east coast ICW, south of Chesapeake

[labatt]

Great place to anchor... we spent a night there. I still remember the night though - pea soup fog, pitch black, couldn't see a thing. We'd stand on the deck and get vertigo. It felt like our boat was going in circles at over 100mph! Amazing what tricks your mind will play on you.

Peter, Joe
fantastic detail
thanks so much
-JD

[painkiller]

Originally Posted by Fareast

Alligatorl River was so snoty with us on the phone, we just went right on by and anchored just before you enter the pungo canal. It was great.....

We stayed at "Alligator Bob's" (that's what we called it) in April of 2006 and they were nice enough. The lady with the mustache makes a great breakfast.

[joethecobbler]

After you enter the dug portion of the alligator river canal there is a concrete face-wall about 75-100' long it is in the middle of no-where it is on the north side of the canal if you draw 4' or less you can tie up to itas we did to walk our dogs. we were there on thanksgiving 07 and spent the night had to tie to small trees. there are no structures or roads in the vicinity . it was just someplace to rest, if the weather is poor on the alligator river north it could be a safe place to hide out. Extremely secluded.

[Fareast]

Painkiller,

I probably should not have been so quick to put them down, obviously if they were really a problem no one would go there...The next time we go through there I will try and give them another chance...

[cssdengr]

I've made the Baltimore to New River, NC run four times in the last five years. Favorite places are Tidewater Yacht in Portsmouth, Pelican Marina in Elizabeth City NC and Casper's Marina in Swansboro NC. If you need work done there's no-where better than Bock's Marine on the cut just above Morehead City. I've always been able to sail on the Neuse and Albemarle, not much anywhere else. Although I've gone both ways I prefer the Dismal
Swamp route as that way you get to go through Elizabeth City. Too bad hearing that Alligator River Marina is less than great; the one time I stopped there to avoid a front I thought they were the nicest people I'd met on the waterway.

[joethecobbler]

Another over-looked location on the ICW is Daytona Beach. Great calm anchor spot south of the Seabreeze Bridge (just north of Main Street Bridge), it's a great spot to anchor because it's a no-wake zone (calm) also there is a public ramp on the East side under the bridge and you can walk up seabreeze Ave to stores/rest. on seabreaze. On the west side is a laundry and gas station,also the public transportation (bus) passes by each hour and for $1.50 will take you anywhere you need to go. If your into nightlife it's all within walking distance or a dinghy ride.
If you pass by during the daytime there is a t-dock ( 75'-100' of dock >10' depth) just south of the Main Str. bridge on the west side where you can dock for free during the day and walk your pets or walk to Beach Sreet to rest/bars etc. There are no signs restricting overnight dockage , but the Manatee Island park that the dock extends from closes at sundown and they lock the entrance gates (keeps the bums out).
I don't know why the City of Daytona Beach doesn't promote itself more to the bi-annual boater migration.

[JamyZ]

Anyone know of good/reliable anchorages around Colonial Beach, VA area?

[SVAuspicious]

Originally Posted by JamyZ

Anyone know of good/reliable anchorages around Colonial Beach, VA area?

Behind Cobb Island is fine. If you need to be on the VA side of the river and the weather is settled you can anchor just East of R2 into Colonial Beach/Monroe Creek. If you go too far in toward Monroe Creek the bottom gets quite hard.

You can also anchor along the beach in Colonial Beach, feeling your way in until you reach a comfortable depth, again if the weather is settled. I've spend many many nights at anchor in similar grounds along Mason Neck. In Colonial Beach the tidal current is stronger than further up the river so pay mind to your ground tackle.

[JamyZ]

Originally Posted by SVAuspicious

Behind Cobb Island is fine. If you need to be on the VA side of the river and the weather is settled you can anchor just East of R2 into Colonial Beach/Monroe Creek. If you go too far in toward Monroe Creek the bottom gets quite hard.

You can also anchor along the beach in Colonial Beach, feeling your way in until you reach a comfortable depth, again if the weather is settled. I've spend many many nights at anchor in similar grounds along Mason Neck. In Colonial Beach the tidal current is stronger than further up the river so pay mind to your ground tackle.

im looking for a place to anchor or set out on a mooring ball with fairly easy dinghy access from virginia side, while i get the boat ready for sail. there are lots of spots like this in florida however i am new to virginia waters and need some experienced advice.