Oriental to the Pungo River

Karma Daze
Chris and Penny Manley
Tue 20 Jun 2017 17:09

Saturday 17th June – Sunday 20th June

 

Left Oriental at 08.30.  The fuel gauge replacement arrived yesterday at 15.00 and was fitted by Jim, as that was all we were waiting for we can now leave.

 

Getting out of the channel from Sailcraft Services was a bit marginal.  The depths are affected by the wind direction. Strong winds from the south empty the creek and north winds fill it up.  We had just had a few days of light south, south west winds so it had emptied a bit but Alan (owner of the boatyard) assured us we’d be fine and gave us precise instructions about getting out.  We ran aground once but managed to reverse off and then bounced our way along the rest of the channel.

 

We headed north to pick p the ICW and sailed on just the genoa.  The ICW took us into the Pungo river where we anchored overnight.

 

Next morning set off through the Alligator river/Pungo river canal and then into the Alligator river.  Bit of anxiety at the start of the river as the depth went down to zero (yet again) but only for a short while.

 

The Alligator river is very wide and shallow; 3-4 metres, and as it was very windy from the south quite a chop kicked up in the water, fortunately behind us. We had intended anchoring in the river overnight but as the wind was up to 26kn decided it would be too uncomfortable with the chop, so passé through the swing bridge at the top of the river and then went into Alligator River Marina just by the bridge.

 

Nice little marina with slips with piles to lasso, which is not or strong point!  Strange place as the office is the petrol station which closes at 18.00.  Can get fast food up until then.  But the showers and toilets were good