met up with us!! Diane has been following our blogs (which makes me feel bad for being so far behind!!) our loving our adventures. When she heard we were close by, she came to check out Jamestown with us and see what life is like adventuring with us. It was a great surprise!!
We were excited to have a visitor!! Thank you for meeting up with us, Diane!!
Visiting the Jamestown museum was much more interesting to our crew because we got to actually walk on replicas of the ships that came over in 1607 and see what their pallisade (fort) and homes were like. There were also demonstrations about weapons, Native Americans, cooking, and games children would play. The setting made the idea of Jamestown come alive for us. We also were well prepared because we read a few kids’ novels about Jamestown and even watched Pocahontas (I know, I know, but it helped the kids make good connections!!). It felt like a boat school win to help the idea of being a pilgrim in Jamestown come alive for the kids!! (Still now, 6 weeks later I’m reading some great books about women in Jamestown, and Mike and I are watching the PBS show Jamestown. Apparently we’re hooked on Jamestown!!)
Checking out the pelts inside Native American huts.Fits him perfectly!!Quite different than most canoes we’ve seen!They had great fun trying out the games.It was HOT out there!! Whew!!Replicas of the ships that came to Jamestown from England in 1607. It was interesting to walk around the ship and compare it to our INNTW! The ships really weren’t that big.Learning about the weapons used during that time.Playing the part.
We said goodbye to Diane and she gave us all some special treats she bought for us. Thank you, Diane, for going out of your way to meet up with us and shower us with some attention and treats!!
Our plan was to continue on to the actual original Jamestown settlement, but we were historied out from all that exploring in the heat, so we opted instead to drive a loop through the area. There aren’t any remaining buildings or ruins left from the settlement anyway, so we didn’t feel like we missed out on too much.
And instead, we made some time for relaxing at the brewery!! We all played games and took advantage of their comfy couches and air conditioning to relax for a bit before returning our car.
When we arrived back at the marina our boat friends Forever Friday were tied up at the dock, so we bombarded their boat for a while before heading back to INNTW for dinner.
This tour boat sailed around Yorktown harbor. Makes me think of what it would have been like to live during that time period.
We had a great stop at this peaceful anchorage and loved exploring the history nearby. Thanks for reading about our adventures!!
The next morning was Memorial Day, and it seemed fitting that we were heading in to Norfolk. We tied up in the marina by mid-morning (thank goodness that bridge was finally open!!) and were excited to get adventuring. The marina is right next to a hoppin part of town with a park and restaurants.
Look at this great park right next to the marina!! They even provide yard games for the kids like bats, balls, frisbees, jump ropes, etc.
Tobin practiced his jump rope skills.Pitcher Colin did a great job!!
We continued our day walking over to the Wisconsin Battleship and Museum. We learned about the shipping industry in Norfolk and how their large port leads to jobs and industry in the area. We read about how the Wisconsin served in the Pacific during WWII, the Korean War, and again during Desert Storm. We walked along the decks of the Wisconsin and toured through the different levels of bunks, cafeterias, and offices.
The bunks make us thankful for INNTW!! The kids were interested to see that there was a donut shop that made Krispy Kremes all day. Wowzas!!
Later, at the museum, the kids took turns working a space rover with a robotic arm. Tobin touched all the creatures in the touch tank, and we watched a 3D movie about aircraft carriers. It was a good day with lots to learn and explore.
As we left the building, we happened to find a bird sitting under a park bench. The boys were thrilled to be able to hold it and pet it.
We picked up Jimmy Johns and took it back to the park by our boat. The kids played with the yard games again, and later they changed into swim suits and went in the fountain.
There are decorated mermaids decorating the city, so that was fun!!There are strategically placed retractable walls around the city to protect it in times of flooding.
We had a great time exploring Norfolk! Thanks for reading and following our adventures.
We planned to stop in Elizabeth City for some of the afternoon because we heard some great things about the area. 1-they have a free wall. 2-there is a brewery closeby 3-it is a nice stop on the way to the lock to enter the Dismal Swamp.
On the way, we passed by an old Naval blimp airdock from WWII in Weeksville. This is where they housed the blimps that patrolled the NC coastline looking for German U-boats. The hangar is over 1,000 feet long, 150 feet high, and 300 feet wide. HUGE!! And FASCINATING!!
Heading in to Elizabeth City
We passed through a drawbridge in the middle of town and got tied up on our 2nd choice of free docks. Unfortunately the dock with the easiest access was full, so we went to our 2nd choice. It turns out that there are gates to the business next to this free dock that lock when the business closes, cutting off access to your boat. Thank goodness one of the workers came out and told us that or we would have been truly homeless for the night!! We had about 3 hours until we needed to get back to the boat, so we went to go find the brewery.
After walking through town, we found that the brewery was closed until 4:00. On a Saturday!! That was after the time we needed to be back to the boat, so we headed to a different restaurant and were not impressed by the cleanliness or the food. Bummer. I would have much rather saved my money and ate on the boat.
Then I wanted to go to the museum, but I was overruled because the kids wanted to go to a splash pad I found on my map app. It was quite a walk and kind of small when we got there, but we made the most of it. Mike took us for ice cream cones to make the walk back to the boat a little easier.
Overall, our experience in Elizabeth City was a bust. We had high hopes, but it just didn’t turn out to be all that great for us. Ah well, can’t complain about ice cream and a splash pad, I guess.
Mid-afternoon, we left the dock and headed towards the mouth of the Dismal Swamp. The Dismal Swamp is a hand-dug canal dating back to the early 1800’s. It took slaves 12 years to dig the 22 mile long trench in very rough conditions. Between the heat, bugs, swamp, and wild animals such as bears, bobcats, and snakes, I don’t think working on the canal was a prized work assignment. It is a fascinating area though. I did some research on the swamp as we went through and learned that it was a safe haven for thousands of Native Americans and escaped slaves throughout the years because the harsh conditions meant that they were unlikely to be discovered.
A narrow opening in an old railroad bridge. Driving a catamaran through these areas would be a bit stressful!!
The swamp has a lock at the beginning and the end that only open 4 times a day, meaning that you need to really plan your arrival carefully. We chose to get pretty close to the first lock after leaving Elizabeth City with the plan that we would lock through with the 8:00 lock in the morning.
Driving towards our anchorage, we passed through narrow channels with towering trees, calm brown water, and little civilization. It was absolutely beautiful and felt like we were completely isolated from people.
Our wake behind us.The trees came right up out of the water like that–no river banks. Interesting.There was one area with about 4 houses in a row we passed.
Mike got about 3 miles from the lock and just dropped the anchor in the middle of the channel since the locks were closed for the day, meaning no other boats would be passing through here. Then, we figured we’d be moving before the first locks the next day, so we would be out of the way for new boats coming through. Even knowing no other boats would be coming through, it felt weird to be right in the middle of the river, but it sure was beautiful.
This looks like a good place to drop the hook.Sunset in the swamp.Hayley and Tobin spent some time fishing. It was so peaceful!
Colin has been making baskets since we left St. Augustine, where he first saw a park ranger making them. He finished his 3rd basket underway today and we were all impressed by how well he’s doing!! He just uses pine needles and string. I love that he is creative and confidant enough to try new things and then try, try again to make them even better.
Obviously he feels pretty excited about his creation!His 3rd attempt at basket making.
Our night was very calm and relaxing. Until we climbed into bed. Then, all of a sudden we heard some scratching in the back of the boat that had us scrambling out of bed to see what it was. It seems that our boat was very slowly spinning with the changing of the current and we were scraping against the branches and bushes along the shore. Not exactly an ideal situation for the inflatable dinghy or the unprotected props, not to mention the plastic windows. Mike pulled in the windlass a little to move us closer to the center of the channel and that helped just enough that we squeaked past the trees and swung around facing the other direction. Originally Mike told me to go out there on the bow to pull up the windlass and I told him “no way!” There was no way I was going out on the bow in the swamp at night. With those branches touching our boat, who knows if any snakes or creepy crawlies were out there?! Luckily, that was the end of the excitement for that day.
Stats for May 26, 2019
Origin: Turner’s Cut
Destination: Top Rack Marina
Distance:
Speed: 5.9 mph
Time on the Move: 5 hours and 9 minutes BUT FOREVER NOT MOVING
The next morning, we were moving shortly after 7 to make it a few miles down the canal to the first lock for the 8:00 opening. As we neared, Mike called the lockmaster and was told that they didn’t have power and were waiting on a bucket truck with a longer arm to come and reach the transformer. He instructed us to tie up to the dolphins (piles) and he would let us know when he was ready. That was at about 7:50am. It was already 80+ degrees, humid as can be, without a bit of breeze.
Excited about the day and our trip through the Dismal Swamp.
It didn’t take long before we were rafted 4 deep in two rows waiting for the power to come back on. Unfortunately the next bucket truck that arrived didn’t have a long enough arm either, so they were waiting on another truck to arrive. It was SO HOT!!
We watched a movie, I blogged, I took a shower, Mike worked out, Mike played his music loud enough to annoy our neighbors, and we all got so frustrated. It was extremely hot and sweaty just sitting around.
FINALLY, we saw a bucket truck working on the transformer and all the boats started to cheer. We were so excited that someone was there helping us.
That is a pretty tall power pole, I guess. All that waiting for just the right truck.
After a short bit we were cleared to start entering the lock. We hadn’t locked for months and months, but this was a pretty easy lock, so we weren’t too worried. Cramming all the boats into the lock that were waiting took a while and required some rafting up of boats. And finally, we were ready to lock through. The locks were not set up for big boats like ours and the fact that the cleats didn’t have any posts sticking off made it tricky to keep our lines on the post when we were on the high side of the lock. Just a different style with new things to think about. Everyday teaches us something new on this trip, that’s for sure!!
We FINALLY locked through by 1:00pm for the 8:00am lock. 4 hours of waiting in the extreme heat was not how we thought this day would go.
Getting ready for this long awaited day, we were trying to feel like this:
But it was SO HOT we really felt like this:
This was DEFINITELY our hottest day on the boat of our entire trip!!
At this point, we had 2 choices. The swamp is generally traversed at a slow pace, but Mike did NOT want to stay overnight at the visitor’s center, as so many people do, to explore and fully enjoy the swamp. He did NOT want to “get stuck” there any longer than we already had been. Understandable. So that meant that we had 2 1/2 hours to pass the 22 miles to the last lock. Most people travel through at about 5 miles per hour, but we went through at about 9-10 in order to make the last lock.
This fast pace can be bad for several reasons. There are lots of floating trees and logs that boater’s call “dead heads” just below the surface. If you hit one, that is bad for the prop and hull and the faster you’re going, the bigger the problem it is. Also, the scenery is meant to be enjoyed, that is why we chose to go through the swamp. Yet, instead of a nice calm ride, we were just melting, complaining about our long delay, and praying to escape before the afternoon lock closed. Ah well, we enjoyed the trip, just at a faster speed than we had planned.
The boys were up top being very picturesque for a while. They were excited to see any creatures that might be out there.The water was very brown and disgusting looking. However, we learned it is very dark from all the tannins from the surrounding foliage. I guess science like that is cool and not disgusting, though it is still not a good place to swim. Not even on a 100* day.Crossing from North Carolina to Virginia.As we approached, we noticed that the water would pull away from the banks of the river and expose the tops of a row of piles along the banks. We’re guessing it is the retaining wall from when the canal was originally built, which is absolutely fascinating (but…maybe they just put it in last year, who knows?!).Such a beautiful view! To distract us from the sweat pouring down our bodies, I started reading a “My America” book about Jamestown to Tobin and Hayley, getting ready for an upcoming stop.More of the same. Nature and beauty and peace.
On our 22 miles through the swamp, we ended up seeing 1 water snake, a few ducks, and a few kayakers. We also hit a few things, but nothing that we think caused any major issues. It was a beautiful trip, but way too hot and much more stressful than we anticipated.
We arrived for the 3:30 lock at about 3:15. It was perfect timing. There was only one other boat in sight. However, the lockmaster decided to wait for all the other boats that got held up by the morning lock fiasco. It was very nice of him, but very frustrating for us because we were left to hold station and idle in place until about 4:30 when he finally locked us through. If we had known they would hold the afternoon lock, we would have gone slower. But at least we would be out of the swamp and moving ahead freely, on our own schedule.
Boats just kept coming and coming, piling up behind us waiting for the last lock of the day. That guy behind us sure was not giving us much room to maneuver around.
We planned to head right in to Norfolk, but this trip has taught us again and again to be patient and flexible and we were in for another opportunity to practice our skills. When we arrived at one of the railroad bridges along the way to the marinas in Norfolk, it was down. The bridge tender said it was undergoing maintenance, and she wasn’t sure how long it was going to be. We sweated and idled and sweated and idled with about 30 of our closest boat friends, waiting, hoping, pleading for the bridge to go up. Finally, after an hour or so, we gave up and made a new plan. There was a marina about 4 miles the wrong way down the river (closer to where we just came from!) that offered slips with power (AIR CONDITIONING) for just $1/foot, so we headed there. Whew!! AC never felt so good!! I don’t think any of us stepped foot off the boat that night except to plug in the power cords, but we were sure thankful to be there and relaxing in the cool air!
We just wanted the bridge to open, but it was not in the cards for the evening. I’m glad we made another plan when we did!
Thank you for following our adventures and reading all about our hot and delayed trip through the Dismal Swamp. Hopefully tomorrow will be a less eventful day!
When the anchor came up THIS muddy, I should have taken it as an omen about the day and dropped it right back down. I mean look at all that mud?! I brought up about half a foot of chain at a time and sprayed and sprayed and sprayed the thick gooey mud off, making a mess of the deck. Painstaking. Filthy. Slow. I think Mike might actually have gone back to sleep for a bit while I worked. Finally, the anchor was up and I only had the deck left to clean.
We headed over to the ferry dock to quick pick up our bikes. We know you’re not supposed to dock there, but we were going to be quick–just long enough to load up the bikes. Of course we had to explain this to 2 boaters and a ferry worker in the 17 seconds we were docked there. 5 bikes back on the boat and we escaped before the ferry showed up. All this before coffee, even.
Now out to the Pamlico Sound to start our day towards Manteo. I hoped it would be an easy day, despite the fact it would be a bit long. We were down a kid, and things are always surprisingly easier with just 1 child out of the equation. It doesn’t matter which one. I’m not picking favorites, but when we only have 2 kids, things just seem to flow better.
But that was when we were counting on 1 1/2-2 foot waves. We expected them to be on the bow, like they were, but we did not expect them to multiply in size. The day started off a little rough and instead of getting easier, it just got worse and worse. We were stuck traveling 66 miles into 4′ waves right on the bow. If they were coming from any other direction I would have loudly suggested we turn around and go back to our quiet little harbor, but waves on the bow are the best place to take waves on our boat.
9 hours (or so) that we were expecting our trip to take would be forever in those waves. Never ending white caps. Barely any land in sight. Only 3 boats within sight all day. It was just not comfortable. Mike decided to run a bit faster and to see if it would be better, and it was, but it still wasn’t comfortable to the point where we could walk around the boat safely or do anything at all besides hold on, really.
Then came the realization that several things on our boat were not as they should be. The paddleboards that are tied on the bow were taking an awful lot of wind. The top one was flapping in the wind like a sheet and slamming down onto the bow. I was worried that the strap holding it down would break free, and then we would have a huge problem if it blew into our salon windshield. We were also watching the dinghy closely because the water was washing over the swim platform and lifting it up off the davits and setting it down a little out of place. The dinghy was strapped down, but just by one strap. We couldn’t even put the tow rope on it, just in case it slipped off the davits, because the drain plug was pulled out, so it would surely sink if it slipped off the swim platform.
Besides these two major issues, there were all kinds of leaks and groans from running the boat so hard in rough water. But, we know the boat can take much more than we can, so seeing no better options, we continued on towards Manteo. Poor Mike had to just watch all day as the boat bashed into the waves. I at least got to play some games on the floor with the boys to help distract us and pass the time. Thank goodness we only had 2 kids with us that day. Regardless, it was not the “easy” travel day I hoped for.
The waves were like hills behind our boat.
By running a little harder, the good news was that we didn’t have to travel quite so long. And boy oh boy did we deserve some nice calm water and a shorter trip after bouncing through those waves!! The bonus was that there was a playground right next to our marina and a brewery literally across the street. The kids played while Mike washed the salt crust off the boat and I got laundry started, and then off to the brewery we went.
Walking over to the brewery.Here we are feeling like smarties that the laundry is getting done AND the kids are playing at the playground, all within sight, while we’re taking a quick break at the brewery. Well deserved!This sign in the marina bathroom cracked me up!! Lots of boaters don’t flush toilet paper and habits are hard to break!!Tobin got some fishing in off the dock.We were treated to this beautiful sunset sky. Red sky at night means sailor’s delight. Yeah, right!!
I have to say, as much as the ride wasn’t fun on this particular trip, it’s funny how the stress of a bad ride disappears so quickly once things calm and we’re tied up safe at the dock. It wasn’t a scary day (other than the thought of a broken windshield or losing the dinghy), but it was just a very long, uncomfortable ride. However, a few hours later, looking at this sunset, those bad experiences start to soften.
The next day we moved the boat about 500 feet to a free dock right next to the marina. Seriously–who would stay at a marina when they could stay at a free dock?! I guess people who need power or need to do laundry, but we felt pretty lucky to move over to the free dock. Even closer to the playground, if that’s possible.
Free is the perfect price!!
Mike’s mom came to pick us up and take us back to their condo a short drive away in Nag’s Head. She told us we could have their car to do exploring and sight seeing in the area and then later, the grandparents would watch the kids while we had an adult dinner out!! This day just keeps getting better and better!!
We started our adventures off by going to Kitty Hawk to learn about the Wright Brothers and see the area where they perfected their flying machines. It was interesting to learn about their childhood with parents who raised them to be creative and think outside the box and a sister who believed in them completely. The kiddos all earned Junior Ranger badges and it was really a lot of work (for all of us).
A model of the 1901 flyer.I can only wonder what kind of inventions are locked away inside this sweet boy.
The question was, “What inspires you??” Hayley: hard work. Tobin: inventions. Colin: pizza and robots. Kelly AND Mike: trying new things.
Getting sworn in for his Junior Ranger badge. I love the innocence of his response to “raise your right hand.” The other kids had a bit more to do, so they finished next. This park ranger loved our INNTW story and was very supportive of our choice to take our kiddos traveling. We have definitely had lots of amazing experiences that would have taken a lifetime of family vacations to match.
Next we headed to Jockey’s Ridge State Park because we heard something about sand dunes. I imagined some big sand hills, but I didn’t think it would look like the desert!! What a crazy place this is with all the sand piled up!! It was interesting to learn that the dunes are always moving and drifting due to the coastal winds blowing the sand. I seriously think it would be possible to get lost out here if we weren’t careful. And then I wouldn’t get my date night. Yikes!!
We chose to leave sandals behind, and we’re lucky the sand wasn’t any hotter or that would have been a bad choice.The amount of sand, and the hills, and the wind were just crazy here. It was a great stop!!
On our way back to Grandma and Grandpa’s beach condo, we saw a drive-thru beer store called “Brew Thru.” We were amazed and delighted by such a concept, so we had to stop!! What a country!!
It was lined with beer coolers, warm beer, and some souvenir gear. This place thought of everything!!Look at all those choices!!We were obviously impressed!! Michigan needs to get in on this idea!!
We took our new goodies back to the beach condo and joined Larry and Cheryl for a swim in the pool. The kids raced each other and even challenged their dad and grandpa to races.
Can you believe anyone still has energy for more adventures?! Just writing about everything we cram into one day is exhausting!! But of course, there’s more!!
As promised, Larry and Cheryl fed the kids and had some good quality grandparent time with the kids so Mike and I could go out to dinner. We haven’t been able to “get away” from the kids in quite a while (and we even had a car!!), so the choices of what to do were overwhelming. We ended up eating at Outer Banks Brewing Company, which is partly powered by a wind generator (awesome!). Then we headed to…where else but the grocery store?! We took advantage of being kid free and having a trunk to stock up!! After that we went to some place on a pier to listen to live music and we got lucky because the band was awesome!! It was one of those nights that was hard to tear yourself away and be home by 9 like you said you would be. We made it, but just a little late. We loaded up Hayley and Colin in between bags of groceries, leaving Tobin to have his turn to stay overnight with Grandma and Grandpa. It was a long day, but we got so much accomplished!!
Found these gems at the grocery store. Didn’t buy them, but they caught my eye.Parents night out!! Woo hoo!!
We had one more day in Nag’s Head, visiting with Grandma and Grandpa Herbon, so we headed to the beach right in front of their condo. It was HOT and WINDY. Tobin was so excited to show us these black things that were all over the beach. They are skate egg sacs. Skates are in the shark family, but I think they are similar to a ray. Considering how many of these things were washed up on the beach, I’m assuming they are quite plentiful in the water here! Tobin went fishing that morning and even caught a double header with 2 skates!! Woah baby. Of course the creature catcher was totally into this and all the other creepy things he found washed up on the beach.
They are not all connected by orange string, looking like nun chucks. This was a unique set up. We have heard lore about these things, calling them a “mermaid’s purse.” We were pretty stoked to see them all over the beach, though they aren’t all that exciting in reality.Tobin also had piles of these creatures in little shells that are about the size of a quarter. They are apparently called sand fleas. They are gross and smell horrible. Tobin loved them, but he did not eat any that I’m aware of.Here is the creature catcher with some other finds. The thing on the right is a skate tail and the one on the left is a mystery. This kid was in his glory.
We headed back to the pool and then took advantage of unlimited hot water to shower everyone living on a boat. Then we headed to another “shrimp hour” at the spot on the pier that had live music the night before. We were lucky enough to score a table that would fit all of us. The shrimp were 15 cents each so we splurged and ordered 80. Most of the people at our table were thrilled. Colin, Hayley, and I moved right past shrimp hour and on to the dinner hour.
Grandma took one for the team and helped Tobin peel most of his shrimp!What a great spot!!The whole Herbon crew!!
Our last stop was another pier where there was an aquarium and lots of fishermen to keep us all entertained. We watched these guys pull in all kinds of fish!! The kids were cracking up at how many fish they were catching. It was fun to watch and had a beautiful view!!
Love those smiles!Hayley’s imitation of the fish on the pier. The fishermen were pulling them in so fast they didn’t even bother to put them in the cooler!! We watched 30+ fish pile up on the pier in a half hour or so.Gorgeous!!There is an increasing competition between Hayley and Tobin to jump in on selfies with Mike and I. Oh the joys of sibling rivalry!
We’ve really enjoyed having Larry and Cheryl around off and on for the last 10 days or so. We appreciate their effort to visit, their flexibility on the “where” and the “when,” their chauffeur services, and their willingness to take all the kids for some special one on one time!! Thank you, thank you, and we love you!!
We had a great time in Nag’s Head and the surrounding area!! Thanks for reading about and following along on our adventures!!
We were up and on our way early to get away from the smell of those shrimp boats…BLEH!! Just kidding (kind of)!! We were anxious to get to Ocracoke and get our long travel day heading out to the middle of nowhere under our belt. Heading to the Outer Banks is off the typical looper path, but many loopers travel this route, if weather permits. Since we’re meeting Mike’s parents out this way, we made sure weather permitted.
Never a dull moment, even underway!
Even though we had a pretty good ride, I was still thankful to get closer to land and find our anchorage. Right away the harbor reminded us of Beaver Island, Michigan. A very protected harbor, surrounded by fishing and pleasure boats, out in the middle of nowhere.
This car ferry docked right next to us as we made a quick stop to drop off our bikes on land before dropping the hook. There is a passenger ferry and a car ferry (from 2 different directions) that head to Ocracoke because the state doesn’t maintain the bridges and roads here anymore. Instead, they just run ferries.
After the anchor was set, we were ready to get off the boat and explore this gem of a town. First, that requires us to get our bikes in working order. They take quite a bit of abuse from sun and salt water sitting out there on the bow, so every time we go to use them, Mike has to work all the kinks out first. He is such a patient dad to put all that work in. He must really love bike rides!!
Of course 3 of the bikes needed attention on this day, but mine was the worst. I peddled but the chain wouldn’t catch and would just go round and round. Mike finally decided he needed to remove my tire and do some more work on it back at the boat.
Just a little rust…
Since my bike was out of commission for the day, we tried to walk around and explore. We went through the museum and then to the British Cemetary. Back during WWII these 4 British soldiers were killed off the coast of North Carolina, while helping fight German U-boat attacks off the coast. Britain promises to bury British soldiers on British land, but rather than ship the bodies home, they permanently leased this small portion of the island and buried their dead here. It was interesting and kind of sad that the soldiers are actually so far from home. It seems to be quite the destination in town, so they have lots of good thoughts sent to them from Americans. In a bigger cemetery right next door, I saw a family that lost 3 children in the same month. I’m guessing it was a yellow fever outbreak, because that seemed to be quite common in this area during the late 1800s. There are over 80 cemeteries on Ocracoke!!
The town was kind of busy and things were kind of spread out, so walking wasn’t very fulfilling and we were getting frustrated and bored. Mike is always a problem solver, so he decided to rent us a golf cart for the day which is a common method of transportation on the island. It was a perfect solution to not having bikes!! Maybe even better!
After we got our wheels we were free to roam and explore! We headed to a restaurant that had “shrimp hour” instead of “happy hour.” Mike and Tobin were thrilled!! Hayley and I had chicken wings and Colin boycotted all of it.
Next we tried to get to the beach, but it was outside the main part of town where golf carts are allowed, so we had to turn back. Bummer. We found our way to the 1718 Brewery where we tasted some good brews while the kids played bean bags and ran around on the porch like monkeys.
Sometimes they get along.Found this funny sign along our way. Who knows what “choo-chee shrimp” is?!
We were really anxious to get out to the beach at Springers Point, where Blackbeard the pirate is said to have spent his last few days before losing his last battle to the US Navy just off the coast in 1718. We picked up a pizza and headed out there.
Apparently Blackbeard spent his last few days “drinking and making music” along this stretch of land, historically famous for housing pirates, as it is close to the Pamlico Sound but also great for concealing oneself. Some say there is still treasure hidden through this area, as Blackbeard’s treasure has never actually been found.
We didn’t find any treasure, but we did get some beautiful sunset views. Most of us ate pizza while Hayley just dropped hers in the sand (again and again). It was a beautiful spot and seemed pretty magical to think about it being a pirate hideout. Tobin thought it was magical because it is also now a crab sanctuary.
One of our last adventures of the day lead us to the lighthouse. It was stunning, but we were disappointed that we couldn’t see the sunset from here. The park rangers don’t keep the lighthouse open for you to walk through, so we just had to admire it from outside.
Must be time for bed for this crazy crew!!
Mike fixed my tire overnight, so the next morning started off with a bike ride. It was still a little busy and the area through town only had a narrow bike lane right next to the road, so it was a little tense. Soon a bike lane opened up, separate from the road, so that made our ride much more comfortable. We stopped at the beach to take in the sights before turning around.
I promise we were all there–the other two were probably speed racing ahead.View of the beach. This area was nicknamed “Torpedo Alley” for the high number of German U-boat attacks on allied ships. In the first 4 months of 1942, over 70 ships were torpedoed and sunk off the coast of the Outer Banks. Once the US started patrolling the area with blimps, the U-boats moved on to other areas, and the Outer Banks were again safe for merchant ships. Creepy and fascinating.Crab catching.Mike decided we earned ice cream after our ride!!
We stopped by the Blackbeard museum because we just can’t get enough of this pirate!! It was well worth the $4 per person to walk through the exhibit and learn a bit more about his life. I was amazed to learn he had only been pillaging and plundering on his own for 2 years when he was killed. After the US Navy killed him, they hung his decapitated head off their bow sprit as a warning to others. Gross!!
We learned quite a few new facts about Blackbeard.
We met up with Mike’s parents who drove and took the ferry down from Nag’s Head, NC. We had lunch on the water, overlooking INNTW, and then went exploring some more. Grandma and Grandpa went to the museum and lighthouse with Hayley while I went cruising with the boys around town in our golf cart. Later we met up at the brewery.
He couldn’t resist and just HAD to pick them up!!
After a stop at the brewery, we sent Grandma and Grandpa on their way with a very excited Hayley. She was thrilled to spend some time as an only child with Grandma and Grandpa. The rest of us went back to the boat where the boys fished while we watched a beautiful sunset. They caught a few little babies like this, but the fun thing is it doesn’t matter what they catch, as long as they’re fishing.
Bro bros fishing.
Thanks for reading and following along on our adventures!!
