“Little Washington,” NC – What a Pleasant Surprise!

25 Monday Mar 2024

Posted by “Oh Captain My Captain” in Destinations, From the helm

Tags

Bath NC, Cruising, CruisingTheICW, Destinations, Follow in my wake, Historic Bath NC, Little Washington NC, Mainship 34T, Marinas, Memories, Moss Landing Marina, NC Estuarium, Pamlico River, Slow Dance, Thinking Outside The Boat, Town Waterfront Docks, Val's Gourmet Cakes and Pantry, VISITNC, VisitWashingtonNC, Washington NC, West Marine

March 25, 2024. Last summer we cast off from Mount Pleasant with the intentions of cruising the Albemarle Loop, in North Carolina. By the time we arrived in Belhaven, NC, one of our favorite Atlantic ICW destinations, the weather forecasts for the Albemarle Sound were rather “iffy.” We love cruising the waters of our home state of North Carolina, but we’ve crossed the sound enough times to know we didn’t want to be spending a couple of weeks cruising it in less than desirable weather.

As we debated our next move, Captain Greg, the Belhaven Marina dockmaster asked if we had ever cruised to Washington, NC, located on the Pamlico River. He said that for us cruising Slow Dance, it would be about a half day cruise from Belhaven. He told us that over the past couple of years the small, Eastern North Carolina city had been transformed into wonderful destination by water or land. That settled it, since it was in the direction of home, we would cruise to Washington for a day or two, before heading back home. Once we arrived, it was hard to leave. A couple of days turned into five nights!

Cruising to Washington, also known as Little Washington, took us up the Pamlico River and past another small town we look forward to visiting in the future, Bath, NC. Chartered on March 8, 1705, Historic Bath is known as the first town and first port in North Carolina. The population of Bath has never exceeded 400. This coming summer, we hope to visit Bath and Washington. Cruisers wishing to overnight in Bath should contact the Quarterdeck Marina.

Little Washington, NC. Why the name, Little Washington? Because in 1776 it became the first town in America to be named in honor of General George Washington, making it the Original Washington. I have no doubt that General – or President – George Washington would be much prouder of the warm, friendly, and beautiful Original Washington than he would be of our nation’s capitol today. I’ll leave it at that.

Until our cruise to Washington, our fondest memory of the town was buying our daughter’s first car there. When encouraging us to visit, Captain Greg told us that he had stayed at the Town Waterfront Docks. On the eastern end of the town docks, free dockage is available without power or water hookup for up to 48-hours. On the western end of the waterfront docks you can rent a slip with power and water hookup. In addition to the town docks, Moss Landing Marina also offers transient dockage with power and water hookup. It is also conveniently located just beyond eastern end of the town docks. And for the record, yes, there is a West Marine store located few blocks from the waterfront.

Once in Little Washington, get to know the city first by walking downtown and through the Harbor District. There you will find some wonderful restaurants and shopping. If you enjoy some meals onboard your boat, visit Val’s Gourmet Cakes and Pantry for takeout meals, and yes, incredible cakes and desserts. After walking through downtown, stop by Pitt Street Brewery for a “cold one” and to enjoy a patio sunset.

If you’re planning a visit to Little Washington, check out the VisitWashingtonNC website where you will find a wealth of trip planning information, as well as signup for their newsletter and download their visitors guide. When you get to town, be sure and stop by the visitors center located on the waterfront at 102 West Stewart Parkway. And just steps away from the visitor center and also on the waterfront is the North Carolina Estuarium, which is well worth a visit.

If you plan to visit Little Washington next summer, our wakes may cross.

There are many reasons to visit Little Washington – also known as Original Washington, these are but a few.

“Dwell as near as possible to the channel in which your life flows.”
― Henry David Thoreau

Oh Captain My Captain

Historic Belhaven, NC ~ The Boats Stop Here!

16 Thursday Feb 2023

Posted by “Oh Captain My Captain” in Destinations

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

Albemarle Loop, Albemarle Sound, America's Great Loop Cruisers' Association, Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway, Belhaven Marina, Belhaven NC, Belhaven Town Docks, CruisingTheICW, Dowry Creek Marina, Historic Bath NC, History, Life, Little Washington NC, Mainship 34T, Marinas, Memories, Restaurants, River Forest Manor and Marina, Shopping, Slow Dance, The Boats Stop Here, TJ's Marina and Boatyard

**To coastal towns like Belhaven, NC, the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway is their interstate** **“highway.”**

February 16, 2023. Originally known as Jack’s Neck, the once fishing village turned thriving small town of lumber companies and a branch of the Norfolk and Southern Railway was officially named Belhaven in 1899. It again made history in September of 1928 when Belhaven, NC became the final link in the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway? The ICW officially opened with a celebration in Belhaven at the River Forest Manor, now known as the River Forest Manor and Marina. For those who love cruising the Intracoastal waterways of America’s East Coast, the world has never been the same. In our years of CruisingTheICW, we have found no other destination as serious as Belhaven when it comes to recognizing the economic importance of ICW transient cruisers. It also helps that Carol Roop, Executive Director of the Belhaven Community Chamber of Commerce and Welcome Center, has a history of cruising and understands first hand the impact the boating market can have on small towns along the ICW.

From the Belhaven Visitors Guide, “In 1928, Belhaven had a BIG party celebrating the final link of the Intracoastal Waterway, the Alligator Pungo Canal.“

“According to the August 26 and August 31, 1928 editions of the Raleigh News and Observer, the 2500 residents of Belhaven welcomed 20,000 visitors to their shores for a massive celebration on Thursday, August 30, 1928.“

To this day, Belhaven embraces its role as the birthplace of the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway and the role transient boaters play in the local economy. Just like the town, the local marinas like Belhaven Marina, Belhaven Town Dock, River Forest Manor and Marina, T.J.’s Marina and Boatyard, and Dowry Creek Marina welcome transient boaters with open arms. While Belhaven Marina, and Belhaven Town Dock are easy walking distance to downtown restaurants, River Forest Manor and Marina, T.J.’s Marina and Boatyard, and Dowry Creek Marina, and offer a courtesy vehicle and/or golf carts for your convenience.

Belhaven Marina
Belhaven Town Docks
River Forest Marina
TJ’s Marina and Boatyard
Dowry Creek Marina

VisitBelhaven, also known as Belhaven Community Chamber of Commerce and Welcome Center, overlooks Belhaven Town Dock, and offers boaters a complete visitors guide in PDF format straight from their website, and a comfortable Welcome Center to visit upon arrival. For those who enjoy Thinking Outside the Boat, the guide is a wonderful introduction to Belhaven and Beaufort County, and things to see and do while visiting. Download and open the guide to see the many reasons transient cruisers enjoy including Belhaven in their itineraries when cruising north and south on the ICW.

Downtown Belhaven is blessed with restaurants that any community along the ICW would welcome. Spoon River is a 5-Star “farm to table” restaurant that one might never expect to find in a small, rural coastal town. Across the street from Spoon River, The Tavern at Jack’s Neck offers steamed oysters and shrimp, Linz Heritage Angus beef ribeyes and filet mignon, as well as pizza with homemade dough, and of course, the town’s most popular tavern. For fresh fish, shrimp, cornbread, and good old Southern hospitality you might want to try Fish Hook’s Cafe, which is another restaurant popular with the locals. And if you just want a fast food breakfast, lunch, or dinner takeout or outdoor seating, Farm Boys, across from Belhaven Marina, is very popular with locals.

Spoon River Artworks & Market dining room
The Tavern at Jack’s Neck, another popular dining spot for transient cruisers.
The Tavern at Jack’s Neck is known for its Prime Angus Ribeye and fresh, local Steamed Shrimp
Spoon River’s famous Pork Chop, one of the most popular items on the menu.

While in Belhaven, be sure and stroll around its charming downtown, or if your bikes cruise with you, cycle downtown and the Pantego Creek and Pungo River waterfront neighborhoods. And it’s hard to visit Belhaven without dropping into downtown shops like Attic Life, Coastal Cottage Life, Handpicked Sister, Nifty Picks, and Southern Tuck — and yes it’s spelled correctly and they don’t sell auto parts!

Big boat, small boat, fast boat, slow boat, Belhaven, NC the final link in the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway welcomes them all when they proclaim The Boats Stop Here.

And in the summer of 2023, there’s a good chance “Slow Dance” will once again be stopping by Belhaven AND checking out a couple of other historic Beaufort County towns, Bath, the first town established in North Carolina and the state’s first port, and Washington, also known as Little Washington and The Original Washington. Give us a shout on channel 16 if you see “Slow Dance” out on the water.

“Dwell as near as possible to the channel in which your life flows.” Henry David Thoreau

Oh Captain My Captain