Where the Heck is Coinjock???

We're sitting here at the Coinjock Marina watching a pretty intense thunder and lightning storm rip through - Doug just got done washing the boat so it's perfect timing!! Where the h_ll you might ask is Coinjock? - good question and one that is repeated on the marina's tee-shirts complete with a map and a star showing Coinjock's location out in the middle of nowheresville!!! Coinjock is on a very narrow stretch of the ICW above the North River and about 17 miles from the Virginia border. The better question I think is why would any sane person stop in Coinjock - the answer lies in the famous 32 ounce prime rib that is served at the marina's hole in the wall restaurant - it is known up and down the ICW as the best prime rib ever!! So that should tell you why we're here at this tiny little marina in the hinterlands of North Carolina instead of making tracks further north. When we got here, we went into the little ship's store to check in (they were having a big sale on Croc's which Bob and Stephanie took advantage of - I think Doug's 5 pair will get him through for awhile!!) and after the 10 minutes we spent checking out the merchandise, we'd seen all there was to see in Coinjock short of the restaurant where we will be seen stuffing ourselves tonight after drinks on Gypsies!

Coinjock Marina

We arrived in Coinjock this morning after a mere 12 mile trek from our anchorage in Broad Creek - normally we go much farther than that on the ICW but the prime rib was really calling so we made it a short day. We were accompanied on our steam this morning by tons of butterflies and many hued dragonflies who flitted back and forth across our windshield never staying long enough for us to capture them on film - they, along with the osprey and cormorants kept us quite entertained on our short journey though!!

Osprey Nest

A Cormorant Preparing to Fly Away

We have the A/C running here at the dock which we don't usually do but we are giving the boat kitties a treat (to offset the scary booming thunder) - the girls are comfortably snoozing next to mom and dad and enjoying a relaxing day, while we are catching up on all the "stuff" we don't do when it is nice out and we can go exploring (like yesterday!!)

Bootsie Enjoys Having Mom and Dad on the Boat

Puss is a Little Nervous When it Storms

Yesterday we hopped in Hobos, our family car, and along with the September Song crew in Half Note we spent the afternoon exploring Broad Creek and the various little tributaries that spring from it.

September Song Crew Aboard Half Note

We were pleasantly surprised at how far back, broad and deep the Creek was - we went first up one little creek and then another and then another, in search of a place to let the boat dogs kick up their heels and play. The creeks were lined with wild white orchids among tufted brown marshes, wood duck blinds that are tucked along the creek banks, and trees of more varieties than I can name (what was interesting is that for the first time we started to see lots of pine trees take the place of the more southern tree varietals).

Wild OrchidsWild Orchids Among the Trees
Wood Duck BlindsSome Very Strange TreesThe Start of Pine Trees

We bombed around the creeks in vain trying to find a beach or a boat landing for Cassie and Godiva - finally we found a tiny little rickety private dock where they could at least get out and take care of their more important business.

Half Note Approachs the Private Dock

In several of the little creeks, but one in particular, I definitely started to hear banjo music - it was very narrow, not more than 2 widths of our dinghy, but deep with inky black water and surrounded by trees on both sides and often forming a canopy across the water.

Entering "Banjo Creek"

We turned around when we spied a couple shacks in the woods with no windows and smelled a pungent Rastafarian herb - no sense seeing more than we bargained for - besides the deer flies were feasting at will on us!!!

Shack by the Creek

We're Outa Here!

Back to the boats we headed after several more creek expeditions for a relaxing afternoon - the dogs got to don their life jackets again and go for a swim. That evening we headed over to September Song for my first ever low country boil - if you've never experienced this, you need to!!! The meal consists of peel and eat shrimp, corn, potatoes and sausage all boiled together and liberally dosed with Old Bay seasoning, plenty of butter accompanies everything and you use your hands to eat the shrimp!! What a wonderful meal - topped off with chocolate chip cookies it was a tough night to beat!!

Appetizers on September SongDinner on September Song

Tomorrow if the weather permits we should cross into Virginia, where the ICW starts (Norfolk is Mile Marker 0) - Coinjock where we are currently tied up is at Mile Marker 49. Just to put this in perspective, since returning from the Bahamas and arriving back in the States in June at Lake Worth which is in Palm Beach, FL (Mile Marker 1015), we have gone approximately 965 miles!! Since we left Kennebunkport, ME at the end of August last year, we have traveled almost 4500 miles and we now have international, well sea traveled boat kitties!!!! Our plan is to head up into the Chesapeake Bay where we will spend the rest of the summer - first up after spending some time around Norfolk, Portsmouth and Hampton, VA in the Hampton Roads area is a trip up the James River to see Doug's family and then on up to Richmond!! September Song has indicated that they are willing to brave meeting Doug's family....this should be interesting!!

Click here to see our location at Coinjock Marina.