Here’s the sunrise from our anchorage at 7:00, I was up as I had very little sleep because of the winds gusting most of the night causing us to swing.

We left our anchorage at 7:35, and proceeded north on the ICW.  At about 9:30, we came across this marker- which would have confused me but the captain knew it was a bifurcation marker, stating you could go on either side but the top colour is preferred.

We arrived at the Surf City swing bridge at about 9: 45, and had to wait  with another boat until the 10:00 opening, as the clearance was only 14 feet and we draw just over 17

Here’s a view of the bridge closing behind us and one of the Surf City water tower.

I’ve noticed the last couple days that the crabbers around here use very small boats- here’s one of their crab pot stockpiles on this  island.

 I also saw this house with its own  light house somewhere near Alligator Bay—it’s not purple but it is memorable there seems to be some type of bird painted on one of the sides.

We arrived at Swan Point marina  in Sneads Ferry at about Noon, mile 246.9—this is more of a working yard than marina,  We’ve noticed already  that we get rocked a bit as boats go by on the ICW.

The marina has a courtesy car which we plan to use tomorrow to go for groceries and then in the evening to go to an Eastern Star meeting.

Sneads Ferry is located very near  to Camp Lejeune, a US  Marine Corp base, once we leave here  the ICW will take us through the base.  At times the ICW is closed while they are conducting military exercises.  I think they are currently doing something as every few minutes we hear big booming noises  which may be guns going off.