Cape Fear, North Carolina

SHIP'S LOG:

Sorry about yesterday and missing a blog, but I got back to the boat way past my bedtime and felt that sleep was more important.

Friday, i went from Wrightsville Beach to Wilmington where my friends Vin & Ann live. The trip was a bash. The wind was dead out of the north so that it was directly behind me as I headed down the ICW and into the Cape Fear River and dead on the nose heading up the Cape Fear River to Wilmington. It was blowing 25+ which made for a fast trip down the ICW and, as I hit the tide on the money, I got a push all the way up the Cape Fear River to Wilmington. The only slow part happened as I up river and was overtaken by the USS Gravley(107), a newly commissioned navy ship that was stopping in Wilmington. I got the Coasties coming by in their heavily armed, little orange Zodiac informing me of the 500yard security zone and that I had to slow down and pull over until the Gravely passed by. It was quite an impressive ship. By the time I got to the docks in Wilmington, the Gravely was already there wand was being turned around so that it could tie up port side to at the docks. When I got close enough, the Coasties came out and did their thing again and I had to cruise by at steerage speed only. I can't believe they considered me much of a danger but from the experiences in New London, I know how seriously they take it.

I finally got through Wilmington, passing the historical downtown and the battleship, USS North Carolina. Strange as it may sound, the Gravely looked more intimidating. I got to the Cape Fear Marina and was eventually picked up Ann and did all of my shopping. Ann and Vin's day was a bit chaotic and I guess I only added to the chaos but still, it was a good visit and we made plans for a return visit and longer stop in the spring if all goes right.

On Saturday(this morning) I had to get out and moving early. Someone was holding a Triathlon and part of the course of the running or biking went through Wilmington and over a bascule bridge that separated me from the Cape Fear River and the ICW. It was to be closed for 12 hours and I had to make tracks or be "trapped." I got away by 9:30 and headed down river. Initially I got a good boost from the river but as we approached the ocean, the tide must have been coming in and my speed kept dropping. Even motor sailing was of little help as the wind was somewhere between light and non-existent. Still it was a nice day and the temperature kept rising and I had to removed most of the layers I had put on in anticipation of a cold run.

Eventually, I got to the point where you turned to port to go through the Cape Fear Inlet and into the Atlantic or turned to starboard and continued down the ICW. Naturally, I turned to starboard and headed for a canal with a small basin to anchor for the night. It was another place recommended by Skipper Bob. well it had to happen sometime and today was the day. This little anchorage was packed. No room in the inn and it meant that I would have to pay for dockage once again.

Talking with the guy, Bill Gregory, who worked the dock, I learned that there are not many places to anchor for the next 30 miles or so, at least none that he would recommend. Talking with other boaters on the dock, all were planning to head outside(out into the ocean) for the trip to Charleston. The talk around the dock was that Georgia is really bad. Lots of shallows, lots of shoaling and in bad need of dredging. I will have all of South Carolina to come up with a plan as to whether to day sail in the ocean or try to find my way through the ICW in Georgia.

I ran into a very interesting character on one of the boats. He has somehow wrangled complete disability from the government and gets an obscene amount of money from Social Security. He hasn't work in 10 years and lives on a 43 Catamaran and spends he time cruising and following the sun. Hmmmmmmm!?!?!?!