Friday, October 29, 2010

Christopher Columbus and I have More In Common Than I Thought

SHIP'S LOG:

I went from Virginia to North Carolina without moving a foot. Like Chris, i thought I was in one p,ace but was actually in a whole other spot. Somehow, I missed notation on the chart that indicated that I had actually passed into North Carolina way before Coinjack, which I thought was in Virginia. Shows you how easy it is to make a mistake on a trip like this. Ah, but such is life.

The wind was really cranking today, 20-25 and gusts to 35, so I put down roots and stayed another day.It gave me time to lay out courses to the south for the next few days and the opportunity to mark my charts with all the recommended anchorages between here and someplace in the middle of South Carolina. I'll get to the rest of them on the next lay day.

The troubles with the dinghy continue. I checked out the rip and I have a patch that will cover it but I don't have the adhesive to do the mending. Fortuitously, I had purchased some adhesive before I left to add some handles to the dinghy. Unfortunately, the stuff is very humidity sensitive and if the humidity is over 50%, it won't adhere to anything. Being surrounded by water is a guarantee that the humidity will be over the magic 50% and so I have contacted some fellow sailors to see if they can come up with a fix. And no one seemingly repairs inflatable dinghies. Every marina I have contacted says they don't and they don know anyone who does. I was not really happy to begin with in having an inflatable dingy, but you have to go with what you have and that is what I had. It has been more problems than it's worth though some people really love them.

I am weighing the pros and cons of side tracking to Elizabeth City, North Carolina. If you get there and there is space, you can get two(2) free nights docking. Not only that, the Rose Buddies come down to your boat and give you wine and cheese! How can I pass up an opportunity like that. The down side is that the docking is limited and I could get shut out and it will cost me two days, one going and one coming back to make the trip. Decisions, decisions, decisions! ! ! !! !

If it is not to Elizabeth City, it is across Albemarle Sound and down(or up) the Alligator River and into the hinterland of North Carolina. The morning light will dictate which way I go. Win & cheese? Hummmmm!