Alligator River Marina - at a dock

Wow, found under a fender - by Ann!

We spent a quiet night at anchor and leisurely left around 9:00, no rush. The Alligator-Pungo Canal is as straight as an arrow, it disappears into infinity as you look ahead. It's deep and wide so there's no stress in motoring along.

We like to stay at the Alligator River Marina since it's a convenient halfway point between the Pungo River and Elizabeth City, our next stop tomorrow. We needed fuel so we pulled into the gas dock and filled up. We couldn't stay there for the night since there may be other boats that needed fuel later on. When moving on a face dock with pilings stuck out (the first objects to meet the boat when docking) my practice has been to wrap a fender around each piling I'll be against to prevent the chance of boat damage. So I went about picking up fenders off the boat to do just that. Pretty soon I hear Ann exclaim, there's a snake here! He had been hiding under one of the fenders I had picked up, I hand't noticed him. He was only about 2 feet long, a pretty fellow but sure looked menacing. We couldn't figure out how he ever got on the boat?! The dockmaster asked if we had passed under any trees? No, we replied  but we did pass under several bridges, could we have missed a falling snake?

Over the side for you!

I got the boat hook and returned him to the water. According to what we could find, he was a North Carolina Northern Water Snake, non-venomous. However, he sure looked like a snake you didn't want to mess with!

Hoolie was fascinated

After that bit of excitement, we docked without further mishap and took Hoolie for a walk who spent time chasing birds of a type I hadn't seen before. It would run, stop and sit in the grass, run, repeat - Hoolie was fascinated.

We're headed for Elizabeth City on Monday across the Albemarle Sound with winds predicted to be 5 to 10 kts out of the east, perhaps we can sail for a change?