Virginia Cut Completion

After awakening to a delightful sunrise at our anchorage on Friday we crossed Albemarle Sound without issue (minimal wind and no rain) and started up the Virginia Cut.

Sunrise on the Alligator River

As we continue to move north, the temperature is dropping and our days traveling are spent inside at the lower helm.  It is far too cold for our Florida blood to be up on the bridge.  The temperatures have been in the 40s this week.  Each morning the water hose and electrical cord are harder and harder to roll up as they are stiffening from the cold just like our bodies are.  

After a relatively short day of travel on Friday, covering 30 nautical miles, we arrived at CoinJock just about 11:30am, ahead of the forecasted rain which started just as we pulled in and tied up.  The light rain lasted a couple hours before the sun finally came out to warm things up a bit.   It was the perfect day for grilled cheese and tomato soup for lunch on the boat, with the heat on.

After checking in at the office we walked around to see the property, including the restaurant.  Sort of like a reconnaissance mission.  When we popped into the restaurant, we were encouraged to pre-order their famous 32oz prime rib if that was what we were planning for dinner as they always run out, especially on Friday.  We did as instructed and reserved a Captains Cut for 6:00pm.

Bert spent the afternoon at CoinJock doing a second engine alignment on the port side and is satisfied.  Hilary took advantage of the afternoon to finalize travel plans for the upcoming days and to plan out travel through Easter.  The rain precluded any walking/running or other outdoor activities.

A multitude of sources are used to plan each travel day.

All week, we were so looking forward to CoinJock and all of our expectations were met.  We made small talk with some of the locals and our meal was just exquisite.  We usually eat a bit later so we had them box the entire meal up for us rather than serve it.  The prime rib was, and still is, outstanding.

CoinJock's famous Captains Cut - a 32oz prime rib!
Complete with salad, sides and rolls.  
It was outstanding!

Our journey on Saturday, April 12, 2025 which included crossing into Virginia.

As we complete the Virginia Cut today and enter the southern part of Chesapeake Bay, there is a series of low bridges that open on a fixed schedule as well as one lock.  Additionally there is a series of no-wake, 6mph and 3mph zones.  Suffice to say a bit more in the logistics department to get the timing right.  We will complete the last 12 miles of the ICW this morning, starting with the Great Bridge and the Great Lock and will spend one night in Portsmouth, VA.   Our dockage last night was right at the Great Bridge and we plan to go through at the 10:00am opening.  

We will move to Hampton, VA on Monday.   Make Me Smile will remain in Hampton for nine days, allowing us time to rent a car and travel to MI for Easter and also do a bit of sightseeing and re-provisioning for the next month.

After a second engine alignment on the port side, our Captain gave Make Me Smile a speed test yesterday.  She did very, very well.  The number in the upper corner is the mph.  We hit 19mph!  The best we ever saw was 20.5mph two years ago when we bought her BEFORE she was full of fuel, water and all of our stuff.

We have been boating for five straight days with two more to go. We have covered 176 nautical miles since leaving Morehead City.  We have just 12 miles today and an estimated 15 miles tomorrow.  It has been a long seven days traveling.  We are ready for an extended break.

Since leaving Merritt Island, Florida just a little less than a month ago, we have covered 1,000 miles to get to Chesapeake Bay.  The Erie Canal does not open for the 2025 season until Friday, May 16th and it is an estimated 600-700 miles from where we are now.  We will slow down a bit over the next month and not travel quite as rigorously through the northeastern states as we did through Florida, Georgia and the Carolinas.