Boat Life Larks - SV Dulcinea: North Carolina

We got up, excited about the trip north today. We'd be crossing the state line into Virginia! Then I realized there were timed bridges on our route, and I'd have to think about them. I'd even have to go some math. Bridge #2 opens on the hour and half hour, except it doesn't open at all during rush hour, which apparently is rush 3 hour from 4PM-7PM. We'd have to get to Bridge #2 by 3:30. Bridge #1 is annoyingly 4nm from Bridge #2, which means we'll have to take 1 hour to get to it. We could get there in 34 minutes at our top speed, which would be 4 minutes too late. So, we needed to get to Bridge #1 by 2:30. Anyways, you can see how all this thinking can really get a person down.

At some point, we crossed into Virginia, but we missed the sign.

Traffic on the ICW!

Bridge #2. Victory!

Hastings enjoying a day on the water

We were contemplating continuing on and going through the Great Bridge Bridge, the Great Bridge Lock, and the Gilmerton Bridge to get to MM 0 in Portsmouth, but it started absolutely pouring so we pulled over to the free dock by Great Bridge Bridge. I was just happy about not doing any more bridge math!

Of course, being stopped didn't stop the thinking. Irma was still considering North Carolina as a destination. We could totally stay at the paid dock at Atlantic Yacht Basin for a hurricane - it's really far inland and before the lock.

However, being before the lock and between bridges means you could get trapped there while paying $50 a day, so we decided to press on. (Case in point, today, Sep 19, the lock is closed due to flooding due to winds and rain from Jose, which is at least 300 miles away. After Hurricane Matthew last year, bridges and locks were a bit tricky for a while. So, our hurricane plans have to include safety during the storm and an escape plan after the storm. It's a lot of thinking!)

Rain.

Really long barge. How does he turn corners?

Another barge coming through the lock and Great Bridge and past our free dock.

Have you ever missed an important welcome sign?

Spider webs by our "campsite"

The humans have done it again. These folks never cease to amaze me.

After much going back and forth, oscillating and undulating, a car trip to the mountains to see the “eclipse” was planned. They were totally excited, poor dears, about totally seeing “totality".

So they pack me in a car. It’s a nice Nissan SUV this time, not the usual cheapest cheap thing they normally rent me.

We drove. And we drove. And then we drove some more. Much elation was communicated as we passed something called the “Peach-oid” in Gaffney, SC, which apparently is President Underwood’s hometown. Anyway, a hotel stop! What joy! But wait, our normal La Quinta king bed is somehow distressingly disappointing. Ugh, can’t they follow directions! I like LQ, not Red Roof Inn! Oh bother.

On the road again. Into the mountains now, lots of trees and smells. Now a dirt road! They are getting adventurous. At the end, it’s (oh God, save me) a campground! But all the sites are full! A nice lady…she must be nice because when I bark at her like a demon she isn’t put off…says everyone has planned their eclipse experience for years in advance. But there’s a field we can hike to and sleep in. What?????

We park the car and march off to the field, which is miles away. It’s pretty here and there’s a little waterfall. The humans are too lazy to walk their tent to the field. We sleep in the car off of the road, which isn’t too bad because that’s where our food is. And even though they fail at most everything, they did remember to bring my bed this time.

The galley

We get up and have breakfast and coffee (none for me, thanks anyway) and then the long haired one decides the field isn’t good enough…let's hike up the tallest waterfall on the tallest mountain in the world to see “the eclipse”. Strangers try to put her off: “You’re taking your dog?,” they ask with concern, "It’s really steep!" But alas, off we go.

Let the hike begin!

We pass at least ten waterfalls on the way, but apparently none are tall enough for my losers…er, I mean humans. It’s okay though, because I really do love a good hike. And while I might be getting a little slower while going up this Mt. Everest of North Carolina, I’m still in better shape than them!

First waterfall. Not good enough.

Second waterfall. Not gonna work.

Third waterfall. Still not there!

Final waterfall, thank goodness!

Finally, we get to “the spot”. We can tell, because there’s like 20 other people (many who also dragged their dogs up hill!). I met Apollo, who was like four of me but very chill, and Ruby, who was obnoxious.

It was sunny and seemed like a good idea for everyone to go swimming in the waterfall pools. Darling Dearest Daddy inflates our lazy lounge bag and we chilled while eating crackers, cheese and salami. I may have dozed off, it was a long hike. When I awoke the lounge had deflated and our bums were on the ground. Then I realized the sun had gone and it was very cold, what with being wet and all.