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It was a great feeling to be moving again. We headed out into the busy Elizabeth River and found our way through the mêlée of tugs, barges, workboats and bridges for a while until the ICW route splits just south of Norfolk. This is the only place on the ICW where there is a choice of route for about 80 miles. When we came north we chose the westerly, more challenging Great Dismal Swamp Canal route. Heading south, we elected to take the eastern route to Coinjock through Virginia Cut. As soon as we were in the Cut, we escaped the traffic of the river and were into much quieter more rural waters.

Great Bridge township, is located on the Virginia Cut. There is a lock to transit here and a very unique lifting bridge close together. The lock is enormous as it takes tug and barge traffic and has a drop of around 3 feet heading south. Virginia Cut becomes the North Carolina Cut at the state border.

This was to be a long day, so we made an early start. Back out into the ICW south into a narrow dredged channel down the centre of the wide and winding North Landing River, through the popular stopping point of Coinjock where the waterfront is lined with restaurants and marine businesses. Then further down the Cut and out across the Albemarle Sound. This is a stretch of water to be treated with great respect. When we crossed it northbound in June, we had a howling wind and waves over the boat. Southbound was much quieter, but colder! Half way across we rejoined the other ICW route from the Great Dismal Swamp. The crossing is 17 miles, then into the Alligator River through a swing bridge. However, just before the bridge the deep channel becomes very narrow and the shoals change regularly. We followed exactly the reverse of the dog's leg route we had used safely when heading northbound, but on this occasion grounded on three attempts. Finally on the fourth attempt we found our way through. Luckily it is mostly a mud bottom so provided our reaction is quick enough and with the help of our powerful prop, we can usually extract ourselves.

The wide and tranquil Pungo River was a major contrast to the canal and this is true of the ICW. Every corner is a different vista. Every river is different from the last and each has its own eccentricities and character.

Once out of the Pungo River, we entered the wider Pamlico River which we crossed to enter Goose Creek, followed by Goose Creek Canal, out into Bay River and across to Bonnet Bay for our night's anchorage.

We were happy to turn into Adam's Creek, then Adam's Creek Canal for shelter. At the end of this canal we entered the much wider and more difficult to navigate Core Creek which leads into Beaufort. Again it rained heavily and the visibility dropped so that we could barely see markers. Our GPS is excellent and we always know exactly where we are to a couple of metres and as we approached the main commercial channel into Beaufort, the sky cleared.

So we set our anchor in Taylor Creek which runs along the Beaufort water front. The creek is very tidal with limited space so we took time to set the anchor. We have also been using a small buoy tied to the anchor in these waters so that if the anchor gets caught behind and old log or some other debris we can pull it out via the buoy rope. We also have a practice of reversing the boat gently once the anchor is down to set it into the bottom. On this day we screwed up!

We reversed the boat without realising that the current had moved the boat forward over the anchor. While reversing, the propeller found the buoy rope and jammed totally, stopping the engine. So, the buoy is trapped around the prop, which has lifted the anchor sufficiently so that it is not holding and we are drifting without an engine! We launched the dinghy and set out our second anchor. Then back on board we hauled in on the anchor rode to set that anchor and pull us out of the channel.

After we cleared Bogue Sound and entered a more sheltered part of the ICW channel, we passed by Camp Le Jeune, a very large military area used for marine training. From the water it appeared to be a marshy wildlife wilderness with the occasional firing range on the horizon. The military area includes the coastal island of Onslow Beach. There is a low swing bridge crossing the ICW connecting the two areas, which is operated by the marines.

Our journey has to have all these well coordinated so that we do not just miss an opening or have to wait in the current too long for a scheduled opening time.

Our journey took us past Wrightsville, a very trendy yachting town with some very elegant houses along the bank. We saw several dolphins along the way, some swam beside the boat for a while.

The exciting part was to slow the boat down to make the 90° turn southwest from the Cape Fear into the next narrow ICW channel at the fishing town of Southport. This channel, called "The Ditch" is lined with houses with private docks and new large residential and marina developments.

Eventually, "The Ditch" becomes Calabash Creek, then the Little River. At Little River we crossed into South Carolina. Every time the ICW channel crosses or joins a river or creek, there is a sudden cross current that can easily take the boat off course into shallow water.

We anchored off the waterfront close to the fishing warf and went ashore to explore. The town is full of restaurants and antique shops, but in our view is no match for Chestertown, where Dream On spent the summer.

It must be duck shooting season as we have seen hundreds of small camouflaged flatboats with camouflaged people with guns darting in and out of the marshland along the way.

We saw several dolphins again on this section.

Now the original plan was to have been here with Dream On by 17th October to be joined by Geoff's sister and husband, so we are only 2 and a half months late. That's cruising!

Charleston City Marina boasts a Mega-Dock. Yes it has fantastic facilities, and yes we were surrounded by wonderful boats, but it's a helluva long walk!

It's New Years Eve. We thought of all the great places we could go to in Charleston to celebrate New Year, but all would have either no space or waiting lists, and as there was just the two of us, we decided to celebrate on board with a good meal and a bottle of wine.

ICW Norfolk to Charleston - Photos