Oriental NC to Belhaven NC

Up at OHHH DARK THIRTY, in real time that would be 4:12 am, couldn't sleep so figured I would get up, shower and get the coffee going for the captain. I watched the 72 foot yacht beside us leave and the captain was "steering"  the boat from a plate like thing he wore around his neck. Obviously a remote control. How cool is that, maybe West Marine will have them on sale one day. People drive in all sorts of weird manners - I watched a man on a sportfish standing backwards with his hands behind him "steered" the boat in!
 Garth got up about 5:30 and our day started. It was the first time since Fort Lauderdale that we had been in a slip so I was double checking that all lines were off from both sides.
We made it out of Oriental, down the Neuse River through Pamlico Sound up Pungo River across the Pamlico River back into the Pungo River to Dowry Creek! Sound confusing -- some days it is!

The boat in front of us at one point ran right into a "field" of crab pots - we couldn't believe what he did, he radioed back to tell us to watch out for them and to say he was in the mud!! He did make it out, think he fell asleep at the wheel!

We arrived here about 11 :45, there were two people on the dock to meet us and grab lines - Mary the owner and John Striker from Port Dover, Ontario!! (small world) he and Garth reminisced about Orange Glow and hot dogs from the infamous "Arbor".  He  thought our BVI flag was the Ontario provincial flag -- very similar.  I started washing the boat while Garth and Zeke went to register. Garth came back with the keys to the marinas loaner car, I quickly changed and off we went to Belhaven.

Unfortunately, Belhaven has seen better times, most stores are boarded up, I went into the hardware store/wine store/gift store but didn't see anything I couldn't live without. We managed to find ice cream cones (at the flower store) - best deal in Belhaven - a plate of ice cream for Zeke and two huge cones for six bucks. The women scooping is off to Niagara Falls next week on a seniors bus trip.  people here are so friendly. We walked around the downtown marina and it appeared empty, this marina is empty and we are wondering where everyone is?? Stopped at the Food Lion and pick up a few basics before bombing back to Dowry Creek in the white Caprice with the hubcap in the front seat, no window winder and a rattle that indicates it is in serious need of a mechanical check up! Zeke spent most of the time with his head down on the back seat.......just kidding.

Hot Caprice 198??

Downtown Belhaven on a Saturday afternoon