Dec 20th Road Trip to Lakeland, Fl

We drove to Florida today and will spend Christmas with my Mom. Express trip down and we'll take our time returning poking around along the coast.  More to follow.

Dec. 18th New Bern

Dec 8th we flew to NH to pick up the van. Stayed 2 nights with my sister and brother-in-law. Visited with family and friends, it was a short stay so our visits were mostly with family. Left the 10th to drive back to New Bern, took 2 days for our return trip and enjoyed a leisurely drive through Pa to avoid all the big city traffic.
We'll be driving to Lakeland, Fl the end of this week to spend Christmas with my Mom, not exactly sure how long we'll be gone. We'll be doing some exploring on the way home. We are still very happy with our decision to stay here in New Bern, what a great city to spend some time in. And, now we have a car here to do some exploring.

These bears are all over the city, this one is outside the farmer's market. Yes they have a farmer's market year round we look forward to going on Saturday mornings.

 

Nov 30th Arrived in New Bern, NC

We're in slip C11 at New Bern Grand Marina, we've made the decision to stay here for 3 Months. Just need a break from cruising on the boat. We'll be headed to NH to get the Van and do some cruising in that. It's 11 hrs by car to my Mom's vs at our pace at least 11 days by boat.

Arriving in New Bern on Nov 30th



New Bern Grand Marina just ahead.

 Dec 1st Christmas Parade will be starting soon downtown, luckily Urban Renual didn't hit this town. Like all small towns just a lot of people enjoying themselves.

 Boat parade in the evening, these are a couple of boats getting ready for the parade.

Just one pic with lights, my camera didn't do a very good job with pictures at night.

 

November 23rd - 29th Elizabeth City to Oriental.

Headed from Elizabeth City to the Alligator River, passed the Building where Airships were flown from.

Note the model on the ground in front of the building.

 

 Steve and Judy on Bentana just enough wind to sail for a while.

 Headed through the Swing Bridge on the Alligator River.

 It's been a little chilly. Anchored at Tuckahoe Pt at the entrance of the Pungo Canal.

 Syrina crew spent Thanksgiving with us.

 Trucking down the canal, Roger on Sylvia G.

 Mile Marker 125, were cruising along.

Bridge clearance is posted on some bridges.

 

 Parade of boats ahead of us.

 and a few more behind us also.

 Shrimp boats docked alongside the canal.

 Lovely park in Oriental.

Had lunch there today. Hoping to watch some boats go by but there were very few.

 These signs are all over town with the history of what had been there at one time.

 Dragon is the symbol of Oriental.

 

 

 

Nov 19th-22nd Thanksgiving

Traveled the remainder of the Dismal Swamp, anchoring behind Goat Island.

Elizabeth City on the 20th, Thanksgiving tomorrow with 4 other boats.

Sorry didn't do a very good job a capturing pictures of everyone. Russell, Bill, Donna, and Glen and his wife were also present. 

On the dock at Elizabeth City, docked next to Lady Pauline and Bentana  is off to the port.

 Another view of the free docks.

 Downtown, note the Christmas decorations.

 Plaque at the head of out dock

One more view

 Roger dishing up on Moonraker

Brian and Steve 

 Judy, Roger & Dave

Steve, Judy & Roger







Nov 15th -> Nov 19th

We headed to the Dismal Swamp from Great Bridge, original plan was to anchor and go through the Deep Creek Lock the next day but couldn't find the anchorage. Oops  Lock keeper Robert is great, we were the only ones in the lock.

 

 

 

  

 View from our dock.

 Looking back down the canal toward the dock and lock.

Just passed through the bridge.

Pictures along the way.

 

Nice rootbeer colored water in the canal.

Old Superintendant's home, I was a little late getting the picture taken.

Cattle crossing bridge.

 It was a beautiful day but a little chilly.

We're in North Carolina.

First one to the dock at the welcome center.