We love going offshore – the isolation, the peace, and the challenge of the seas. So when we saw 4 days (maybe 5) of all inshore travel with limited opportunities to throw up the sails, we were…
…slightly not so excited.
But wow, we were wrong.
This was a seriously fun stretch of sailing the ICW. It included straight shots, open bays, curvy naturesque rivers, lonely anchorages, and fun little marina stops.
We hope you enjoy this week’s episode and would love to talk about this stretch of travel from North Carolina to Chesapeke.
Drop us a comment down below the pictures!
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Even with full sun, low winds, we keep the sails out. Every little bit helps down the rivers and ICW.
This stretch of inland cruising was totally different than what we experienced back in our Texas ICW sailing days. The tall trees, straight stretches, and total lack of company was refreshing!
Pall Trees Along Alligator Canal 
The Greenery Was So Thick! 
A Landscape for Eagles 
No Humans For Days 
Navigating At Dusk 
Sunset in the Alligator River
Where We Anchored and Moored
Here’s a little helpful tidbit on where we spent the night cruising toward Chesapeake. We had a new moon, so the nights were pitch black – there was no navigating past dusk.
Remember, we were traveling through a heat spell, so marinas were preferred over anchoring, but there were quite a few anchorages to choose from.
Night 1 from Moorehead City, NC. This stretch was a bit long, but thankfully, we found RE Mayo. It’s a seafood dock where shrimp boats are moored. Their electricity (did you see our solar project?) isn’t really safe (BUT we used it). Their ship’s store is great! And the frozen seafood is solid.
Night 2 from RE Mayo. The second day was another long one, but we had plenty of anchoring choices either in the Pungo River or Alligator River. We choose Alligator. The charts warn of submerged logs, so we tied a trip line/float to our anchor. There were no problems (unlike our first time ever anchoring). …the night was filled with fighter jet training. It sounded like Tie Fighters from Star Wars.
Night 3 from Alligator River. The 3rd day led us through Albemarle Sound, and straight to the lovely little place called Coinjock. This is a must in our book. And we hope to stop there again on the way back. There’s laundry, fuel, a bar, a restaurant, and pump out right at the dock. Great place!
Night 4 in Great Bridge. Yes, there’s a bridge there, but it’s also the name of the town. In Great Bridge, we stayed at Atlantic Yacht Basin. If you need work done on the boat or professional help, this is the place. We had a few DIY projects, so the ship store had parts in stock or delivered within 2 days, and the hardware store in town had the tools and supplies we needed. There’s also a place to fill propane within walking distance as well as a grocery store, a few restaurants, and all the amenities of a town.
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