Wednesday, June 10
Dowry Creek (Belhaven) – South Lake (Alligator River Anchorage)
48.84 nm 8 hours underway
It was a quiet morning on Dowry Creek, and the cast of characters on the dock were all too happy to lend a “helpful” hand as we prepared to leave. Thankfully, we didn’t need much help—undocking was smooth—and just like that, we were on our way.
As we eased into the channel, we were immediately greeted by Dowry Creek’s two resident bald eagles. Little did we know, they were setting the tone for the entire day.
The stretch from Belhaven to the head of the Alligator River—just before entering the Albemarle Sound—takes you through the Pongo River and into the Alligator River. The Pongo is narrow, remote, and wonderfully quiet – a nice contrast from the weekend. The shoreline is mostly untouched, broken only by the occasional fish camp or a small sandy “beach” that feels like it hasn’t changed in decades.
That remoteness delivered the highlight of the day. Two more bald eagles appeared, and this time we were lucky enough to capture one in flight. They are truly majestic creatures. It might sound a little hokey, but with July 4th approaching—and our nation’s 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence on the horizon—it felt even more meaningful to see them out here in the wild.
A last-minute decision to change our anchorage—thanks to shifting winds—proved to be the right call. The spot we chose turned out to be peaceful, protected, and exactly what we needed for the night.
Getting there, however, was a different story.
The entrance was a full-on crab pot minefield. We’ve dealt with crab pots before, but nothing like this. There was no pattern—no neat rows, no consistent colors—just chaos. And whoever decided that black crab pots were a good idea… that person is simply evil.
We crept along, eyes locked on the water, calling them out like air traffic control.
“Red one—1:00.”
“Black one—11:00.”
“Green one—12:00.”
Over and over again.
By the time we made it safely through, if Kevin never hears Heather call out another crab pot for the rest of this trip, it will be too soon.
As we settled in to the anchorage, Kevin fired up the generator – and then it died. Thankfully, Kevin was able to replace the impeller and we were able to sleep in the cool of the air conditioning for the night. Crisis averted.
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