We're in Elizabeth City, NC

We're at a free city dock in Elizabeth City, NC. We left the free dock at Chesapeake Yachts at 7 a.m. and arrived at the lock at 7:40 a.m. We waited until 8 a.m. for the first opening of the lock.

What a neat experience. We put out our fenders and batter boards on both sides because we weren't sure which side we would end up on in the lock. We sat in a line with eight other boats waiting for the lock to open. One by one, we pulled into the lock and the locktender took our lines. I held the front line, Chuck held the back. After the last boat was in the lock, the lock was closed. We took our Sharpie and wrote: SV Sheet Music, Chuck, Kathy & Jazzy 10-29-09 on the canal wall.

The water starting filling up the lock and raising our boat until we were ground level. Jazzy wanted to hop off the boat, we were so close.

The lock opened and we moved out, one by one. We followed in a single line through the Dismal Swamp Canal for hours. The ICW switches from nautical miles to statute miles here, so we adjusted the GPS. Jazzy loved the day...it was like going down the lazy river and she pranced around in her new pink life jacket like she was in charge. I made popcorn on the stove while we were in the Dismal Swamp (cut open a microwave packet and put it in a pot with a little vegetable oil and moved it around like Jiffy Pop).We didn't stop at the Visitor Center or we wouldn't have made it to Elizabeth City tonight.

We averaged about 5.2 knots and arrived at the second lock for the 1:30 p.m. opening. This time we were on the left, in front of the line, and the water was lowered 8 ft. The lock opened and we followed in a single line again falling into our place behind Bum's Rest.

The leaves are just starting to turn and I couldn't help but think how beautiful this would be in the next week or so with all the autumn colors.

We entered the Pasquotank River. I took the helm from 3:30 p.m. until the bridge opening at Elizabeth City at 5:30 p.m. Of course, 40 minutes of that was circling waiting for the Elizabeth City bridge to open!

All in all, it was a great day on the water.

We met the nicest couple, Lou and Lina, (I hope I spelled your names correctly) who are also cruisers and just moved to Elizabeth City a few months ago. He went to high school in Egg Harbor Township! They took Patti and I to the grocery store a few miles away to reprovision the boat. We bought them a bottle of wine for their trouble.

Tomorrow: Miss Wanda's in Alligator Alley, Columbia, NC.