Alligator River - A Change Of Plans!

May 6, 2022

Because we were up and out of Whittaker Pointe so early, none of us had eaten breakfast. Gord had a couple of conference calls to be on, so he decided we would putz along and the kids could troll for fish as we were on the move. Holy Cow, after all, is a sport fishing boat so maybe we should give it a go. The kids toss out their lines and lures and hopes. I brought the busy anglers some breakfast to the back deck which consisted of cinnamon buns, raspberries and chocolate milk. Gord and I both won the parenting award that morning.

The water here is still a rusty brown colour and it's hard to get used to after the clear blue-green water of the Florida Keys. Today's route is a mix between winding marsh lands and swamp. Even the swampy areas has it's appeal by being mixed in with the marshes. It's still quite pretty. As we are cruising along, I can't help but think that this landscape reminds me exactly of the descriptive scenery in the novel "Where The Crawdads Sing." As I reminisce about the book, I couldn't quite remember if North Carolina was mentioned in its chapters as the setting of the story. Either way, this is precisely how I pictured it. I decided to Google it, and it's confirmed that North Carolina is the setting of the novel. Well done Delia Owens, your writing perfectly depicts the picturesque views of the NC marshlands.

We hoped to anchor in Alligator River in one of the spots marked on Aqua Maps. As we approached the first anchorage, it didn't appear there was a suitable place to get the dogs to shore. There were a few more anchorages marked and also a marina at the north end of the bay. As we continued to scope out a place to throw our hook for the night, I called the marina to request permission to take the dogs there if we anchored close by. The reception is so poor and our conversation is so intermittent, he thinks I'm asking if they have room for us for the night, which he confirms they do, and yes they are dog friendly. It's too difficult to clarify things, so I decided I would call back when we got a little closer, hoping the cell service would improve.

Something we have learned boating in these waters is just how vast the areas are. The anchorages in Alligator River look reasonable on a map or the app, but when we arrived, we realized how exposed these areas are and we don't love our options. We continued to move along and see what else we could find in this bay. However, Alligator River is 13 miles long and 4 miles wide and none of the suggested anchorages sit well with us. As we were scoping out options and becoming more antsy about making a decision, an alarm sounded at the helm that startled us both. It was a weather warning from the VHF which is linked to the AIS and pinged us with information in our area. We get notification of a tornado watch, thunderstorms and high winds for the night. We hadn't seen that sort of weather forecasted on any of the many apps we refer to, but the warning comes again a few minutes later and the sky changes and the wind picks up just a little. I dialed Alligator River Marina, and with terrible reception and broken communication, I confirm we will take the slip they have available for the evening.

As we neared the marina, there was a swing bridge we weren't aware of as we hadn't planned our route this far ahead. The wind had just picked up again and now the waves were white capped and hitting us more aggressively. Gord was concerned that the bridge master may not open the bridge for us at this point. We know bridges won't open if the wind reaches 35 miles an hour and we weren't sure what the winds had just picked up to. A small amount of panic sets in. If he is unwilling to open, we are 15 miles north of any of the anchorages we passed by, an now the sky is getting angry. Gord can't reach the bridge master on the VHF, so I try on my phone. Clearly I am talking way too fast when the bridge master answers. He kindly tells me to "slow down darlin'", and that he can't hear a thing in this wind. He assures us he will swing the bridge, and not long after we hear the ringing of the bells alerting that bridge will soon open.

As we pull through, Gord thanks the bridge master for the safe passage and we turn to the port side to make our way into Alligator River Marina. The waves are hitting us hard on the port beam as I head to the bow to get the fenders and lines ready for a port side tie. This was another opportunity Gord could have ridded himself of me as I staggered back and forth across the bow bracing against the waves. I was extremely thankful for the handrails on the bow of Holy Cow. The kids said later they thought I might fall off with the tossing and rocking of the boat. As we enter into the marina's canal, the break wall provides almost immediate relief from the waves. Gord is able to pull in and dock in calm waters while the wind and waves roar a few meters behind us. Alligator River Marina is essentially a road side gas stop that just happens to have a canal with docks behind it. Cars are rolling in to fill with gas and then are on their way.

As we tie up, we see some people talking at the end of the dock. The forecasted wind in the coming week is the talk of the local boating world. One of the couples are fellow Canadians, and the other is a couple Gord met when we were in the Florida Keys at John Pennekamp State Park. As we chatted to the adults, our kids found a geocache on the property and admired the largest replica of the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse. We all think docking at a gas station is hilarious. We also think it's hilarious, in a less funny way, how much we are paying to stay at such a place. But there's a saying "any port in a storm" and those are wise words to follow.

The tornado warning in our area ended up being much ado about nothing, so Gord BBQs up some burgers, and I walked around to take some pictures of us docked at a gas station. The morning brings calm waters and clear skies. Five boats, which is almost all of the boats in the "marina," are up and out of their slips, just as we are. We expect everyone is on the move to their destination of choice to tie down for the coming wind. Top Rack Marina, here we come.

Voyage Log

Travel log from Whittaker Pointe NC to Alligator River NC here.