Day 216 - Reflection — Captain Father John

Miles cruised 55, fuel purchased 184 gallons, fuel purchased $340, slip fee $67, daily high temperature 84°f

It was a rolly night at the Belhaven Waterway Marina. The wind was still blowing 20 mph from the south at midnight. The face dock has no protection from the waves on the Pungo River to the south. The marina provides extra large round fenders to keep boats off the pilings. Good thing they offer free laundry and fluffy towels.

Triple Threat is the fastest Looper boat we have seen. She is a 38′ Donzi with 900 horsepower. This sled has three 300 hp Mercury outboards. She cruises at 40 mph. They are on their way to the Rendezvous in Norfolk.

It was a flat ride from Belhaven to Aligator, NC. Much of the trip was on the Abermarle and Chesapeake Canal. The Aligator River Marina is a combination gas station and marina with a small restaurant that closes at 6:30 pm.

The Albemarle and Chesapeake Canal was proposed in 1728. Surveys were made but engineering complications held up the project until the 1850s. Upon opening on January 9, 1859, the waterway provided an economic link between North Carolina and Virginia, connecting Albemarle Sound and Chesapeake Bay. The full canal was seventy-five miles long, but only fourteen of those cut through land. Of those miles five are in North Carolina. The rest of the canal follows natural channels and dredged rivers.

I find it interesting to see how far inland we are on the inner banks. We are the blue dot on the far right hand side. We will be heading almost due north on the Dismal Swamp Canal.

The highlight of the day was visiting with George and Pat Hospodar onboard Reflection. We discussed in detail the final leg of our Loop trip from Norfolk to Waukegan. Pat and George have an amazing level of detail on the distances and marina stops on the way. In our opinion one of the best stops will be visiting them at their home in Brick Township, New Jersey.

On Thursday we will cruise 35 miles to Elizabeth City which is at the start of the Dismal Swamp Canal. We will spend two days transiting the Dismal Swamp Canal before we arrive in Norfolk.

Bonus photo

Carl (Chef) Wooden – quote of the day.

“I felt once more how simple and frugal a thing is happiness: a glass of wine, a roast chestnut, the sound of the sea. Nothing else.” – Nikos Kazantzakis

Nikos Kazantzakis (Greek) 18 February 1883 – 26 October 1957) was a Greek writer, celebrated for his novels which include Zorba the Greek (published 1946 as Life and Times of Alexis Zorbas), Christ Recrucified (1948), Captain Michalis (1950, translated ‘Freedom or Death), and The Last Temptation of Christ (1955). He also wrote plays, travel books, memoirs and philosophical essays such as The Saviors of God: Spiritual Exercises.

His fame was further spread in the English speaking world by cinematic adaptations of Zorba the Greek (1964) and The Last Temptation of Christ (1988).