November 4

Today we left Alligator River Marina for Belhaven. The trip was fairly long at almost 60 miles but we made good time, arriving just about an hour and one half before dark. This gave us time to get the dinghy launched as we wanted to reprovision at a Food Lion grocery store nearby. The Washers went in for fuel and did not make it out as soon as we expected. The marina refused to process their card until the people there had cleared the day's business. So they waited. We told them not to get their dinghy out but to go with us. We asked a woman for directions to the store. She said it was about a mile and one half. We asked her if there were any taxis available. She offered to take us and we accepted but told us that she would not be able to bring us back. I approached the people at the store and the assistant manager offered to take us back in his pickup. I told Annette she could load up as we had a truck for the return trip. She knew how to do that. So we returned to the boat (in two dinghy trips) with plenty of provisions. Both individuals refused our offers of money for gas, etc. They said it was all part of Southern hospitality.