EDENTON IS EXCELLENT

Edenton does not get much press. Likely because it is so far up Albemarle Sound off the ICW. But it is a wonderful town.

First, you have free docks and water, and $3.00 electricity. Then you have Edenton High School Boosters offering fried chicken plates for lunch before or dinner during the baseball games. Then you get offered the husband’s truck (he was off sailing while mom stayed home and cared for the kids.) Then you get asked if you want a ride back to the boat when you are walking with groceries. And finally, you get asked to join in the yacht club’s sail to Mackey’s for a Crab Fest!

For the Crab Fest Barbara and Gil hosted us and two neighbors on their thirty one foot yawl, Barbara Jean III, that Gil built in his yard which fronts on Pembroke Creek. We crossed the sound to a point just west of the power lines to entrance marks leading into a cypress swamp. Once inside the forest, we saw fishermen flipping spinners up against the knees for bass. A water moccasin swam by within a boat length. A mile or so deep in the swamp we docked right behind the band, and we had a grand time.

The final event was Saturday night karaoke at Cheros (Sounds like Cheerios without the ios at the end. Just Cheeros).

It is worth an extra day to visit Edenton when sailing by.

COLLECTING WATER

Normally Sireneuse collects enough rain to meet their need for water while cruising. Their arrangement captures water off of a large hard top over the cockpit. Charmed has gutters along the toe rail that are plumbed from deck scuppers to the boot stripe. We intend to tap into this plumbing so we can direct rain water to our tanks. Nominally forty four feet of deck, times fourteen and a half feet of beam, times 50% to account for area lost at the bow and stern, times one inch of rain equals 200 gallons!

Last night we could have completely filled our tank several times:

HOME ROASTED COFFEE

We never knew you could buy green beans and conveniently roast them at home! Here, Greg is listening and watching for the second crack, which tells the initiated much about the end of the process:


And we thought Juan and his donkey somehow had to be involved.

WHAT YOU CAN'T FIND IN CRUISING GUIDES

There is this wonderful bight, Lookout Bight, south and east of the town of Beaufort North Carolina. It is a wonderful anchorage. I guess it is too far off the waterway to get press.

MORE TEE SHIRT PHILOSOPHY

Not all who wander are lost!

 

WRIGHTSVILLE BEACH TO BEAUFORT

As hard as it was to leave before visiting Causeway Cafe again . . . .

The anchor came up at 05:15 am under a full moon. We motored two miles down a straight channel and turned ninety degrees left to the Atlantic. Beaufort lay ahead, C 075 M. D 60 NM. There was no wind and small swells from the south. The boat rolled. Easily, but it rolled. We fretted, wondering if it was going to be eight hours of this. We could not point the boat in a direction that was making way toward Beaufort that was totally comfortable. And it was so calm!

We were hoping for the winds NOAA forecast, ten to fifteen knots from the southwest. While we never got them, we did get winds in the mid to high single digits from about 09:00 am on. Once the winds rose to four knots, the staysail came out tight as a drum. Not to help drive the boat. To stabilize the boat. At the first indication the staysail might remain filled naturally, the main came out. The wind would now drive the boat some. Once five or six knots came up regularly the genoa was set. Wind then accounted for a knot and half of our boat speed, and it was a glorious ride. The boat moved like a train on rails, and it was totally comfortable.

Just enough wind to fill all sails:

We got to Beaufort Town Dock at 03:30 pm after seventy two nautical miles from anchor to dock. The highest wind speed recorded was sixteen knots. The fastest boat speed recorded was 8.8 knots, caused by diesel, wind, and slight surfing even athough we did not see the first whitecap.

CAUSEWAY CAFE WRIGHTSVILLE BEACH

And the winner is . . . .

For the best breakfast on the East Coast, Causeway Cafe! Two eggs over easy. Grouper fingers. Grits. Two biscuits. Great coffee. Cold and fresh ice water. They also have perch and crab in the morning, several kinds of ham and sausage. It would take a month to try it all.

Now for lunch, the list of southern vegetables includes nearly a dozen.

THERE ARE THESE BRIDGES . . .

There are two bridges near Charleston that remain closed for several hours during morning and evening rush hour. It is a scheduling issue trying to get in or out of Charleston at sunset or sunrise. Many boats arrive at the bridge not knowing about the closure. Some have long waits.

Compass Rose was "anchored" when we arrived at the Ben Sawyer bridge a few minutes before an opening. I immediately began studying charts because I had not determined there was a reasonable anchorage close to the bridge. It turns out Compass Rose was not anchored. The boat was just nudged into the mud to hold her temporarily.

You learn something new every day out here!

PIRATES OF THE CARIB . . .

. . . er, Georgetown!

These pirates are actually buying the Jolly Rover. It is a sailing concession in Georgetown. We were scared out of our dungarees when they began looting the harbor for gold and silver to make payments with from an absconded dinghy. That cannon makes a big boom.

LIFE'S JOURNEY (TEE SHIRT PHILOSOPHY)

It is not a goal to arrive at the gravesite in a well preserved body. It is to skid in there sideways, totally worn out, shouting, Holy Cow, what a ride!

KAYAK SAILING

While Charmed was making up to 9 knots on a downwind run up the Beaufort River, this sailor was slipping along silently, too, although a bit slower.

DINGHY STORAGE

For those who want the dinghy high and the rear view unobstructed:

ST SIMONS ISLAND

Glynn County has and is doing a wonderful job of providing space for its citizens and visitors. All you see here is public space. It is manicured and clean, down to the restrooms. St Simons is a place to visit by boat or car.


Notice the beach. At low tide you could walk for miles.


One lucky pelican. Kids fishing serve him right where he squats.

DONT BLINDLY FOLLOW THE MARKS

St Simons Sound G "7" FL G 2.5s isn't where you would expect it.

ONE AT A TIME

Whenever and wherever, the boat has to be regularly checked, to make sure that the anchor is holding, that mooring lines aren't chafed, or that something isn't bearing down on you. On one check this long string of dredging equipment seemed a bit too close.

It is hard to tell in these pictures but the string is within fifty yards. It is outside the channel. One tug is pulling on one end. Another is pulling on the other end to keep the string in a line. It seems as if they are waiting for another string of commercial traffic that can be seen to the left in last few pictures.

Hopefully those diesels keep chugging while they are upwind and upcurrent of us.

IT'S SUNDAY. I'M ON VACATION, AND I'M SAILING, DAMMIT

It is blowing 20 knots, gusting over 30. The current is with the wind. It appears these sailors went downwind first. Now they are trying to get back.

PINEAPPLE

We have come to love pineapple when they can be had for less than $3.00, which is a good part of the time. It is amazing that pineapples are sometimes priced at $5.00 or $6.00.

Mom, this is what you are are missing!

RECRUITING

Members of the Atlantic Fleet of the Island Packet Navy recruit wherever and whenever.


One IP Captain suggests of these three, one fighter, two distractions!

T RAY'S

We possibly found the best greasy spoon diner in the world! T Ray's is probably best known for hamburgers, but it is one good breakfast. Eggs over easy. Two big sausage patties. Grits that a fork will stand up in. A biscuit as big as a saucer. And, good coffee, finally.


T Ray's does not advertise. Someone just has to tell you about the place. T Ray's fills the right three quarters of an Exxon station.


That is T Ray in the pink hat and shirt in the first picture. And, yes, you can eat, and get gas!

ST AUGUSTINE TO FERNANDINA BEACH

Anchor up at 06:30. Through the Temporary Bridge of Lions soon thereafter. Out the St Augustine Inlet with some swells before sunrise. Right into the Atlantic Lake!

Winds were forecast Southeast 10 to 15 knots. That would have been a perfect ride. As you can see below we found very light winds.


Ron is focusing on becoming a sailor. He drove most the day.

Barry took the wheel from Ron when we found some wind in the ICW after coming off the ocean at the St John's River. All in all we only got to sail about 20% of the time. We possibly should have stayed in the Ocean but Barry got to practice controlled gybes as we meandered throught the ICW.