The picture is the Robert O. Norris Jr. Bridge. it's our first bridge in Red Ranger . It has 110' clearance, so it's not really all that interesting. Built in 1957, it's a classic steel truss bridge.
I blame my father for an interest in maps and charts as well as bridges. Sailors become very aware of the various types of bridges, their clearance (both height and span), whether or not they open, and what (if anything) the bridge supports do to wind and current.
The bridge is located approximately 8 nm from Stingray Point lighthouse. Wind (and current) being what it is, we were forced to motor under the bridge. Seas were flat and winds were light.
Getting somewhere in a sailboat requires some compromises. For example, motoring for an hour against prevailing wind and current to get under the bridge.
Once upon a time, sailors would simply anchor and wait for fair wind and flood tide. Sadly, as weekenders, we're forced to motor if we want to go somewhere specific and get back to our day jobs by Monday at 0700.
Yopp's Cove
Our ultimate destination was chosen—more or less—at random. We didn't do any profound thinking or planning. Mostly I figured that we should beat to weather in the morning (which meant heading north) and then run down to our anchorage in the afternoon. Ideally, that would have been Fleets Bay or maybe the Corrotoman River. Nothing too ambitious.
Light airs gave us some low-key sailing, but we never got very far. So we motored. Why not? We have an immense fiberglass tent. We need to pitch it somewhere.
Past the bridge is Carter Creek; the creek is very well marked and very deep. Once inside the creek we found Yopp's Cove, dropped the hook and spend the night.
CA shot a great 360° tour of Yopp's Cove with her camera.
Apparently, the world-famous Tides Inn was right nearby somewhere.
Also, the creek has a huge number of branches, all of which need to be thoroughly explored.
Further, while we found the Anchors Aweigh Geocache, there's another (The Screw Revisited) that we haven't found yet.
I guess we'll be going back.
