Waiting at AYB and then to Midway

 

This is not us but what we look like on a nice day on the ICW

There were a few projects for the day that kept Drew nose to the engine: adding engine coolant that helps stop corrosion and is supposed to be done every couple of years.  We heard about how we were supposed to do this during the Snowbird Rendezvous in Hampton, but we weren't sure we'd ever done it or had a boat yard do it.  The engine is behind the companionway.  We had to take off the stairs to get to it. 
Shawnee was tucked behind AYB in the shade so we had the quiet side of things. 

Our boat was docked behind all of the sheds full of boats. We had to walk through 3 enormous sheds.  Here's Mazu way at the end.  Below is one of the cool wooden boats.  AYB is an enormous boat yard with both motor and sail yachts.

Here's what Mazu and I saw on our 3 hour walk.  

We went over to the Great Great Bridge Lock and saw the boats waiting for the lock to open on the hour.

Along the canal.

The Great Bridge is a draw bridge that opens on the half hour.

Wednesday morning we left AYB early through the ever changing depths of the twisty ICW.  I was trying to get a video that would show you the 5.9 ' it would dip down to and then back to 11', but couldn't capture it.  This is the depth finder I watched all day.  If we veer a few feet left or right of the set route the depth can drop very quickly.  Every boat does this.  Sailboats draw more than power boats, i.e. their keels go deeper.  We draw 5'.

We arrived here at Midway Marina about 2:00, me at the helm all day.  This marina is opposite famous Coinjock, (NC $2/foot, we just crossed the state line from VA).  Coinjock is famous for their 32 oz prime rib - not my favorite.  This side has "Crabbies" famous for the crab cakes. ($1.50/foot to tie up dockside.)  Tonight the weather is predicted to blow to 35 k. so we chickened out of anchoring for free further south at a guide recommended place.  Here's Mazu, always happy to get off the boat.  You can see a slice of Shawnee's stern with yellow dinghy in the background.