Coinjock

We leave by 7:00 am and head north up the Alligator River. Going north there are two ICW routes to take, The Dismal Swamp to the west via Elizabeth City or the Virginia Cut. The Virginia Cut is more popular and all commercial traffic goes that route. We always take the Dismal Swamp going south and the Virginia Cut going north. The Virginia Cut should be called the “Prime Rib Cut”, because the Restaurant at Coinjock is noted for their Prime rib.

The wind picks up behind us and we motor-sail at a good pace north. We reach the Alligator River swing bridge about 2-1/2 hours later. The wind continues out of the southeast and we keep up a good pace across the Albermarle Sound. We have always been lucky here. If the wind blows from the east or west this shallow body of water can get very rough with short steep waves making too rough, to cross. Because its depths are under 20 feet, there can be crab pots anywhere, requiring constantly paying attention. Today for some reason we did not have a lot floats to deal with.

Just before we get off the Albermarle on to North River, 4 Army landing craft, transporting equipment, catch up and pass us. Strange watching them approach us from the south. 

Here comes the Army

We get to Coinjock an hour earlier than I thought we would with the boost from the wind. Arriving at Coinjock we find the 4 landing craft tided up to the dock taking on fuel. They take around 1000 gallons each. We are gone ten months and don’t use more than 800 gallons for the whole trip. 

 

Fueling up at Coinjock

 
I spend the rest of the afternoon washing the boat, taking on fuel, pumping out the waste tank and filling our water tanks.