Southern Hospitality

We, of course, stopped in Belhaven, North Carolina, one of our favorites.  We were again rewarded with the kindness of strangers.  On our way to the Food Lion supermarket, which by our standards is a short walk, we were offered and accepted a ride.  We were walking with a French Canadian couple, so three of us rode in the back of his pickup truck.  The next morning, we were off to fill a propane tank. Walking through town, we were met on the street by a guy who offered us his car.  Since the propane business was a pretty good distance away and the tank would be heavy on the return trip, we gladly accepted his car keys.  Arriving at the propane facility, we were disappointed to learn no one was available to fill our tank.  Just as we were turning away, a propane delivery truck returned.  The driver had seen us walking through town and returned to help us out.

We finally got to tie up at the town docks in Elizabeth City.  (Last fall, it was too crowded) This, beyond any doubt, is the most cruiser-friendly stop on the entire ICW.  We were greeted by Sam. There is always a greeter waiting during the day.  After getting settled, Sam made sure we knew what was available.  Our highlight for the afternoon was visiting the museum.  This is a large modern building dedicated to the history of the Albemarle Sound and the surrounding area.  It is well done and recommended to anyone visiting nearby.  Like the town dock, it is free.  At 4:30, we were invited to a wine and cheese party, which Elizabeth City is famous for.  The mayor joined us, as well as the tourism staff and the Rose Buddies.  While they do this every night when there are at least five or six boats, they made us feel very special.  Another tradition is that each woman is given a rose, and pictured is Linda receiving her rose from the mayor.

Visiting Bob And Hattie, Ocean Isle, NC

We stopped at a marina at Barefoot Landing in North Myrtle Beach, the first time in a marina since early December.  This is a popular stop as it is in the heart of a tourist area with outlet stores, restaurants, and the House of Blues and Alabama theaters immediately nearby.  While all interesting, our purpose was to stop near my cousin Bob's home in Ocean Isle, North Carolina.  We had not seen Bob in many years and had never met his wife, Hattie.  They drove down the 15 or 20 miles to pick us up so we could spend the day together.  We had a wonderful time catching up.  While in Ocean Isle, we found a marina within about a mile of their home. It is a stack and store place for small power boats, but they have a transient dock that will accommodate us.  We have made plans and are already looking forward to stopping by to see them again in the fall.