Up the Pungo (and down the Alligator)

From Oriental, NC. White Pepper set off just after the morning fog burned off at 9 am. A long winding journey was in store for the day. First we sailed down the Neuse river to the Pimlico Sound, then along the edge of the sound to turn up the short stretch of the Bay River. After that there was a 5 n. mile trip thru a canal and past Holbucken. There is a Coast Guard Station at Holbucken. It might be the only Coast Guard station set in a pasture. Finally we entered Goose Creek and then turned into the Pimlico River. It was about 4 n. mi. across the Pimlico River into a short choppy sea. It was late afternoon and the sea breeze had firmly set in. Bath, NC was 30 miles up the river--well out of our way.

The next leg was the most interesting as White Pepper turned into the Pungo River. The Pungo is wide, deep and short. Ten miles up the river is Belhaven NC--a small, sleepy, post commercial village. We could have easily anchored in the river itself, but decided to stay at the Dowry Creek Marina. Dowry Creek Marina is a sleepy but well run operation that caters to the transient trade. Mary, the owner, will quickly tell you that she is living her late husband's dream and would not have it any other way. Mary let us and new friends, Richard and Kathy, take the marina's truck into Belhaven. We checked out the library downtown. Nothing else was open so we drove out to the highway for groceries and fast food Chinese.

After two days at Dowry Creek and after one last long shower, Jan and I shoved off for the Alligator River. First we had to go under Albert B. Jones bridge. All bridges on the ICW are supposed to have 65 feet of clearance. This bridge has only 64 feet of clearance on good days. The chart and cruising guides warn of as much as two feet less clearance "sometimes." There is no celestial tide here so this mysterious missing two feet is probably due to wind driven tides. Sixty two feet is just about where White Pepper's masthead is. We passed under bridge very slowly and breathed a hugh sigh of relief as we entered the 25 n. mile long Pungo-Alligator canal. The wind was right on the nose all day slowing us down to 4 knots. By the time White Pepper finally got to the Alligator River is was late and we anchored at the first possible spot.

The Alligator River is one of the most remote and desolate spots that I have ever been. It is in the middle of absolutely nowhere surrounded by second and third growth scrub and swamp. There are not even any alligators there. The only sign of civilization were two F14 fighter jets that kept circling overhead. Later we learned that the Navy maintains a bombing run nearby.

The next day despite an early start the wind stayed right on the nose funneling down the river. With a steep chop added to the 15 knot head wind progress was very slow. Finally at 2 pm we ducked into the Alligator River Marina to wait for a change in the weather and wind.