Returned to the boat Saturday evening well provisioned after a wonderful visit with Harrie and Patti. We left the dock Sunday morning accepting an invitation from the cat next to us to follow them across the bay to Mile Zero and the beginning of the Virginia Cut and the Dismal Swamp along the Intracoastal Waterway (hereinafter the "ICW"). We tied up to a pier just off the entrance to the Dismal Swamp, Willowby Creek, but not until after we practiced the technique of getting stuck on a shoal, rowing out the dinghy, dropping one anchor, hitching that anchor line to the halyard to haul us off the shoal, dropping the primary anchor once off the shoal, hauling the assist anchor in, breaking off the windless anchor switch, rewiring a switch, all the while trying to keep from going back on the shoal again! We have been told this is a practice one must follow to be welcomed to Chespeake Bay. Our reward was an invitation for apple pie from the cat friends.
Sunday we were off down the Virginia Cut, through many bridges and negotiated our first lock. We had the lock to ourselves - never a dull moment around here. The wind and sea kicked up in the afternoon followed by rain. We headed for Coinjock, NC and are tied up at a pier. Hopefully, the weather will break tomorrow.

Nov. 2, Monday. Well, we didn't leave Coinjock. Weather too iffy to cross the canal. We have met a couple from Florida who are bringing home a 30' sailboat and we may follow them outside as a bridge in Charlestown, NC is closed for over a week for repairs. Laying over gave Bill more time for those minor repairs and fix ups. I spent my time drying wet clothes from yesterday's rain and cleaning up the boat. Miss everyone!