“In that?”
As my wife and I continued north on the Intra-Coastal Waterway from Marathon, Florida, in April 1969, our luck finally ran out. After being towed, we had traveled into North Carolina and run up the beautiful Waccamaw River, the rough Neuse River and finally to the south shore of Albermarle Sound.
As we approached the Sound, the weather turned a bit nasty. We thought the Neuse was a challenge, but when we saw Albermarle we knew we were in for a very, very difficult crossing. It was either wait for a more opportune time or take our chances.
As we idled along the Alligator-Pungo Canal, a sailboat drew abreast. Hailing it, we asked if they were crossing the Sound. They answered that they were, but were going into Elizabeth City and then up the Dismal Swamp route to Norfolk. We had planned the more direct Virginia Cut route. But because of the conditions, we asked if we could follow them across, using their wake as a sort of a carpet. Being okay with them we did so.
Their boat was named “Tall Story.” They were towing a dingy with the name “Short Tail.” (Note the spelling of “tail.”) For years I saw in my mind those names on the transoms. Because as we bounced, pitched and tossed for the several hours’ crossing, we focused on those names, sticking on their stern.
Reaching Elizabeth City, we said goodbye and thanks to our friends. We went up the Dismal Swamp canal – beautiful – into Norfolk for the night. Next day up the Chesapeake Bay to the Little Choptank River, where we spent the night at anchor.
Early next morning, we took off for Kent Island, arriving at our Piney Narrows slip at about 10 o’clock in the morning.
In the slip next to ours there was a fascinating couple. He was a bit of a dandy, and she was one of the all-time boating prudes. They had about a 32’ cruiser, which either he didn’t know how to operate or was afraid to do so. So they would sit on their boat all week, and on Saturdays a local waterman would come to operate their boat and take them for a ride.
As we made our final tie up, after two weeks and 1,400 miles of travel, the neighboring lady greeted us with the question, “Out for a morning trip?” She apparently hadn’t noticed our empty slip all those days. “No,” we answered, “we are just returning from Florida.” To which she replied, “In that?”
Yes, In that. If you have a boat, use it. Push it through strange waters. See all the wonderful things there are to see in new places. Take advantage of that which is there for us to do so. Boating is beautiful, be it in a canoe, a sunfish, 16' outboard, a 65' cruiser, or just “In that.”
-- Bill Corey