Friday, October 21st, 2011 Pelican Marina, Elizabeth City, NC

  It was near freezing, 40 degrees outside and 50 in the boat!  We got our alcohol heater going, which helped, but were thinking of the marina with electricity and our little electric heater.  We three sailboats left about 10am to get the 11am opening of the South Mills Bridge and the South Mills Lock.  I hailed the lockmaster and he said he’d open the bridge but there was a disabled boat going into the lock.  We had to wait for them to get the small powerboat situated in the lock before we could enter.  Later we saw TowBoat US speeding up the river; Ken said the skipper said it would have cost about $1000 if they didn’t have insurance.

  I finally saw turtles basking on the logs and deadheads in the Pasquotank River.  Lots of them, big, little, all in a row on logs or 2 or 3 perched on tiny deadheads.  The wind had picked up, a strong west wind.  There was room at the City Dock but the thought of electricity made us decide to go into Pelican Marina.  They put us in an inner slip and with the west wind blowing behind us, we knew it’d be tricky trying to maneuver.  There was no straight shot into the slip.  I could see it was beyond my expertise and quickly gave the helm to Ken.  He’d turn the boat only to have the wind catch it, then have to back down, afraid he might go too far where it was too shallow.  I was running up and down the deck fending us off pilings.  At one point he almost had it, stern in, but had it in forward instead of reverse so had to start over.  The marina hands were cheering us on:  ‘You’ve got it now, Skipper.’  ‘Almost.’  ‘One more try will do it.’  I swear one smoked a cigarette waiting for us.  We finally made it, bow in, tied lines around the pilings, and were secure.  Whew!  That was exciting!  Of course, as soon as we got in the slip, I started worrying about how we were going to get out!

  After showers we all decided to walk to town to check out the city docks.  One local yokel gave us a ride in his truck, Ken having to ride in the bed.  We said hi to Bob from ‘Ace of Diamonds’ and Ray and Jody from ‘Whisper’, then ate supper at the Cypress Creek Grill and walked back to the marina.