We had a longer day planned today with our destination to be the Belhaven area. We would have to cross the Albemarle Sound and the forecast was for east winds 10-15 knots with 2 foot seas in the morning. Afternoon winds changing to southeast 10-15 knots with gusts to 25 knots. So, the plan was to leave early and get across the Albemarle before things escalated.

We were up at 0500 to be ready to leave at 0600. That went as planned and we got away at 0600 on the nose... still very very dark and we also had rain... very nice. We got to the Albemarle and winds were already blowing at 20 knots plus out of the east. This gave a following sea and the waves were at the beginning of the sound about 2 feet... two hours later when we reached the far side at the mouth of the Alligator river seas had built to 3 - 4 feet with some random larger waves. It was not a bad ride but it was definitely not what we had hoped for.

Soon as we turned into the Alligator River things calmed down immediately and we had 1 foot seas for the length of the Alligator River. The A & P Canal being so narrow we had only a ripple from the winds disturbing the otherwise flat clam water.

Current today was either no help or against us... saw our speeds drop below 6 knot in the A & P Canal but otherwise it was around 6.5 knots.

We did have quite a bit of boat traffic... most of which seemed like all men crews that were most likely on a delivery... but it was nice to see other boats moving... not just us.

We arrived to end of the A & P Canal at 1630 and decided to call it day and pulled out of the ICW to the north to a spot we have anchored many times in the past. We were securely anchored at 1645. Our location for the night N35°33.544’, W076°28.103’. We traveled today for 10 hours and 45 minutes covering 68.7 nautical miles averaging 6.4 knots.

Not a real early day leaving at 0800. We had the Great Bridge Bridge directly in front of us that opens on the hour... 0800... and the next bridge is the Centerville Turnpike Bridge and it will not open between 0600 and 0830... we needed to arrive to it for the 0830 opening. Which we did without any issues.

The next bridge is always a killer... opens every 30 minutes on the hour and half hour but we just cannot make it from the Centerville Bridge to the North Landing Bridge in 30 minutes... so, we have to go very slow and arrive for the 0930 opening. So , we moved along at a snail's pace for an hour and arrived at the North Landing Bridge at 0930.

We did have one boat pass us at the North Landing Bridge... and we actually saw a couple of other boats today... but it was like a light switch being turned on for the VHF traffic we heard from other boats moving south... never saw any of them but we sure heard a lot of them.

Today we would either go a long day running a couple of hours after sunset to make Alligator River or stop early and make the longer trip tomorrow to the Belhaven area. We opted for the shorter day today and stopped at Coinjock Marina, in Coinjock, NC.

We arrived to Coinjock and were securely docked at 1330. Our location for the night N36°20.971’, W075°56.898’. We traveled today for 5 hours and 30 minutes covering 66.8 nautical miles averaging 5.8 knots.

We had a great layover in Smithfield with Wayne and Judy McPhail... sadly, we found out that Wayne and Judy are selling their beautiful home on the Pagan River and moving to a new home in Hampton, VA... this will most likely be our last visit to Smithfield. Their new home is on the water and we will still be able to stop and see the McPhails... but will miss Smithfiled.

We departed as planned today from Smithfield at 1200 and headed out the Pagan River to the James River and finally entering the AICW at the Naval docks just north of Norfolk. Since we left on a rising tide we had the current against us the entire trip today... but never got below 6 knots.

We arrived to Great Bridge lock at 1710 just after sunset and entered the lock at 1720... 15 minutes in the lock and then a short distance to the bulkhead just before the Great Bridge Bridge. This is where we docked for the night... secure at 1745.... N36°43.285', W076°14.506'. We traveled today for 5 hours and 45 minutes covering 32.4 nautical miles averaging 5.9 knots.