October 30 and South Carolina

Today we intended to start early, 6:00, but the sun was not up so we left at 7:30. Never the less we got to the Carolina Bridge close enought to low tide that we got under without touching. Onward rates it as a number 1 and it is.

We had reserved a spot at The Bald Head Marina for Friday and Saturday. We had been told while in Oriental it was a great place. We listened to the weather report and found there were to be 50 knot winds off Cape Fear and decided we had pick the wrong time to visit. If we were not going to Bald Head Island Marina then why stop at Southport at 11:00. We should go west and try to get away from the storm.

Thinking that Myrthe Beach might be a good place for Kelly to celebrate Halloween off we went. This meant we had several bridges to go under, mostly around high tide. The first was a new one Yaupon Beach Bridge and we got under easily. The New Oak Bridge once again easy. Then came The Holden Beach Bridge right at high tide. It was showing just a bit more the 64 feet. After Tuesday's adventure we decided to wait and to tilt the boat. We waited 1.5 hours and put Trish in the dingy and went under with ease

The next two bridges were easy since we were well away from high tide.

We had some current which slowed us down and sped us up.

Waist of the time we just relax and enjoy the scenery.

I must not forget the dogs

Shopping in Wilmington

We got the coutecy car and went shopping

Things improving rapidly

First of all we got into The Sea Path Yacht Club. As we were preparing to send Trish up the mast I went to get a third person to handle the second hallard. I met Serge and Cleo sitting on their sailboat which had a Canadian flag on it. They said they would be happy to help. 

When Serge found out Trish had not been up a mast before he quickly voluntiered. We now have a dock, we once again have a radio and we are waiting for the curtesy car.

Mott Channel Wrightsville Beach Mile 283 Day

Yesterday was not our best. First we waited and tested our ability to tilt the boat. Then when we saw over 65 feet we did not use the tilt. I believe we can gain about a foot by lifting the dingy with the spinakar hallard with me in it. Trish wants to change this and put her in the dingy with our two 5 gallon water jugs.

We then raced to the next bridge which opened on the hour and half hour. We made it but did burn some diesel. Not so bad because we are suppose to do this every once and a while. We then slowed down a little but with a favorable current made the next bridge with 30 seconds to spare. 

As we were calling every Marina in Wrightsville I realized there was another bascule bridge right at Wrightsville. We just missed the 5:30 so had to sit in a small breeze and strong current. The bridge opened at 6:00 and we headed for the anchorage hopping there would be room. There was and we settled down for the night.

With a little luck today will be better.

Motts Channel

Our undoing The North Topsail Bridge

We got to the bridge more then an hour pass high tide. The board read 65.75. We decided to go through, or rather I decided to go through and Trish did not have time to consider the situation. We hit our wind instruments are fine, but we lost the windex and Trish caught the antena with her head. 

The windex is expendable and we have the antena and I believe just put it back.

The offending bridge

Just as we got to the swing bridge at Surf City we saw more Dalphins 

Day 65 October 28

We appear to be caught between a rock and a hard place and another hard place. The next bridge is the North Topsail Beach Bridge, which is a 3 just like Emerald Isle Bridge. This means that we have to wait untill 3 or 3:30 to go under. 

I decided we should go outside and have a sail in 5 to 10 knots. There is an opening to the ocean just around the corner the New River Inlet. Fortunately I called the Coast Guard. They told me not to do it. The silting is bad and thus the channel is marked incorrectly.

While going north was not really an option I believe the ICW is closed today for a military exercises. This means we have to wait get through the bridge then go 10 miles to an anchorage at Topsail Sound.

We can at least spend the day watching the Marines prepare.

A bit of a stressful day

We have known that we would have trouble with the bridges and the need for patience. Today was the first real test. We got under both The Emeral Isle and Atlantic Beach, but we should have gone outside. It was a beautiful day and we would have avoided the stress.

Now we are at Mile Hammock Bay in the middle of Camp Lejeune. It certainly makes us think of Matthew. As always tomorrow we do not know where we are going. Hopefully we will be anchored just north of Wrightville Beach. I hope that is the right name. I cannot go below and check for it's martini time and I am too settled in the cockpit.

Camp Lejeune October 27

FToday we are headed slowly towards Emerald Isle Bridge. High tide was at 10:30 and we want the water to drop a little before we go under. I called Toe Boat US and was told they had had no problems with the boards reading incorrectly. Then a boat ahead of us radioed that the boards were reading 64. We will go under when the boards read 65.

On the way we have seen a lot of helicopters. At one point Trish counted 16. We believe them to be from Camp Lejeune.

Just as I was talking to Toe Boat Us I looked over and saw a number of dalphins.

Sunday evening and Spooner Creek

JJWe went in to Beaufort and had lunch. The little boat did just fine starting halfway through the first pull. And even better it kept going. The lunch was good and very relaxing. As we finished I said maybe we should go.

First the best and really the only anchorage, near Beaufort, we could get was very close to the channel. Second the Atlantic Beach Bridge was rated as a 2.  If we left we would cross under around low tide. If we left tomorrow morning we would be around high tide. Trish and I decided to leave.

We got to the Atlantic Beach Bridge one and a half hours before low tide. The boards read 64.5. We decided to go for it and passed under just touching. I believe if we tried to do it at high tid we would hit.

This is how we find ourselves in Spooner Creek. I will show you a picture but first we saw more Dolphins and while not good we have a new picture.

A pelican

Spooner Creek

Lunch in Beaufort

I had heard the docks were expensive and I think they priced themselves out of the market. Except for three large boats the docks were almost empty.

October 26 Beaufort

We got the engine runs ng and decided to come into town.

Beaufort Your not in Annapolis anymore

In Annapolis they had lots of mooring balls, but also plenty of room to anchor. The mooring balls were almost all for transients and controlled by the harbor master. Beaufort does nothing to encourage cruisers. They have one dingy dock which is hard to find and almost no anchoring. The mooring balls are mostly used by small unused sailboats which look as if they have been put there to appear from shore as a cruiser friendly port, but in effect does the oppose.

Yesterday we put the dingy in the water and motored up to the town from our anchorage about a mile away. Just as we we're looking for the dingy dock, which we did not find the Honda died and we could not get it going. As I was rowing back against the current a kind gentleman off of "Gollie" gave us a tow.

I got the motor running but will not trust it yet so we moved up in front of the town dingy dock. I called the town dock master who was able to tell me where the dock was, but basically said if you wanted a boat fixed you should not have come to Beaufort. Hopefully Beaufort will be better then Beaufort.

We will go into town and decide later if we stay here for the night. Trish thinks this is too mean spirited, so if I change my mind after going to town I may change it a little.

I have just started this apt on Google Play

I'm using Boat Beacon - follow me on my boat... http://boatbeaconapp.com/go/BB

Wild horses Oct 25

On our way to Beaufort

On our way to Beaufort we needed a pump out, but first we had to get under the Core Creek Bridge, which Onward says is 3. We approached the bridge 1.5 hours after night tide. It read almost 65 feet. We decided to wait a while and went under at 12:00 as the boards read 65 and 3-4 inches. We got through but did scrape the antena. The next job was to pump out. We called Jarret Bay Yachts who said they could do it but not untill 1:00, which became 1:30.

Core Creek Bridge

Jarret Bay Yacht

As we were leaving we saw our first Dolphins. I tried to get a picture but this is the best I could do. Since we anchored we have seen more but no pictures yet.

We are anchored between Beaufort and Bird Shoal which has wild horses. As we came into Taylor Creek we saw two. I got a picture of one. Not easy to see either the Dolphin or Horse but we did see them. By the way we have also seen Palm Trees.

Days 59 & 60 Oriental

While most of the trip has been about what we expected Oriental was not. We had been told it was the sailing capital of North Carolina with 3000 sailboats. While here we have seen fishing boats medium to large (68 feet) power boats, but only about 10 sail boats.

The owner of the marina, which is really a motel with 8 or 9 docks says the sailboats are here but up six different inlets. Several of the marinas have curtesy cars our motel did not. This meant a 15 minute walk with our card to the grocery store which while small was quite good.

Today is October 24 tomorrow it will be two months. Neither Trish nor I know how long we think it feels like, but both agree it does not feel like anything close to two months.

We are off to Beaufort pronounced Bo fort. We hope to anchor for a day or two then go into the Town Dock. It is municipal not free. By the way the weather is beautiful, but there is always a but, it was 47f this morning.

Oriental

Tuesday we stopped in Juniper Bay on the west side of Pamlico Sound

We went in to a little isolated bay with good protection from north and west. It was going to blow up to about 20 knots. The next day it was going to be windy and from the west and north. If we went to this isolated bay we could sail along the coast to Oriental. The draw back was no telephone or internet connection. This is why we could not be found.

Juniper Bay

Fishing boats on Pamlico

Of course when I got up and took a look at the charts we had to go half way to Orcacoke to get around a shoal. We motor sailed at about 7 knots and arrived at Oriental at 2:00.

Manteo you do not pronounce the T

We had an easy day and are now in Manteo. We are not sure what we will do tomorrow but may go to the west side of Pamico Sound and anchor. Wednesday is suppose to be windy and may rain. I understand that the sound gets very rough. Met a very nice retired soldier, his wife and young daughter. They are on a Beneteau 47 and were able to give us some advice concerning the Manteo Bridge. Their mast is 63.75 plus stuff ours is 63 plus. They got under so we should. Even though we were within two hours of high tide the board showed 64 and 3/4. We got under with the biggest scrape yet.