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Trawling the ICW, day 5 - 9

Both the ICW and the weather changed over the next 5 days. The weather became more unsettled, with clouds and rain and wind. The Neuse River we traveled on for a while was pretty wide, and could get bumpy when the wind came up. One of the windiest afternoons of the trip, where the boat was rocking and rolling the most, was spent tied to the dock at a marina in Oriental, NC. Both Pamlico Sound and Albemarle Sound are wide enough that you can't see across them. They both have a rowdy reputation when the wind comes up, not only because they are so wide, but also because they are so shallow. Still, even out there on a big sound with little to see, it was fun to be a crew member on Frank's boat. I had plenty of reading material to keep me entertained, Frank and I could chat in the comfort of Sea Smoke's enclosed upper deck, I got to occasionally steer the boat when Frank needed a break or a bite to eat, and we always got to the next marina early enough to relax for a while, and maybe take an afternoon walk.

As we approached the Pungo Ferry marina, just a little north of the Virginia North Carolina border, we could not believe how cheap fuel was! Diesel was generally costing between $3.75 and $4.00 a gallon. These guys were advertising it for $3.00 a gallon. It was too good to be true! I remarked to Frank that I was surprised every truck driver on the East Coast was not at this marina, filling up his tanks. We could see the marina, store, and a few boats tied out in front of the fuel dock. But, no one was answering Frank's hails on the VHF. As it turned out, it was indeed too good to be true. The marina was closed, the store was closed, there was no one aboard the two run down boats tied to the fuel dock, and there was NO FUEL. That sign with the $3.00 per gallon diesel fuel had not been touched in months. The whole place had gone bust. Of course, the good news is we were able to stay the night for free.

You have to wonder what will happen to the boating world in general, and the ICW boaters in particular, as fuel prices continue to go up. As I write this, gas is $3.50 a gallon, and diesel is about $4.00 . It seems like a lot right now, but when gas is $6 a gallon, people will look back on these fuel prices in 2008 and drool. Yachting is going to be impacted by not only the fuel prices, but the inflation that will be driven by the higher fuel prices. Some people will get rid of their boats because, like golf, "it's just getting too damn expensive". I suppose sailboats might gain a little in popularity over power boats. But, I don't see a great deal of popularity and prosperity for the sailing boat industry. For one thing, the American mentality is now a "fast food" mentality; if you are going to do something, do it FAST. If there is one thing that sailboats are NOT, it is "fast". The same thing that will poison the power boat industry will poison the sailboat industry, and that is fuel prices. I think it is fair to say that most sailboaters motor more miles than they sail. We sailing weenies have lots of excuses for motoring. There is not enough wind. There is too much wind. The wind speed is exactly right, but it is blowing from the wrong direction. Or, the all-American excuse; I can get there FASTER if I use the engine.

Recreational boating is not going to evaporate as fuel prices increase. But, it will change. Used boats will be cheaper to buy and harder to sell. People will be spending more of their paycheck on groceries, and less on recreational boating. Weekend boating trips will become less frequent and closer to home. And, fewer people will take their boats south for the winter on the ICW. The hearty sailors can always head offshore and use wind power for a good deal of the trip, but for most power boaters, this is not an option. As a matter of fact, this has already started to happen. I'm hearing stories of power boaters who have stopped doing long ICW trips because of the price of fuel. I don't see the ICW traffic stopping all together. Some people will always have enough money in the bank to feed their hungry engines. But, I predict a large number of "snow bird" cruisers will leave their boats at home and find another way to get to Florida.

The next day, we passed through Norfolk (and under the ga-zillion bridges over the ICW in the Norfolk area). After the sleepy ICW of the past 10 days, the Norfolk harbor seemed like rush hour on the freeway. It was very busy, very interesting, and very entertaining.

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