One of the great things about that 2015 Great Loop cruise was meeting new friends, but in Oriental, North Carolina, we actually found a long-time one. Judith Lynch had been a planner in San Juan Capistrano, CA when Mark and I were both on the city staff. We became close friends as she was a dedicated sailor and far more adventurous than either of us.
Having settled in Oriental, N.C. with her feline family, she met us at the local dock when we arrived and introduced us to the town. Oriental had a charm that we had not encountered elsewhere. In the words of the town’s website: “Oriental sits along the beautiful Neuse River, intertwined with several smaller creeks, where the boating season never ends. Wide waters beckon year-round sailing, cruising, kayaking, canoeing, fishing and for those who enjoy racing, there are regattas just about every month of the year.”
When we bid goodbye to our friend, we continued east along the Neuse River and entered Pimlico Sound. We anchored out in a peaceful creek, then continued the next day through a long canal all the way to the Alligator River. (No, I did not see any alligators.) Stayed in a tiny but decent marina, then crossed Albemarle Sound where I’d heard we’d have to fight current and chop. Nope. Made it across with no problem and cruised into Elizabeth City’s town docks where volunteers stand by to catch your lines and help you dock.
Note: in a lot of docks on the East Coast you tie up to posts sitting in the water. That means you back into the slip so you can get out of the boat via the stern. So my lassoing technique had to be spot on and, gulp, it often wasn’t.
When we left Elizabeth City we continued along the Elizabeth River and cruised toward the Great Dismal Swamp. The waterway leading to the swamp is lovely and protected and one of my favorites where you can throw back time and imagine cruising on a boat with oars. The long canal leads you to a visitor’s center right at the state line with Virginia. Boats can tie up and spend the night, use the clean public showers, and walk through parts of the swamp on an elevated walkway. The only downside is it’s near a freeway and while you can’t see the cars, you can hear them.
While the swamp once covered over a million acres, human encroachment has reduced it now by ninety per cent. Still, it is a major national wildlife refuge, and was the only water stop on the Underground Railway. For centuries, escaped slaves made their homes in the swamp, leaving countless artifacts important to their history, so it is also an important archaeological site.
Yes, lots of alligators live here, although we only saw birds and turtles in the 2015 trip. The 2007 visit was a different matter.
We cruised on to the James River, stopped in Portsmouth, but more about that next week.