Mile Marker Zero

Hello!

Before we left Beaufort, we put the dinghy in the water and took a ride down Taylor Creek to see the feral horses and other beautiful scenery. We also took a tour of Beaufort on their double-decker bus that was brought to Beaufort from England years ago. The tour guide was knowledgeable and a character (good traits for the job). "Do you know the difference between a cemetery and a graveyard?" It was a good day; we learned something new!

On Thursday, May 8, our excellent mechanic from High Tide Diesel installed our new Fuel Injector pump, and our problem was finally solved. We were thrilled; within an hour, we were off the dock, heading north. We traveled 60 miles in 4.5 hours to Dowry Creek Marina in Belhaven, NC. This was a stop Gerry made on the way north last year, and I wanted to check out the marina. We had a nice, relaxing dinner at the restaurant and were just happy to be out of Beaufort. Not that we don't love Beaufort, but after 8 days, we were ready to move on. This was the first day Gerry had to wear sweatpants and a sweatshirt all day! I even put on a jacket.

On Friday, May 9, the forecast called for the wind to diminish during the day, and we had some open water to cross as we headed up the Pungo River and across Albemarle Sound. We dropped lines around 8 am and traveled 73 miles in 5.5 hours to Coinjock, NC. As I may have previously mentioned, Coinjock is famous for its Prime Rib. Otherwise known as the $100 hamburger.... We decided to forgo the prime rib stress on our arteries and made a healthier dinner on board. Then, we took a dock walk to explore all the other boats tied up, which were also participating in the Northern migration. There was an eclectic group of people and boats, from small to huge 100' + fully crewed yachts. One couple was over 80 years old and had taken the trip 20 times.

On Saturday, May 10, we departed around 7:30 am and headed to Portsmouth/Norfolk, VA, and mile marker zero! That is the start of the 1282 mile Eastern route of the ICW.

Within a few minutes of leaving the dock, we hear on Channel 16 that a sailboat just ahead ran aground while getting out of the way of a large tug. Luckily, they were able to back up and extricate themselves from the mud without issue. We went super slow to allow the tug to get around us before we continued.

This stretch of the ICW has numerous bridges and a lock that we needed to time. It was another beautiful stretch of ICW until you reached the industrial area and the naval shipyard.

One thing to mention in these narrow parts of the ICW is the dead trees and stumps. In most places, they are off the banks, but in other areas, you need to watch out to make sure you don't hit anything.

We arrived at Tidewater Marina around 1 pm and texted with other PDQ owners who were also in the area, and we all got together for dinner. Tara and Greg on Journey, who live locally in Virginia, and Scott and Dawn on Flew the Coop, who are about a month into the Great Loop.

On the Norfolk side of the channel, there is a cruise ship port, and we have a chance to watch a Carnival Cruise spin around. I recently asked Gerry if we could upgrade to a larger boat with a second toilet, and he decided that this bucket in the third picture is the perfect, cost-effective solution. Home Depot, here we come.

We plan to arrive in Annapolis by the end of this week, take Amtrak to CT, and then Gerry and our friend Dave will head back around May 21 to bring the boat the last few legs back to Noank, CT.

Below is a sign located just south of Norfolk that allows you to access either the Albemarle Sound or the Dismal Swamp. We have not ventured down the Dismal Swamp, but we know several other people who have.

The Magnolia trees and flowers are so beautiful!

Mile Marker Zero (R 36) is where I got on AdventureUS on April 25, 2024, and together we brought her to Noank. We worked on her and played all summer in 2024, and then departed Noank for points South to embark on this fantastic adventure on October 2, 2024. It is truly remarkable that we are back here today, May 12, 2025, as we near the end of this journey.

The farthest South we made it on the ICW is Biscayne Bay at Mile Marker 1095.

The farthest West we've been is Captiva, FL, from Stuart to Fort Myers, across the Okeechobee, which is 154 miles.

The farthest East was the Abacos, in the Bahamas.

We've traveled over 5,000 miles and spent seven months exploring amazing places and meeting people with whom we've shared lifetime memories. What a trip it's been.

P.S. Our good friends Lorna and Frank became grandparents this past week. 🍼👶

Congratulations, and what a cute little guy he is! I'm looking forward to meeting him in person at RIYC!