WX Delay in Belhaven, NC

Saturday we began our journey down the ICW from Portsmouth, VA (Mile Post 0) to Coinjock, NC (Mile 50).

ICW Mile 0

Hampton Roads. Sunrise over Ft. Monroe after an all-night sail down the Bay.

 Lots of bridge openings and one lock.  The WX was chilly but sunny and beautiful.

The Gilmerton lift bridge.

Our line-handlers, Art and Lou, in the Great Bridge Lock.

Great Bridge.

Centerville Turnpike Bridge.

Yesterday we got an early start and made it to Belhaven, NC.  Everyone here is so friendly, offering us rides to the grocery, etc. We are at the Town Dock with power and water but no wifi. My cel is getting no signal and Mark's is getting an occasional bar. Luckily there is wifi at the library.

Sunrise on the North River.

We are hunkered down at the library now as Belhaven is under a Tornado Warning! All the librarians are ready to usher us into the central hallway. Alerts are going off on phones. Kinda crazy.

Belhaven. Looking up Pamlico St. towards Main St. and City Hall. The Tavern is on the right.

The WX on the water - Pamlico Sound and Neuse Rv - is rainy and choppy so we decided to stay an extra night and see how it looks tomorrow.  If tomorrow does not improve we'll stay a third night.  I am remembering the last time I was here in 2005.  We were delivering a Navy 44 sailboat to JAX.  We overnighted in Belhaven and the WX was horrible on the way to Morehead City. Rain, almost 0 visibility, winds onshore at 70mph. Because we were on a delivery schedule we did not wait out the WX. Big mistake. At the top of Adams Cut we ran aground. TowBoat tried to free us for several hours and gave up when it became dark. We were hard aground all night with huge waves beating the boat in freezing temps. NOT FUN! Two TowBoats came out in the morning and were finally able to free us.  We sent the Navy the bill.

With this history, Mark thought it would be prudent to stay put! (Thank you, Honey!)

Once we leave town it will take a day to get to Morehead City and then another day to reach Topsail Beach.  Our 2010 mid, CK, lives nearby and we will stop in to see him.

Waiting for the WX to improve...