6/1/10 – Columbia, North Carolina

Alligator- Pungo Canal

This is the stern wash from "Reflection" - notice the color of the water.  The natural tannins in the canal water turn it as black as coffee.

We cast off our lines before 7 a.m., and continued north up the Pungo River and reminisced about our anchorage in this area two years ago. “Reflection” then entered the 20 mile long Alligator- Pungo Canal. This narrow waterway is scenic, but the boater must be wary of the many stumps and snags located along its banks and stay to the middle of its channel. Considering our recent prop/shaft adventure, we were very careful en route.


There were a number of sailboats motoring slower than we on this stretch, but we were always considerate, and called each on the radio requesting permission to make a “Slow Pass” with minimal wake. Each was gracious as expected, and we ended up being a forward “look-out” for the vessels behind us as we spotted and moved around a number of “dead-heads” (stump obstructions, not individuals!) in the water.

We then finally entered the wide Alligator River and then headed for the Alligator River Swing Bridge which is very close to the entrance of the somewhat notorious Albemarle Sound. Our destination today was the Alligator River Marina, just beyond the bridge. When we made our turn west into its channel, we rocked and rolled our way into the harbor as now we had the wind hard on our beam. Conditions calmed down immediately as we cleared the break-water and we were tied up safely only a short time later.

Many additional transient boats made their way in here all afternoon, as this was the only fuel stop and dockage for 86 miles! We started playing a game of “Train Dominoes” late in the afternoon, and only took a break around 6 p.m. to pick up burgers at the marina’s grill. There we met a couple who hope to do the “Loop” next year in their newly- purchased Monk trawler, “Journey”.

Tom and Melissa live in Swansboro, North Carolina, and since he is a Harbor Host for the American Great Loop Cruisers’ Association, he invited us to call them on our way south in the Fall. This was only Melissa’s fourth day on the boat, and Pat was stunned to learn that her responsibility was taking care of the engine room! That’s quite a turn-about from most cruising couples, but since Tom has knee problems, she was quite willing to take on this job. We traded stories with them and another gentleman who was “captaining” a one million dollar Regal powerboat from Florida to Stamford, Connecticut and then we returned to the boat to continue our game with George in the lead.