If I'm Cold, You Must Be Freezing!!!!!

SHIP'S LOG:

It did get up into the low 60's today, at least I think it did. It was in the LOW 40's last night and even the low 60's of today, if they got there, were the cold low 60's. what is causing this cold weather is probably the vacuum caused by the rush of boats out of Newport News on the first, sucking all that cold air along with them as they speed south. Hey, it makes as much sense as anything you are going to get from NOAA!

Actually today was a good sailing day for most of it. Once out of Dowry Creek and back on the ICW, it was sails up and 5.8 knots to the good under just the Genna. Down ( or up, I can never tell) the Pungo River and into Pamlico Sound.Of the two, Ablemarle and Pamlico, Pamlico lived up to its "bad" reputation. Nasty, shifting winds, 15+, with following, 2-4 foot seas. I would yaw one way and then the other all the while trying to keep course for the opening of Goose Creek and avoiding tugs pushing barges, and crazy people in big motor vessels whizzing by like they were in a flat calm, totally oblivious to the havoc that their wakes were causing.

It takes a bit of attention when transitioning from the ICW in open water, like a sound or a river, to the ICW in a creek or in a canal. The entrance always seems to have a turn in it and it takes a bit to re-orient yourself to how to approach the marks. More than once I had to stop today to figure out just which way to go to stay in deep( relatively speaking) water and avoid a grounding. That's one of the rules of the ICW, always stop if you are unsure. Another is that crabpots rule! Crabpots will line the edge between deep water and shallow water. No matter what the other marks say or what you depth sounder says, or what the charts say, Carbpots Rule! I saw three incidents today where people following their chartplotters as if they were infallible, ran aground. Nothing serious and only one had to call for a "Two,' but they were amazed that their chartplotters had led them astray. The locals, the crabbers, know where the shallow water is, so follow their pop lines.

Along the canal between Goose Creek and Pamlico Sound, there is a Coast Guard Station, the Hobucken Coast Guard Station. In one sense. It is right in the middle of nowhere, and in another sense it is right between to places that keeps them busy, Pamlico Sound and the Neuse River. It was just so surprising to be cruising down this canal and suddenly come upon a bunch of Coasties. The "New London, CT" on ABISHAG drew a few cheers and it was nice to be recognized. But Boy, they seemed really out of place. It didn't help that they were right next to the R.E. Mayo Fishing Company which, if it is still operating, is on its last leg. They occupy more "canal frontage" than the Coasties and all their buildings are falling apart. it was sad to set it.

Dropped the hook in Long Creek, off of Bonner Bay, off of the Neuse River. The first drop produced a skipping anchor that wouldn't bite, no matter how much rode I played out. I had to haul it all back it, move the boat so that it was in "acceptably deep" water and drop again. This time she bit and, as we "speak", holding just fine in 15 knots of wind. The weather tomorrow is supposed to deteriorate. Rain probably in the the afternoon and at night, with rain a "70%" probability on Thursday. Friday will be a little drier. So I am heading for a spot opposite Oriental. I'll wait til Friday morning and scoot across the Neuse and hopefully get one of the free spots on the town dock for two days! The chances are good as there is a website with a video camera that focuses on the dock so that you knew when there are free spaces. Perhaps I will luck out!