Another cloudy day to start with a few sprinkles thrown in. The winds did not seem to bad in the marina and the water was a 2′ to 3′ chop on the Neuse River. The wind was from the north and we were headed right into it for about 6 to 7 miles before we turned to port to head into a cut. This part was the Pamlico Sound.
Inside the cut we passed several fishing boats moored on the west side of the cut. These appeared to be all rigged for shrimping but we are a fairly long way from the ocean to I am not really sure what they fish for.
Once we were thru the cut we were in the Goose River that leads to the Pamlico River. We passed a tow but in this area a town is usually one barge and the tug. They are nothing like what we saw on the Illinois River and the Mississippi River.
Today we were in the thick of the traffic headed north. Lots of sailboats and power boats. Not sure where they were all staying for the night because there are not a huge number of marinas around this area. I am sure some of them anchored out because there are a lot of spots for anchoring.
This whole section of the ICW has pockets of development with residences but the pockets are not large and well spaced out. Only saw a couple of marinas along the way.
After the Goose River we crossed the Pamlico River and entered the Pungo River that extends quite a distance in and Dowery Creek is probably 3/4’s of the way up the Pungo River. The further up the river we travelled the less the winds effected the water and the ride smoothed out considerably.
Dowery Creek Marina is not a fancy place but they do a good job of making you feel at home. They have a Club House and a Swimming Pool. The Club House is used at 5:30 for cocktail hour for the boaters in the marina for the night.
We had a nice surprise at Dowery Creek. Once we were all tied up I was in the office and you could see a squall coming across the rive and I noticed a trawler coming into the marina. Well it turned out to be Fandango with Kate and Don that we had traveled with on the Mississippi, Ohio and Cumberland. We had not seen them since mid-October at Green Turtle Bay in Kentucky. What a good time at the cocktail party renewing friendships with Don and Kate. We also had a chance to see some of the people we had met at marinas or talked to on the radio over the last couple of weeks. More marinas should have this arrangement.