Elizabeth City to Tangier Island, MD

We sailed of the outer banks and into Elizabeth City and were immediately greeted by Lynn from Silver heels II and Bruce from Zingara, both we had met in the Exuma park in the Bahamas. We attended the traditional Rose buddy cocktail hour and then a pot luck that Lynn had orchestrated. We had a ball that night catching up with old friend and making new. We met Arnold a single handing Englishman and Catherine, Patrick and Rubert, a french Canadian family. We stayed up way too late talking and getting to know Catherine and Patrick and decided to travel together the next day. Below is their steel boat Noka. This is Charles and Bruce (who's from Maine!) on Zingara at the Dismal Swamp Welcome Center free dock.

We went with Noka to the Dismal Swamp museum across the canal and found a beautiful building an interesting museum, also trails that we walked a little on before departure for Deep Creek.

Zingara, Noka and Alice at the dock together.

Charles and Patrick, probably talking boats!

Rubert is three and a sweet little boy, we all adopted each other! Dakota and Alistair had a great time playing with Rubert.

Noka and Alice at Deep Creek. Here there is another free dock and we took advantage! With a grocery store and a playground nearby it is a great stop. We had yet another fun evening with Patrick and Catherine!

The boys brought the lock master shells from the Bahamas!

Here we are in Hampton, VA at the Cousteau submersible outside the Cousteau center there. We came into Hampton and found the Blackbeard festival going on so we picked up Noka and motored up to see the re-enactment of a pirate battle. Later after we anchored we all went ashore to walk around and see the Cousteau Center. Exhausted after many busy nights we all tucked in early. Noka was also getting ready to go off shore to New York the following day.

The next day we entered the Chesapeake and Charles caught a flounder!! It was delicious!

This is a fish shack in Tangier Island, an old fishing island where they speak an old English. We came in the eastern entrance and motored through the town fascinated by the crab boats and the piers and fish shacks on stilts.

A crab boat in Crisfield, MD. These boat are made for the Chesapeake, long and narrow with a fine entry, they can cope this the chop in the shallow waters here.

The main street of Tangier Island. The town is small so people get around by golf cart and bicycle. It reminded us of the Bahamas.

A couple of folks had maps and recipes out for a couple of dollars, all crab recipes of course! We enjoyed walking around and listening to the locals talk in their dialect and watch the rails and herons in the marsh (until we were driven in by the mosquitos which would carry you off!!)