November 26, 2014

More of Beaufort, SC

 

November 25. 2014

Woke to clearing skies, moderate winds, 46 degrees. Waited until slack tide then drove up to the fuel dock to top off, then to a slip where we pulled in for the next two days to visit Beaufort, SC – a small town chocked full of historical sites and stories. One of the more colorful is that Black Beard the pirate - one Edward Teach who hung out in Beaufort. His girl friend was Elizabeth who never married Edward but after his demise was married 7 times before she was 24 - the husbands kept disappearing. 

I was lucky to discover that two of my VMI Brother Rats were in the area – Gregory Scott Kinsey and Ned Perrot and his lovely wife Florence. Scott and Ned are both Virginia boys. Scott hails from Salem and Ned from Lynchburg. Florence is from The Plains and attended Stuart Hall.

These are very fine folk. Scott has been a professional musician all his working life, having pursued his dream in Nashville and other places. He is an accomplished song writer and a luthier – a builder of musical instruments. He has been based in Beaufort pretty much since graduation from VMI. Ned is a lawyer and farmer. He and Florence still live in Lynchburg but they love the SC shore so much years ago they bought a place in Edisto and go there often.

The Downtown Marina was full of boats, both sail and motor – many pleasure trawlers and many headed south for the season. The good folks there provided a courtesy car for guests so we were able to go uptown to the Be-Lo Store for provisions.

Scott met us in the late morning and hauled us out to a hardware store for other stuff and we had a delightful lunch with Ned and Florence. They were all very gracious and helpful.

Scott and the Other Guy

We capped of a delightful day by taking a horse drawn carriage through old Beaufort. Our tour guide was this fantastic woman who talked nonstop about Beaufort history. Beaufort is filled with historical homes and sites. They take their preservation very seriously. Home owners in the historic areas must maintain their properties to the highest standards and historically accurate. Must drive a libertarian (which I am not) up the wall crazy.

 

Sue - our tour guide

Buddy - Our Chauffer 

1800 – back aboard Flicka to prepare for an early departure on Thanksgiving Day, 2014.

Scenes from Old Beaufort

 

November 24, 2014

Rained all night. Westerly winds screaming 20 knots – wind generator humming pumping those amps into our three marine deep cycle batteries (More detail about that later.)

0730 – Rain has stopped and now a dense fog has set in. Then came the inevitable discussion between first mate buck Talley and Captain Emily about whether we go or wait out the fog. We compromised and decided on a 1000 departure.

1000 – Left in clearing fog. No sooner than we had weighed anchor and entered the main channel of the South Edisto the thick fog crept back in. That’s why we spent all that money on GPS and radar. (Now if I can just figure out how it works.) But work it did and we negotiated the Fenwick Cut which spilled us into the Ashepoo River then the Ashepoo Coosaw Cut to Rock Creek and then the Saw River. A power boat passes to starboard just as we entered the Saw.

We begin a long run up the Saw in clearing skies, warming weather and slightly diminishing winds.

Here is where our luck begin to unravel. Up until not we had done pretty well coming down the ICW, having made pretty good time, survived cold and rainy weather; no catastrophic events. Actually feeling pretty good about ourselves, to the point of being rather smug.

Approaching Beaufort, SC mid-channel, moving along about 7 knots with a strong favorable current at mile 335 and that is when the engine stopped abruptly just about the same time I was thinking that I had not checked the fuel level that morning. Well – tanks do run dry.

Refueling a boat moving along at 7 knots is not like pulling in to 7-11 for a fill up. We had plenty of fuel in jerry cans lashed to the gunnels; the trick is to get the fuel into the tank while under way in a steady 15 knot wind and rolling boat – and quickly. Captain EM handled the helm while I played the part of Lieutenant Dan at the top at the mast in Forest Gump as he converses with God about a storm.

As we lost way (that is lost control of the boat) it became necessary to throw out an anchor in order to complete refueling. To complicate matters, diesel engines don’t run with air in the fuel lines, which is what they get when one forgets to fill the tank and the fuel pump sucks air – which means the forgetter has to bleed the fuel line before the engine will run. (Memo to self – check fuel level in tank daily.)

But the Talley team prevailed and got Flicka running again and we were able to continue our run down to the Ladies Island Swing Bridge just north of Beaufort. Now this is a famous bridge because boaters run aground often on a sand bar on the western side of the channel. It is a bridge that opens on the half hour to let boats through but you have to call the bridge master and ask permission to pass – which, dutifully, we did – just about the time (about 1500) we ran smack dab up onto that sandbar. Hard aground is what we were. Not only were we hard aground but we were hard aground on a rapidly decreasing tide which meant are situation was only going to get worst. The tides here run eight feet. It was moving out quickly - water depth decreasing rapidly. We called Tow Boat US (Fortunately the dope that ran us out of fuel did take out comprehensive towing insurance) and a guy showed up 45 minutes later to pull us off, HOWEVER he could not do it – the tide run was just so rapid that Flicka was fast becoming stranded on the sandbar. He offered to come back on the rising tide. I was convinced that we would float off and we wouldn’t need him. Then he reminded me that severe weather was headed our way – tornados and such. That changed my mind so we made an 1800 date.

 

 

 

 

 

There was only one alternative and that was to wait on the rising tide. So wait we did – while we became the talk of the town. We watch as the trade went completely out then slack. Flicka was literally laying her side on an island. Shore birds came to probe the bar for worms, clams and other delicacies. A great blue came walking by and a pelican or two dropped in to investigate. We watched as the tide raced back in and slowly Flicka begin to shift, stand upright and float. Tow Boat US showed back up, threw us a line and slowly we swung the bow around to point to the channel and slowly – very slowly the tow boat captain inched us off the sandbar, in the rain, wind and DARK. By 2000 we were floating free.

On a boat, in the DARK, in the rain, it is very easy to become disoriented. It’s – well – dark. All you see is lights, shore lights, navigational lights, and plane lights. That is when you better know how to use a compass or, for us modern day sailors, GPS. And when we needed our brand new GPS the most that is exactly when it lost the satellite signal. Big lesson. Know how to use that compass. What was that bearing to the bridge again?

Of course we were in sight of the bridge, but you cannot imagine how different that sucker looks at night. In the rain, wind and dark we had to negotiate our way through the bridge, past the town marina and through a maze of anchored boats – some without anchor lights (Coast Guard required) to a safe anchorage – which we did by 2200hrs. Pouring rain. We are safe and secure.

Challenging day. Lots of lessons learned.

Tomorrow a visit to Beaufort, SC and a couple of Brother Rats.

 

November 23, 2014

Bad weather did come. Still hunkered down. 20 knot ENE winds. Much rain. Taking the day off. Raining hard on and off. We are comfortable with our ‘Little Buddy’ propane heater, our various devices – for after all – who can survive without their devices – or is that vices? On to Beaufort, SC tomorrow at first light to visit with VMI brother rats for the day, then south to Titusville, FL.

Sleep well mouseketeers.

November 22, 2014

Plans change.

0930 – Leaving Charleston to take advantage of this clear, warm day with favorable NW winds and strong currents. The weather is deteriorating tomorrow with predicted SW winds 20-25 and lots of rain. Not pleasant in our unprotected cockpit. As a result I won't get to see Jane Custer, a much loved cousin of mine from Staunton. We are going to catch her on the flip side.

This day’s entry is dedicated to our good friend Paul Rogers who lives in Greenville, NC and who has lived in a wheel chair for the last 25-30 years, a victim of multiple sclerosis. He is paralyzed in maybe 80% of his body and can pretty move only his arms and head. MS is an autoimmune disease of the central nervous system in which nerve fibers essentially become nonfunctional, resulting in paralysis, but interestingly enough, not loss of pain perception. Go figure. There is no cure.

Paul is undaunted by his condition, astonishingly courageous and an inspiration to me. He is an artist and earned a Master’s degree in counseling after being confined to his wheel chair and for many years twice weekly he goes to the Vidant Medical Center hospital to volunteer at the heart center.

I’m thinking about Paul because, remarkably, there is a 70 foot world class sailing vessel 3 slips down from us by the name of Ocean of Hope. The stern port side had a website painted on it – www.sailing schlrosis.com. I walked down to this orange hulled thing of beauty and was greeted by the chipper and smiling ship’s bosun, Bertram Christensen from Denmark. He proceeded to tell me all about boat and its mission. It is currently on a world cruise, a global voyage to change the perceptions of multiple sclerosis. The entire crew excepting the captain and Bertram have MS in various stages of progression. One is a retired Parrish priest with five children. The global pharmaceutical company Biogen foots the bill for this adventure.

The boat is a Challenge 67, with a beam of 17 feet, displacement 40 tons, and a steel hull. She was built in 1966 to race around the world “wrong way” – against the prevailing winds and now she carries a message of hope for all of us. Who knows why some of us are stricken by calamitous conditions like MS and others not. I don’t know whether I could be as strong as Paul in his place.

Anyway, I’m thinking about you today Paul.

 

 

0940 – Leaving Charleston to make miles south before bad weather. Wind NE 10-15, current favorable. Doing 7 knots, passing the 12 deck Carnival of Fantasy, a behemoth of a boat. Who knows what decadent things goes on aboard this star ship.

 

 

 

 

Pretty nice real estate in Charleston

 

 

1030 – Passed under Wappo Creek Bridge

Just south of the bridge we went through Elliot’s Cut at Mount Pleasant, a very narrow and short but deep canal where the tidal current can reach 4 knots and, sure enough, we were traveling against it. We went from 6.0 knots to 2.5 knots in a matter of seconds. Thankfully the cut is only about 1.5 miles long and we clawed our way through.

Pretty nice real estate here too. Damn Republicans.

 

1100 – Crossed over into the Stono River to run down through more beautiful marsh lands. Channels sometimes wide, sometimes narrow, sometimes shallow, sometimes deep. Thank goodness for the depth finder. Crossed over into yet another river, the Wadmalaw. This land is dotted with islands and many rivers, tributaries and tidal backwashes (lots of places for alligators to hide.)

 

At mark 102, the confluence of Toogoodo Creek and the Wadmalaw we encountered a disabled sail boat hailing out of Cambridge, MD, vessel Island Time. Spoke the captain who told us his engine had quit. He thinks it’s the fuel pump. Declined assistance. We mush on.

After a while on the Wadmalaw we crossed, yet again, over into another river, the Dawho, then through Watts Cut into the South Edisto River where at 1630 we anchored in 10 feet well off the main channel with not another boat or human being insight. Bad weather tomorrow. Hunkering down!

Eat rice, be nice and let the good times roll.

 

November 21, 2014

0700 – Brilliant day at Awendaw Creek.

0830 – Leaving our anchorage, 46 degrees, winds W 5 knots. Favorable current. Porpoises make their daily appearance soon after entering the ICU. Mark 76.

A run down to Charleston today through more extensive marsh lands. A few houses set back on high ground with long piers, some a half mile long, maybe longer – running out through the marsh to docks – many covered. The docks are all floating with hinged gangways. As we approach Charleston the houses waterfront houses get bigger and grander.

 

 

 

 

 

Just north of mile 462 and the Ben Sawyer Bridge we had some excitement. We were traveling about a mile behind three other sailboats and notice that they had all stopped, pretty much in mid-channel. What was going on? Were they anchored for lunch? Waiting for the bridge to open? No by golly they were all run hard aground. The channel through this part of the ICU is quite shallow and of course at low tide, which it was at the moment, even more difficult to negotiate. In addition, constant strong tidal currents create constantly shifting shoals. Tides here run about 5 feet. Two of those boats are 6 foot draft vessels but the other guy was 4.8. By radio the vessel Release cautioned us and suggested we join them. I thought to myself, “You mean aground?”

Undaunted, we with our now very much prized 4.5 foot draft, slowed down, held our breath, watched our depth gauge and pressed on. We waved and smiled as we ghosted by and tried not to look to smug. We arrived at the bridge just as it opened and Emily, master helmsman, took us through.

Beyond the Bridge we dumped out into the upper reaches of the Wando River from which we ran down past Shute’s Folly and Fort Sumter in the distance straight to the Maritime Marina on the north side of Charleston where we stayed for the night.

 

On the way we saw this boat,

 

 

Our plan is to stay here a couple of days, visit a cousin of mine and see a little of Charleston, a grand city as cities go – home of the College of Charleston and the Citadel. We are parked across the harbor from the USS York, a retired aircraft carrier, now a museum complete with old fighter planes and all kinds of cool stuff.

 

 

Namaste

November 20, 2014

On November 20, 1948 a very large nose with a small body attached was born. Since then the nose as grown prodigiously as, sorry to say, has the mid-section. Happy birthday to me. Sixty six years on this planet. I have come a long way with the help of many remarkable people too numerous to mention. The two guiding lights in my life, Sarah Rinehart my wonderful and accomplished daughter and Henry Talley, my equally accomplished son. Emily my wife of 27 years is my constant companion and soul mate. She inspires me. Many remarkable people have inspired and guided me, some close friends, many acquaintances. Making a list like that is dangerous because one runs the risk of leaving someone off. I’m going to make that list, but not here – at least not today here. In fact I think I will make a list of everybody whom I have ever known – at least those I can remember. 

But this is a blog about our journey southward on our reliable and seaworthy 32 foot Allied Seawind ketch, FLICKA, and on this day, my birthday, we left our anchorage at mile 381 on Bull Creek at 0900 with steady, light west winds. Very cold – down to 27. Another brilliant sunlit day. We reentered the beautiful Maccamaw River and continued traversing a broad bald cypress swamp with national wildlife refuse lands on both sides. Very rural country, small villages. Lots of fishermen. The Maccamaw has lots of tributary creeks that beg to be explored.

 

 

We are traveling at 6.5-8.0 knots with a strong current. The wind, as usual, has come around to be on our nose and is freshening.

1100 – Passed Butler Island still traveling through a bald cypress swamp with cypress (Taxodium distichum) and grand live oaks (Quercus virginiana) lining the shore, festooned with Spanish moss (Tillandsia usneoides). In the background loblolly pine (Pinus tadea) dominates along with at least two palm species.

 

 

1200 – Confluence of the Great Pee Dee River and the Maccamaw forming Winwah Bay. Notice all those Native American names. This marks the entrance to the South Carolina town of Georgetown, a popular stopping point on the ICW, but we press on. South of Georgetown we enter the Western Channel and then the Eastherville Minim canal which connects us to the Santee River watershed and suddenly we have left the cypress swamp and are in an expansive salt water marsh, flat as a pancake punctuated by hillocks with low woody vegetation.

 

 

South Carolina has more acres of salt water marsh habitat than any other Atlantic coast state. These marsh lands are dominated by salt marsh cord grass (Spartina alternaflora). This plant exhibits an interesting property of many plants. It exists in two distinct forms – tall and short. The tall form dominates the ‘low’ marsh and the short form the higher marsh. Other wetland plants join the tall form in the slightly higher areas. This productive ecosystem is an incubator for fish, crabs, worms and other species including a fantastic array of water birds, shore birds, ducks, etc. Brown pelicans and common cormorants are everywhere. Bottlenose porpoises make a daily appearance.

 

 

We cross the North then the South Santee Rivers through very narrow channels and miles of salt marsh on either side. Finally we anchor in 15 feet of water on Awendaw Creek at sunset with 5 other boats. A 55 mile day. Tomorrow on to Charleston, SC

 

 

Good night. Sweet dreams.

 

November 19, 2014

0842 – Leaving our anchorage south of the Little River Inlet. Three of the five boats who had joined us on this anchorage have left. We spent a very cold night aboard Flicka. Hard to get these old bones going on a cold morning. But go we did – to a brilliant sunny day with north winds 5 knots. Temp 38. Cormorants and brown pelicans waved good bye as we pulled out.

 

We reentered the ICW just north of North Myrtle Beach and proceeded south past some pretty impressive real estate and some very fine natural scenery.

 

The Myrtle Beach is given over to the game of golf. Golf is king! The ICW splits a number of courses in the area, there are very exclusive courses, golf communities and clubs. At one point there is even an aerial tram across the ICW that carries golfers back and forth 75 feet in the air to make play convenient. Wouldn’t want those golfers to get any exercise.

 

In addition, since gambling is illegal in SC, there is a company that runs a “gambling boat” twice daily from a berth in North Myrtle that goes out Hogg Inlet and outside the 3.5 mile state waters boundary where ANYTHING is legal. So the golfers gamble illegally on the course then they board Big M Casino (877-250-LUCK), motor out to the ocean while swilling fine southern bourbon and gamble legally. Isn’t life great?

 

Of course, all these golf courses have replaced farm lands and rural areas that replaced a diverse southern forest ecosystem. For sometime now we have motoring south in the ICW just west of the Atlantic seaboard and have gotten glimpses of the remarkable amount of coastal development. There is literally a string of houses and commercial development all the way down the part of the coast we are traveling and, from my other travels its clear there is a string of development down the entire US coast line. The only protected areas are the various national wildlife refuges, state and federal parks and Camp Lejeune (go marines) all taken - a small portion.

But there is the ICS, which today crossed through three distinct areas, the Myrtle Beach totally built out nightmare with high bluffs and much altered shore line with lots of rock revetments, walls, and bulkheads, then an interesting area of highly eroded rocky shore and finally a wonderful bald cypress swamp with little or no development.

 

 

 

At 1000 we at Cricket Cove Marina for fuel and learned about the gambling boat from the dock master. Diesel is cheap here compared to Virginia – less tax and more competition. Tidal current running strong against us and wind of course shifting to west on our nose conspiring to slow Flicka down.

1030 – Passing under the little river swing bridge.

1125 – Passing Barefoot Bridge.

 

Past the Barefoot Bridge we enter the Waccamah River just South of 375. Entering a grand bald cypress swamp.

 

1530 – Anchored on Bull Creek, by ourselves. No wind. A beautiful anchorage. Mile 281. Put in 39 miles today. Tomorrow - on the move - to Georgetown, SC and on the Charleston. Hurray!

 

 

 

Noverber 18, 2014

0830 - Leaving out of Joyner’s Marina. Wind NNE 10-15 knots, 38 degrees. Clear skies. Tornadoes did not come. Today’s run will take us down the Cape Fear River to the Atlantic Ocean but we will. Stick to the ICW, just inside. Passed under Carolina Beach Fixed Bridge 0845

 

Very cold. Need to dress warm. Many layers – starting with long undies. Two pairs of socks. Warm pants then wind pants. Here’s a clue – make sure you don’t have your long underwear on backwards, especially if you have to pee as often as I do.

0843 - Entering Cape Fear River. Wind on nose, strong, slowing us down to 4 knots. Turning south bringing wind on stern. Set jib (head sail) and took off. Hitting 6-7.5 knots over the ground. Great for this boat.

 

1020 – Leaving Southport. Almost took wrong turn down Southport Inlet to Atlantic. Emily freaked out.

 

At Southport the ICW turns west so the wind has come on to our nose – slows us down considerably. A long slog now. To make matters worse I notice that the engine is overheating. Not good. We finally had to pull over to the side of the channel and throw out an anchor. Good news…the raw water strainer was clogged. Marine diesels (most anyway) are cooled with raw seawater, drawn in by a raw water pump. The cool seawater runs through a heat exchanger through which the engine coolant is circulating. The heated sea water is then ejected back into the sea. The water is filtered on the way. All kinds of stuff can get sucked up into strainer. When it fills – over heating can occur.

Tides in this country are 5-6 feet – more than the Chesapeake Bay. Many floating docks and piers.

And derelict boats. This one is for sale cheap.

 

Mark 39 – many bottle nose porpoises. Thrilling.

1645 – Anchored at mile 342 just north of North Myrtle Beach and JUST OVER THE SOUTH CAROLINA STATE LINE!! Hurray for us. Anchored in 10 feet with 4 other boats. Wind diminishing but cold, cold. Our new friends from Maine and Canada anchored near by.

A 47 mile day. Good on us!

Sweet dreams. Hope all is well with you.

Mushing onward to Georgetown, SC

Noverber 17, 2014

November 17, 2014

Left our anchorage in Wrightsville Beach (mile 283) at 1000. North winds 15. Cloudy and rain showers, but thankfully WARM – 60 degrees. Weather report not good. Wind shifting to S, SSW and blowing hard and sure enough just as we left the anchorage the wind hit hard right on our nose.  And the rain showers came. When motoring with the wind the “apparent” wind (the wind you feel) is much less than the actual wind (since you are moving along with it), but motoring into the wind increases apparent velocity. These effects are relative and in part determine your actual speed over ground.

We motored along into increasing winds when suddenly our brand new Standard Horizons VHF radio beeped loudly and began to issue a severe weather report for Cape Fear and surrounding areas. Chance of tornadoes (not good anytime but real bad for boats). Coast Guard issued small craft warnings. Once we figured out when Cape Fear was and realized we were right in the path of the bad stuff we decided to run for cover.

Why fuck with Mother Nature!

The bad weather apparently did not stop this guy from going out. The pelicans and gulls look pretty happy.

 

 

Fortunately we were not far from Joyner’s Marina at mile 295. Negotiated a difficult breakwater entrance into calm water and tied up on a floating dock at 1300hrs. J. W., the dock master met us, helped us get settled and offered his beat up old truck to go up town for supplies. He could not have been more gracious.

 

 

We took showers, did laundry, had dinner and hit the sack.

Short day – only 12 miles. Tomorrow South Carolina or bust.

Good night all.

November 16, 2014

November 16, 2014

0815 – Wind NNE 5 knots – 43 degrees F

We left Swansboro under cloudy skies. Rain predicted for later today. Headed out into the ICU past Bogue Inlet. Speaking of inlets – and taking into consideration that the ICU is basically a channel running north south between barrier islands to the east and the mainland to the west – the waters between the barrier islands are basically inlets to the ICU channel. Each inlet offers a way out to the Atlantic Ocean and conversely a way in. The waters of the ICU are protected from off shore winds/weather and passage therein is relatively pleasant. However the channel is narrow, in some places shallow, and shifting sands (shoaling) can make navigation treacherous. Going “outside” – off shore - can sometimes be advantageous – but that means (besides confronting a number of other hazards) negotiating these inlets– where currents and water depths are constantly shifting. Sometime soon we are going to go outside – so we have to pick the right inlet – and “weather window” – a two day NNE, NNW, N or W wind to “blow” us south. More on that later – when we get the balls.

 

 

Back to today’s adventures; we motored south with an unbroken string of Mc-mansions to the west, each with its own sometimes very long pier jutting out into the channel, beautiful broken wetland areas and small islands to the east and beyond that to the actual Atlantic coast – where another unbroken string of Mc-mansions and commercial interests marched stiffly southward. (Let’s have us a big hurricane.) Not soon after we left, at buoy 48A, bottlenose porpoises arrived on the scene – thirty or more. Marvelous creatures….dancing along Flicka’s side. I swore I heard them cry, “Come on Flicka…come on…go faster!”

 

Onward in a narrow channel, trying hard not to run aground, Great blue heron just flew across our bow. Brown pelicans all around. Another great blue. Entering camp Lejeune, a very large marine base, and we will dutifully salute as we go through. The marines may be dedicated to blowing stuff up – but here is a thought – Lejeune in the most protected marine ecosystem in this area – every other piece of real-estate is given over to Mc-mansions and commercial enterprise. I vote for more marine camps!

Mark 59 – in Lejeune “firing range” - more dolphins, brown pelicans. Lots of dolphins. Go marines! Another great blue flying east to west across our bow on his way to a breakfast smorgasbord somewhere.

0930 – Passing through Onslow Beach Swing Bridge – got here just at the half-hour opening. Perfect timing. I served breakfast – hot oatmeal, brown sugar and bacon. Not bad!

 

 

1100 – Swan Point – 17 miles into our day’s journey. A race against time. Trying to make Surf City Swing Bridge – opens on the hour. And we did it – made it with a minute to spare. But now a strong current setting to the east (against us) is slowing us down – not good because we are trying to make Wrightsville Beach before dark. (Navigating at night is nerve wracking.)

Just north of the Wrightsville Beach - something you don’t see every day. A deer – I might add - a very brave deer – entered the ICU and swam its entire width – passing off our bow – against a pretty strong current. We watch in amazement as it fought the current and landed successfully. A first for me, but I bet the deer does that often. Or maybe not. I just don’t know. Brings up lots of questions. For instance - Why does a deer walk up to a body of water a half-mile wide and decide to cross? – and don’t say…. “To get to the other side”. What’s in it for the deer? And, if you have not noticed recently deer hooves are small, almost delicate things – certainly not flipper like – but this honey was gettin’ it! I have never considered whether deer are good swimmers or not but this babe sure was. I have seen deer walk gingerly through the forest and swiftly but delicately bound away in a hurry, but swim?

 

 

 

 

Soon after that gift came a very quick weather change – cloudy, light rain and fog – just as we make our way into Wrightsville.

1630 - Waiting for the Wrightsville Bridge to open in a steady rain. Finally proceeding into a narrow channel in diminishing light – a few hair-raising turns’ around confusing marks and – here we are safe and sound on anchor in Wrightsville Harbor with 15 other boats.

A big 47 mile day. Tomorrow on to South Carolina.

Sleep well

Steve and Emily

November 12, 13, 14 and 15

I have to get this thing a little better organized. Far behind. Cold weather has created an incentive to get south fast so we have been pushing hard to make time. I am pretty exhausted by the time we get to a dock or anchorage. Must do better.

For this entry I will combine a few days to get caught up.

November 12, 2014 – 7:30AM - We left our anchorage at the north entrance of the Alligator River Pungo River Canal (Mile 104.8 ICW). Marine weather reports promised partly sunny skies by 9:00AM. That never happened.  We traveled the length of the canal (about 23 miles) under cold grey skies but, fortunately no rain. Leaving the canal we traveled down the Pungo River to Belhaven, NC at the junction of Pantego Creek and the Pungo where we hauled into the Forest River Marina and met Henry, the dock master who set us up with a nice slip. Emily was able to contact an old friend with whom she attended St. Anne’s Belfield School. Suzanne picked us up and, along with her sister Jan, carried our sorry butts to Food Lion for supplies. To top it off she took us out for dinner at a very fine Belhaven restaurant where we met yet another sister, Carol. The dinner was fabulous. Good on her! Back to Flicka at 9:00PM and straight to bed.

 

November 13, 2014 – A very fine day indeed – except for the weather. Rain predicted and did come in the afternoon in a big way. We rented a car and drove to Greenville, NC to see my very dear friend Paul Rogers, who has spent the last 35 years of his life in a wheel chair, a victim of multiple sclerosis. Paul was a side kick of Sid Painter, dead too young from cancer many years ago. Enterprise Car Rental sent a driver from Washington, NC to pick us up, one G. B. Haddock, an eighty-eight year young man who, with a little prompting, told us a little about his life as a tobacco farmer in the 30s and 40s – complete with mule drawn equipment and hand harvested corn. We had a fabulous, but too short visit with Paul, who is super inspiring, having never let MS beat him completely down. For years he has gone to the local hospital twice weekly to volunteer in the heart center. I’m a better man for being his friend. G. B. delivered us back to Belhaven with more stories. The rain came cold and fast. Tomorrow’s weather report was not good. Cold, cold, but at least clearing skies by 9:00AM.

 

November 14, 2014 – 7:39AM – Left Belhaven (Forest River Marina) under leaden but clearing skies – at least no rain – but very cold. Turning into the Pungo River. The clearing skies stopped happening. Bundled up for sure. Winds northerly 10-15. 42 degrees. Very cold on the water. We proceeded down the Pungo to its junction with the Pamlico. Crossed the Pamlico and entered Goose Creek and the Hoboken Canal. Passed under the Hoboken Bridge at 11:00AM. Passed through canal, into the Bay River and then the Neuse River, notorious for contrary winds and currents.  Winds picked up to 15-20 but still out of the north which put it on our starboard quarter. Great time to let out the jib (headsail) and run downwind (with the wind). Great in theory, but putting it into practice takes having your shit together, which on this particular occasion we most emphatically did not! Ended up with the jib sheets (control lines) fouled and the boat pretty much out of control. I had to go forward in not so ideal conditions to untangle the lines. Not good in a building wind. But we prevailed and lived long enough to make it to the very cool town of Oriental, NC – sailing capital of North Carolina. WE were very lucky indeed to find a free dock in downtown Oriental right across from a coffee shop where I had the worst cup of coffee I have ever had. Walked Oriental – a good time was had by all. A 47 mile day on the ICW!

 

November 15, 2014 – 8:30AM – Sunny and bright but very cold – 38 degrees, Winds light, northerly. Departed Oriental and crossed the Neuse River to Adams Creek and entered yet another canal, the Adams Creek Canal. A favorable current pushed us along at 6.5 – 7.0 knots. Very good time. Entered the Newport River and at buoys 32 and 33 sighted our very first dolphins. Maybe 20 or so. Such spectacular creatures. Motored past approaches to Beaufort, NC and continued down ICW between Atlantic Beach and Morehead City. At this point the ICW essentially becomes a narrow and not so deep channel running continuously north - south with the mainland to the west and a series of barrier islands to the east, interrupted by various inlets and outlets to the Atlantic Ocean. There are extensive saltwater marches dominated with salt marsh cord grass and salt march hay, breeding grounds for all manner of creatures and small islands, many created with spoils from dredging operations.

We continued past Beaufort and Morehead City south bound trying our best not to run aground – which thank goodness we did not. Other boats were not so lucky. It was sunny but cold and onward we mushed until finally we arrived at Swansboro, NC. One of our many waterway guides mentioned a particular restaurant – the Saltwater Grill that had one free docking spot for one boat available for any boater who would dine there. I call to enquire and sure enough, their one slip was open so in we went. Mike actually met us at the dock and helped us get secure. Pretty damn cool! So we rested, had a drink and dined later. The she crab soup was excellent. So here we are now, aboard Flicka with our Little Buddy propane heater cranking out the BTUs. Tomorrow onward to Wrightsville Beach and an off shore run to Charleston, SC.

Good night all.

Steve and Emily