Hampton, Belhaven, and Everything In Between

     Internet access at last! Turns out AT&T gets zero service whatsoever in most of northern North Carolina, which is why I haven't been able to update this blog for a few days. This past week has been lovely though, with mostly nice weather and plenty of beautiful scenery.
     Sunday we were anchored up the Hampton River in Hampton, Virginia. My cousin Samantha goes to college at the University of Richmond, and she drove down to see us. We got sandwiches at a little restaurant in town then went for a walk on the beautiful Buckroe Beach. It was a lovely day, I am very glad that we got to see her.
     Monday morning we crossed Norfolk Harbor. Never have I seen a more busy, industrious place. For a solid fifteen miles the shore is lined with cranes, shipping stations, and bustling people, loading goods of all sorts onto ships of all shapes and sizes. There is every type of vessel imaginable, from cruise ships to freighters to sailboats to submarines. Plus the dozens and dozens of the military's ships, which I find are both fascinating and formidable.
     Monday afternoon we got into the Dismal Swamp Canal. Despite the wretched name, it's an incredibly pretty place. We spent that evening in the canal rafted up with a dozen other boats. There we met lots of interesting people, including a fellow named Jacques on the boat right next to us. After dinner, I made a batch of brownies and climbed around from boat to boat giving them out. I found it to be a very good way to make friends.
     The next day we finished the Dismal Swamp Canal and docked at the renowned Elizabeth City. Decades ago, two Elizabeth City men decided that it would be nice to host a little party for visiting boaters to welcome them and encourage them to spend money, a gesture that was highly effective. Since dubbed the “Harbor of Hospitality”, this delightful town is exceedingly splendid towards boaters, going as far as hosting a wine and cheese party every time 5 new boats come into the port. As if that is not enough, each lady is given a red rose. I kid you not. I felt like a princess.

     While my mom and I were ashore seeking out showers, two little boys and their father struck up conversation with my dad. The toddler boys showed a great interest in the boat, so my dad invited them aboard for a tour, which all three seemed to greatly enjoy. My dad was singing the praises of their hometown, briefly mentioning that my mom and I were excited about getting roses. After a half hour of visiting, the family departed and my mom and I got back from our showers. The two little boys and their dad returned, bearing a dozen long stem roses. The shy little boys presented us with the flowers, thanking my dad again for his hospitality. “Just wanted to be sure you guys got your roses,” said the father. “Welcome to Elizabeth City.” The generosity in this little town is remarkable, the people are just so generous towards boaters. My parents and I vowed that when we get home, we will help out the boaters in our town that come ashore in search of groceries and other of civilizations’ amenities. 

     After a day spent enjoying Elizabeth City, we sailed across Albermarle Sound and up the Alligator River. We anchored in the Alligator River, a serene, undeveloped area rich in beauty and abounding with mosquitoes. The endangered red wolf lives here, but unfortunately we didn't see or hear any. My dad I decided to go for a row and explore, but after casting off discovered that we had left the oars on the big boat. This resulted in a lot of yelling and frantic paddling until my mom threw a line to us and we pulled ourselves back. 

     On Friday we passed through the Alligator-Pungo Canal and anchored at Belhaven, North Carolina. If you ever get the opportunity to visit the town's museum in Belhaven, do it. The dusty, eclectic assortment of junk there includes a jar of ermine tails, a musty old dress worn by a 700lb lady, fleas with custom made clothes (that you view through a magnifying glass), and a shelf of rusted out canned food. They also have a 6 legged pig fetus, preserved in a jar of formaldehyde. It's quite the place.

     Today we left Belhaven and motored/ sailed fifty miles. We are currently anchored in the middle of nowhere, a few miles away from Oriental, NC. It has been a calm, cool day and we are looking forward to an evening of Scrabble, tea, and Halloween candy.
     I am sad to report that my computer is being slow (yet again) and not allowing me to upload photos. Next time it decides to cooperate I will be sure to post pictures of my recent adventures!