December 17, 2008
Departed Oriental at 1200, winds light, temp. 65°, sunny. Destination, Beaufort, about 22 nm.
A gorgeous day, sunny with light winds, but this soon changed, with the winds building up from the SW, the direction I was headed in. There would be no sailing today.
On leaving the Adams Creek canal, I saw my first dolphin, who came up and swam beside Gypsy Wind for a moment. After that, there were several more dolphins, and I'm always glad to see them - I've never had a bad day sailing when I've seen dolphins.
The fog returned here and I was concerned that it would hinder my entering Beaufort, as Russell Creek Channel is narrow and surrounded by shoals. Fortunately, it didn't get too bad, although it was difficult to see any other boats in the channel, and this is a busy area, especially heading up to the anchorage.
The tide was ebbing and it had started to show its effect back in the canal. My speed had been building and I was now flying along at seven knots. That's nearly 2 knots of current I was benefitting from! Of course, you have to take that into consideration as you approach bridges and other vessels, so that you don't run into them.
One sailor, in Charleston, lost control and broke his mast when he hit a bridge with the tide behind him two years ago. When I saw him, his broken mast was tied to the top of the boat and he was headed back north instead of to the Bahamas.
I tied up at the Beaufort town dock, which is a ratty sort of pier close to the Post Office. Boaters aren't supposed to use it overnight, but I've been doing it every trip for years now and no one has ever commented on it to me. I now consider it my own personal Beaufort dock!
Went downtown to find a wireless signal, the waterfront signal doesn't reach this far - it's the only problem with 'my' dock, and found an email from Full Circle. They were in town, at a marina over by the Russell Creek bridge but would be at the pub across from where I was with a friend. Went over, but they weren't there, so I returned to Gypsy Wind to catch up on the sleep lost last night in Oriental!
Unfortunately, there won't be time to drop into the maritime museum here with its superb exhibits - including the jaws of a Great White Shark. I hope never to see them on a live specimen - they are huge!
Beaufort is one of those places on the ICW that you try to spend time at, there's lots to see and do, especially in the spring and summer when the attractive waterfront and its patios are busy. But, in all the time I've been coming here, I've never seen the wild ponies on the island that backs the anchorage. I'll have to look again tomorrow on my way out.
December 18, 2008
Departed Beaufort at 0900 after fuelling, winds light, temp. 65°, foggy. Destination, Mile Hammock, about 42 nm. Anchor down at 1630.
Very mild, but foggy - I was annoyed with myself for sleeping in and missing two hours of favourable tide, but it didn't matter, the fuel dock didn't open until 9 anyway - winter hours.
I didn't see wild horses on Carrot Island, but well south of Beaufort, I did see some wild goats on the shore of one of the spoil islands. But still no horses!
After leaving the ships' channel for the ICW, the winds were favourable for sailing, so with the tide, I was making over 6.5 k for quite a while. A Canadian boat, Isabel, a Tayana 37, caught up with me (he was under power) - his wife introduced herself and her husband, Peter - she's from Britt, they keep their boat in Oriental summers. Saw them later at Mile Hammock, along with two other boats, one an IP of about 40 feet, Kristinly (Randy and Nikki) and Kumbayah, with Gerry and Barbara aboard - they gave me their names on the VHF.
December 19, 2008
Departed Mile Hammock at 0830, winds light, temp. 65°, very foggy. Destination, Wrightsville Beach, about 40 nm.
Mild but very foggy, visibility about 200 feet, and winds up to 20k out of the southwest forecast for this afternoon.....considered hanging out today, but a closer look showed the winds to be light and from the beam....with the favourable tide, this could be not too bad.
Of course, the fog got worse out in the channel and even with the Garmin chartplotter, it was challenging to hold your course when you couldn't see the shore on either side. Without the Garmin, it would have been nearly impossible.
Eventually, the winds and tide shifted against me, and I was cruising at between 4 and 4.5 knots. Very frustrating but you can't do anything about it. After leaving the Figure Eight Island Bridge, I figured on a 45 - 50 minute cruise to the Wrightsville Beach bridge, as the Figure Eight bridge operator told me the WB bridge opened on the half hour and hour.
Wrong! With nearly two miles to go, and Kumbaya and Kristinly nearly there, I find out the bridge opens on the hour, dooming me to an hours' wait.
However, the bridge operator indicates that if the other two agree, he'll wait until 20 past and open for all three of us. Gerry and Randy being gentlemen, they agreed to wait on my arrival and we cruised through as a group, saving me a forty minute wait.
Sue arrives tomorrow, about 1 p.m. So tonight is dedicated to cleaning and tidying up the boat...it's of course a mess, as I've been trying to make time and haven't taken time to clean.
Departed Oriental at 1200, winds light, temp. 65°, sunny. Destination, Beaufort, about 22 nm.
A gorgeous day, sunny with light winds, but this soon changed, with the winds building up from the SW, the direction I was headed in. There would be no sailing today.
On leaving the Adams Creek canal, I saw my first dolphin, who came up and swam beside Gypsy Wind for a moment. After that, there were several more dolphins, and I'm always glad to see them - I've never had a bad day sailing when I've seen dolphins.
The fog returned here and I was concerned that it would hinder my entering Beaufort, as Russell Creek Channel is narrow and surrounded by shoals. Fortunately, it didn't get too bad, although it was difficult to see any other boats in the channel, and this is a busy area, especially heading up to the anchorage.
The tide was ebbing and it had started to show its effect back in the canal. My speed had been building and I was now flying along at seven knots. That's nearly 2 knots of current I was benefitting from! Of course, you have to take that into consideration as you approach bridges and other vessels, so that you don't run into them.
One sailor, in Charleston, lost control and broke his mast when he hit a bridge with the tide behind him two years ago. When I saw him, his broken mast was tied to the top of the boat and he was headed back north instead of to the Bahamas.
I tied up at the Beaufort town dock, which is a ratty sort of pier close to the Post Office. Boaters aren't supposed to use it overnight, but I've been doing it every trip for years now and no one has ever commented on it to me. I now consider it my own personal Beaufort dock!
Went downtown to find a wireless signal, the waterfront signal doesn't reach this far - it's the only problem with 'my' dock, and found an email from Full Circle. They were in town, at a marina over by the Russell Creek bridge but would be at the pub across from where I was with a friend. Went over, but they weren't there, so I returned to Gypsy Wind to catch up on the sleep lost last night in Oriental!
Unfortunately, there won't be time to drop into the maritime museum here with its superb exhibits - including the jaws of a Great White Shark. I hope never to see them on a live specimen - they are huge!
Beaufort is one of those places on the ICW that you try to spend time at, there's lots to see and do, especially in the spring and summer when the attractive waterfront and its patios are busy. But, in all the time I've been coming here, I've never seen the wild ponies on the island that backs the anchorage. I'll have to look again tomorrow on my way out.
December 18, 2008
Departed Beaufort at 0900 after fuelling, winds light, temp. 65°, foggy. Destination, Mile Hammock, about 42 nm. Anchor down at 1630.
Very mild, but foggy - I was annoyed with myself for sleeping in and missing two hours of favourable tide, but it didn't matter, the fuel dock didn't open until 9 anyway - winter hours.
I didn't see wild horses on Carrot Island, but well south of Beaufort, I did see some wild goats on the shore of one of the spoil islands. But still no horses!
After leaving the ships' channel for the ICW, the winds were favourable for sailing, so with the tide, I was making over 6.5 k for quite a while. A Canadian boat, Isabel, a Tayana 37, caught up with me (he was under power) - his wife introduced herself and her husband, Peter - she's from Britt, they keep their boat in Oriental summers. Saw them later at Mile Hammock, along with two other boats, one an IP of about 40 feet, Kristinly (Randy and Nikki) and Kumbayah, with Gerry and Barbara aboard - they gave me their names on the VHF.
December 19, 2008
Departed Mile Hammock at 0830, winds light, temp. 65°, very foggy. Destination, Wrightsville Beach, about 40 nm.
Mild but very foggy, visibility about 200 feet, and winds up to 20k out of the southwest forecast for this afternoon.....considered hanging out today, but a closer look showed the winds to be light and from the beam....with the favourable tide, this could be not too bad.
Of course, the fog got worse out in the channel and even with the Garmin chartplotter, it was challenging to hold your course when you couldn't see the shore on either side. Without the Garmin, it would have been nearly impossible.
Eventually, the winds and tide shifted against me, and I was cruising at between 4 and 4.5 knots. Very frustrating but you can't do anything about it. After leaving the Figure Eight Island Bridge, I figured on a 45 - 50 minute cruise to the Wrightsville Beach bridge, as the Figure Eight bridge operator told me the WB bridge opened on the half hour and hour.
Wrong! With nearly two miles to go, and Kumbaya and Kristinly nearly there, I find out the bridge opens on the hour, dooming me to an hours' wait.
However, the bridge operator indicates that if the other two agree, he'll wait until 20 past and open for all three of us. Gerry and Randy being gentlemen, they agreed to wait on my arrival and we cruised through as a group, saving me a forty minute wait.
Sue arrives tomorrow, about 1 p.m. So tonight is dedicated to cleaning and tidying up the boat...it's of course a mess, as I've been trying to make time and haven't taken time to clean.