SHIP'S LOG:
When I got up this morning and sat in the cockpit drinking my morning coffee and watching the other boats take off for the ICW, I happened to notice that I could see my breath. I flipped on a little temp gauge that I have adn it registered 37 degrees. I really didn't feel all that cold until I knew how cold it actually was. On went the layers for the day ahead.
Today's jaunt was intended to be to an anchorage known as "Mile Hammock." It is a little oxbow off the ICW, just south of the Onslow Swing Bridge and on the grounds of Camp LeJuene. The Marines dredged one half of the oxbow to a depth of 7feet MLW and it is a rather popular anchorage on this part of the ICW because, well, there are so few. To get there, you have to pass through the Camp LeJuene Firing Range which goes across the ICW. You come up to a sign, with big amber lights, which says not to proceed if the lights are flashing. I was lucky because there were no flashing lights. Then you have a 5-7mile run to the Onslow Bridge, just north of which is the end of the firing range. An you go along, there are signs warning of "unexploded ordinance" and "Stay off the banks." It is a bit unnerving to know that at any moment, someone, completely by accident, could blow you "to kingdom come!" It may happen some day but it didn't happen today!
Prior to arriving at the beginning of Camp LeJuene, I went along a strip of the ICW which had some beautiful houses one one side and sand dunes and salt marshes on the other, beyond which, not very far away was the Atlantic Ocean. This was not quite "beach front property," but it wasn't far from it. You could smell the salt air and when it was quiet enough, you could hear the surf. The houses along this stretch pretty much all qualify as "Mc Mansions," like the houses in the Solomons. More room than ten people need and the land and boat docks to go with it. Somewhere down here, some people are making piles of money. True, the same houses bought down here for $300,000 would go for two or three times or four as much back in Connecticut and Rhode Island, but they are everywhere along stretches of the waterway. There was even one painted Lavender! Well, there is no accounting for taste.
When I got to Mile Hammock, there was already one boat there. And not only was it there, it was right in the middle of the anchorage. Now this really honks me off. First of all, it is a small boat, 22-25ft and probably a centerboarder. This means that it can be anchored a lot closer to the shore that say for instance, me! And he was ridding a very short scope so that every puff of breeze swung him around. It took me three tries to get a spot where I would have plenty of swing room and wouldn't whack him. And then another boat came in and went through the whole procedure for themselves. Then another, and another, and there was a lot of yelling and screaming as captains and crews (husbands and wives) tried to fit themselves into what should have been a very accommodating anchorage, screwed up by one unthinking boat owner. I think that it must belong to a Marine or someone on the base, as no one was on it nor has shown up on it.
We did have a show. The Mile Hammock evidently is used by the Marines to train their small craft drivers. Five very fast 35-40ft rubber boast with much too much horsepower engines came roaring in, filled with personnel. They disembarked them on the docks, took on board five and went out a little ways from shore to practice their drill for the day. This evidently was to give each crew the opportunity to spin the craft around in its own length, first to port and then to starboard at top speed. This went on most of the afternoon. Eventually, everyone go on the boats and they roared away. But there was more! We were treated to an "OSPREY," the Marine tilt rotter aircraft, very strange looking craft,which can fly like a plane and land like a helicopter. It is a very strange looking aircraft especially when it has the engines pointed up and it is flying along. Sadly, they don't have a very good safety record and I cringed every time it came in for a landing. Thankfully, all were perfect.
The cruising guides mentioned specifically that if you anchor in Mile Hammock, that you use an anchor light as the Marines often conduct night exercises and they would want to avoid your boat. As I look out the port, the boats here to night have the place lit up like Broadway. No chance of an accident tonight I think!
Monday, November 8, 2010
Sunday, November 7, 2010
Yes, Virginia, There Is A Sawnsboro, North Carolina!
SHIP'S LOG:
One thing I forgot to mentioned in yesterday's blog was the dolphins. Not the pilings they tie boats to but the mammals that swim in the sea. You know, like Flipper. I would have to surmise that there are some that are partial to rivers and bays because Morehead City has a bunch of them.It is a little freaky the first time you encounter them. you just catch a glimpse and you can figure out quite what they are. Then they come by the boat in pairs or in a group and it is really delightful. Of course you have to be careful less you slip out of the channel and go aground. One dolphin stopped by for a visit when I was aground awaiting my good friends from Towboat/US and I even got a "call" from it or whatever they call the sound they make. I don't know what it meant but. considering my situation at the time, it probably wasn't all that complimentary.
Last night was uncomfortable. The wind kept shifting and there was a lot of rolling and yawing. I found that the anchor rode and the anchor weight had become entangled. I evidently let the weight down to far and with the wind shifts the entanglement was easy. I was watching the GPS plotter and the track showed that we were dragging if ever so slowly. I had to go up on deck in the cold dark, pull in the anchor weight, untangle it from the anchor rode, play out the rode and back down the boat to be sure of a good bite, and then reset the anchor weight on a short length. I still was not that happy with the way the boat was ridding and didn't sleep all that well. There really must be some current running through Bogue Sound and the Harbor at Morehead City/ Beaufort. The boat wasn't so much laying to the wind and quartering it. It didn't feel right, it didn't ride right, it didn't look right. But ABISHAG was still where she had been the night before when the morning came so it really wasn't that bad.
The other sailor who had gotten stuck in the place where I got stuck was getting an early start as I was sitting in the cockpit having my morning coffee and watching the sun come up, wondering how many people remembered to set their clocks back an hour. I called out to him and told him that I had gotten stuck in the same place an hour before he did. He said he couldn't understand the problem. The inlet had been fine the last time he used it . . . . 20 years before!
I was up and off the hook by 9:30 and found that yes, there is one heck of a current in Bogue Sound. With the engine barely running above idle, the GPS said we were doing 7knots. The wind was gust to 20-25 and with Bogue Sound boasting a depth of 4feet outside the ICW, it wasn't a day for sailing, nor sunbathing. Man, it was cold. I had on so many layers I could hardly move.
The trip down Bouge Sound was interesting. On one side you had the mainland and a lot of nice homes and small "villages. If you want to fish, this would be the place to live. The other side wasa series of small sandbar islands that lined the the ICW. Beyond them was the sound itself.It was picturesque and peaceful and you really got taken in by all you saw around you.
Encountered the Coast Guard Zodiac stopping to help out a Towboat/US response boat. That's different. The Coasties then sped of and I encountered them a mile further on where they had "pulled over" a boater for a safety check and I don't think he was doing too well.
I finally got to Swansboro about 2pm and pulled in and anchored just beyond the channel and in front of a low highway bridge. On this part of the ICW, the anchor spots are few and so you mark them on your chart and you set your day's goal as the first post noon anchor spot you can get to that isn't overwhelmed with boaters. The boats with speed go from marina to marina. we slower boats go from anchorage to anchorage with a marina thrown in. The next few days the anchorages are thin, few in number. I have a feeling that I am going to come up short one of these days and then it will be interesting to see what i have to do for the night. The good thing is that it is headed up into the the 60's & 70's next week. Bad news is that I have to pass the Camp LeJeune ( Marine Corps) firing range which crosses the ICW. They flash amber lights when you should go past a certain point. Good planing that!
One thing I forgot to mentioned in yesterday's blog was the dolphins. Not the pilings they tie boats to but the mammals that swim in the sea. You know, like Flipper. I would have to surmise that there are some that are partial to rivers and bays because Morehead City has a bunch of them.It is a little freaky the first time you encounter them. you just catch a glimpse and you can figure out quite what they are. Then they come by the boat in pairs or in a group and it is really delightful. Of course you have to be careful less you slip out of the channel and go aground. One dolphin stopped by for a visit when I was aground awaiting my good friends from Towboat/US and I even got a "call" from it or whatever they call the sound they make. I don't know what it meant but. considering my situation at the time, it probably wasn't all that complimentary.
Last night was uncomfortable. The wind kept shifting and there was a lot of rolling and yawing. I found that the anchor rode and the anchor weight had become entangled. I evidently let the weight down to far and with the wind shifts the entanglement was easy. I was watching the GPS plotter and the track showed that we were dragging if ever so slowly. I had to go up on deck in the cold dark, pull in the anchor weight, untangle it from the anchor rode, play out the rode and back down the boat to be sure of a good bite, and then reset the anchor weight on a short length. I still was not that happy with the way the boat was ridding and didn't sleep all that well. There really must be some current running through Bogue Sound and the Harbor at Morehead City/ Beaufort. The boat wasn't so much laying to the wind and quartering it. It didn't feel right, it didn't ride right, it didn't look right. But ABISHAG was still where she had been the night before when the morning came so it really wasn't that bad.
The other sailor who had gotten stuck in the place where I got stuck was getting an early start as I was sitting in the cockpit having my morning coffee and watching the sun come up, wondering how many people remembered to set their clocks back an hour. I called out to him and told him that I had gotten stuck in the same place an hour before he did. He said he couldn't understand the problem. The inlet had been fine the last time he used it . . . . 20 years before!
I was up and off the hook by 9:30 and found that yes, there is one heck of a current in Bogue Sound. With the engine barely running above idle, the GPS said we were doing 7knots. The wind was gust to 20-25 and with Bogue Sound boasting a depth of 4feet outside the ICW, it wasn't a day for sailing, nor sunbathing. Man, it was cold. I had on so many layers I could hardly move.
The trip down Bouge Sound was interesting. On one side you had the mainland and a lot of nice homes and small "villages. If you want to fish, this would be the place to live. The other side wasa series of small sandbar islands that lined the the ICW. Beyond them was the sound itself.It was picturesque and peaceful and you really got taken in by all you saw around you.
Encountered the Coast Guard Zodiac stopping to help out a Towboat/US response boat. That's different. The Coasties then sped of and I encountered them a mile further on where they had "pulled over" a boater for a safety check and I don't think he was doing too well.
I finally got to Swansboro about 2pm and pulled in and anchored just beyond the channel and in front of a low highway bridge. On this part of the ICW, the anchor spots are few and so you mark them on your chart and you set your day's goal as the first post noon anchor spot you can get to that isn't overwhelmed with boaters. The boats with speed go from marina to marina. we slower boats go from anchorage to anchorage with a marina thrown in. The next few days the anchorages are thin, few in number. I have a feeling that I am going to come up short one of these days and then it will be interesting to see what i have to do for the night. The good thing is that it is headed up into the the 60's & 70's next week. Bad news is that I have to pass the Camp LeJeune ( Marine Corps) firing range which crosses the ICW. They flash amber lights when you should go past a certain point. Good planing that!
Saturday, November 6, 2010
Southward, Ever Southward!
SHIP'S LOG:
It got down to at least 39 degrees last night! The morning broke relatively clear and cold and windy. It is a recurring theme it seems. Nonetheless, at $68.50 a night, as wonderful a place as Oriental is, I had to move on. It was down Adams Creek and another canal to Morehead City & Beaufort (pronounced Bow-Fert). It was a very narrow passage, with lots of shoaling taking place. The Core Of Engineers doesn't have the funds to keep all the ICW to a standard depth and seems to focus on the places with heavy commercial interests.
On the way to Morehead City, I passed a park bench floating in the canal. How it got there I have no idea but if you weren't attentive it could be a serious encounter. Lots more hoses along this part of the ICW and some of them real mansions. Lots of boats as well and some of them "mansions-sized" too. I am sure that the economy is hurting down here too but from what you can see off the water it doesn't appear to be the case.
Well, it finally happened again. Following the recommendation of "Skipper Bob's Guide to the ICW", I pulled into this little inlet and passed the "SANITARY" RESTAURANT" - yup, that's the name and made for this little bite on a small island. However, since this edition of Skipper Bob's went to press, that little bite got filled up with local moorings and there was no space for me, so I continued down the inlet which all maps and charts indicated joined up with the ICW. And once again I fell afoul of the the dreaded uncharted sand bar. One of the locals came by in his boat and he said his depth sounder was reading 12FEET! Mine read 10.2! and I only draw 5 1/2 ! The really bad thing about these things is that by the time you realize that you have been caught, trying to get off is almost useless. I tried, believe me I tried, but I had to resort to my friends at "Towboat/ US". They came and got me off in about five minutes and having the "unlimited Towing Policy" this time saved me, are you ready for this . . .$847! I am not sure how they figured that amount but since I am not paying for it, I really don't care. But $847 ! That's one heck of price for 5 minutes work! Waiting for operator to arrive, I noticed that there was a sailboat anchored on the other side of the ICE, just out of the channel. Checking the chart, it looked like a decent location except for the fact that I would be right along the edge of the channel. What was hinky about this was made clear when I headed over there, after getting unstuck, and had to cross in front of a large barge. Anchor too far off the channel and you go aground in the shallow water. Anchor too close to the channel and if the wind shifts you could swing out into the channel and into who knows what type of potential danger, not to mention it is illegal to anchor "in the channel" and there are big fines, yad-da-da! So I motored over and anchored inside of the other sailboat! There was plenty of room as was seen in the fact that two other sailboats and a large motor Yacht joined us. One of the other sailboats happened to be a subscriber to Skipper Bob's publication and got himself stuck in the very same place as I did. He got towed off and followed me over to "the other side!" Here on the "other side," we are more exposed and the wind is gusting and we are bouncing around pretty good. We have swung almost 180 degrees and it will be another bouncy, rolly night. If that's all that happens I am fine with that, it is just you don't get much in the way of restful sleep. I am beginning to appreciate spending one's nights in a marina!
It got down to at least 39 degrees last night! The morning broke relatively clear and cold and windy. It is a recurring theme it seems. Nonetheless, at $68.50 a night, as wonderful a place as Oriental is, I had to move on. It was down Adams Creek and another canal to Morehead City & Beaufort (pronounced Bow-Fert). It was a very narrow passage, with lots of shoaling taking place. The Core Of Engineers doesn't have the funds to keep all the ICW to a standard depth and seems to focus on the places with heavy commercial interests.
On the way to Morehead City, I passed a park bench floating in the canal. How it got there I have no idea but if you weren't attentive it could be a serious encounter. Lots more hoses along this part of the ICW and some of them real mansions. Lots of boats as well and some of them "mansions-sized" too. I am sure that the economy is hurting down here too but from what you can see off the water it doesn't appear to be the case.
Well, it finally happened again. Following the recommendation of "Skipper Bob's Guide to the ICW", I pulled into this little inlet and passed the "SANITARY" RESTAURANT" - yup, that's the name and made for this little bite on a small island. However, since this edition of Skipper Bob's went to press, that little bite got filled up with local moorings and there was no space for me, so I continued down the inlet which all maps and charts indicated joined up with the ICW. And once again I fell afoul of the the dreaded uncharted sand bar. One of the locals came by in his boat and he said his depth sounder was reading 12FEET! Mine read 10.2! and I only draw 5 1/2 ! The really bad thing about these things is that by the time you realize that you have been caught, trying to get off is almost useless. I tried, believe me I tried, but I had to resort to my friends at "Towboat/ US". They came and got me off in about five minutes and having the "unlimited Towing Policy" this time saved me, are you ready for this . . .$847! I am not sure how they figured that amount but since I am not paying for it, I really don't care. But $847 ! That's one heck of price for 5 minutes work! Waiting for operator to arrive, I noticed that there was a sailboat anchored on the other side of the ICE, just out of the channel. Checking the chart, it looked like a decent location except for the fact that I would be right along the edge of the channel. What was hinky about this was made clear when I headed over there, after getting unstuck, and had to cross in front of a large barge. Anchor too far off the channel and you go aground in the shallow water. Anchor too close to the channel and if the wind shifts you could swing out into the channel and into who knows what type of potential danger, not to mention it is illegal to anchor "in the channel" and there are big fines, yad-da-da! So I motored over and anchored inside of the other sailboat! There was plenty of room as was seen in the fact that two other sailboats and a large motor Yacht joined us. One of the other sailboats happened to be a subscriber to Skipper Bob's publication and got himself stuck in the very same place as I did. He got towed off and followed me over to "the other side!" Here on the "other side," we are more exposed and the wind is gusting and we are bouncing around pretty good. We have swung almost 180 degrees and it will be another bouncy, rolly night. If that's all that happens I am fine with that, it is just you don't get much in the way of restful sleep. I am beginning to appreciate spending one's nights in a marina!
Friday, November 5, 2010
Greetings From Oriental, NC!
SHIP'S LOG:
Well, it has been a couple of days since I have been able to get online. I am sure that as the population of the state increases, more towers will be built and the online deadspots will be eliminated. Unfortunately, such ins not the case currently. I am have "taken refuge" in Oriental, the "sailing capital of the North Carolina!" or so they claim. It is a small town and is what you would call "quaint." I hoofed it up to the market about a mile away and got to see pretty much the whole "village." And it is quaint! I can understand why the local want to keep it this way. Yes, please come and visit but don't stay long or even consider moving here. It rally would spoil the atmosphere of the place. Think in terms of Stockbridge, MA or Wickford, RI. If it were bigger, it would loose its panache!
When last we "spoke" I was headed into the Neuse River. I spent the night in Long Creek off Bonner Bay. when I woke up the next morning, it was raining and it was a good thing that I didn't have far to go. I made it to the South River, about 5 miles outside of Oriental on the eastern bank. It rained on and off the whole trip of about 15 miles. I was able to motorsail most of the way which kept the rolling and yawing down to a minimum. The part of the trip that was uneasy was when I broke form the "herd" of boats heading south down the ICW to cut over to South River. There is something a little scary to go off on your own when everyone else is going in another direction. I was able to find South River even though I couldn't see the mouth in the rain and overcast. Following the charts and the course laid out non the chartplotter, I hit it on the nose. As Skipper Bob predicted, there was plenty of room. when I got into the river, there was one other boat anchored so I moved in and left him with tons of room. I didn't want to crowd him. After I dropped the hook( good bite) and had done all of the anchoring procedures, and settled in for a stay, another ketch came in and did the same. I couldn't tell what she was, though she had to be a good five feet larger than ABISHAG. When I was anchoring, the rain came down in buckets, pouring so hard that it hurt to standout in it securing the anchor. But no sooner had I finished and so did the rain. A third boat also came in and anchored. I gather that the weather reports for Thursday, had made an impression (gale off the NC coast & 70-100% chance of rain) and people were unwilling to stay out in that!
Thursday, I awoke to fog and I mean FOG!!!! I don't believe that I would have been able to see the end of my boat hook (if I still had one) if I held it out from the bow of the boat. It was surprisingly warm but clammy all the same, and no rain. No rain by noon either and I was beginning to become a little irritated that I made a move that would turn out to be unnecessary. Still, I had a chance to look over the ICW from Oriental South. It is not a good stretch in the sense that there are not a lot of places to drop the hook and with the thundering herd on its way south from Newport News, things might get a little tight! I called Chuck Estell, the launch driver from TYC and he promised that he would go through his logs and charts( he has made the trip numerous times) and come up with spots that worked for him . . . . then of course, Chuck was one of those 50+miles a day guys.
About 3pm, NOAA came through and the skies opened up like there was no tomorrow. It rained like someone had a fire hose playing on the boat. I don't know how much actually fell, but it seemed like a foot! Unfortunately, South River is a "deadspot" and I couldn't get online. I had planed to to some bill paying and email sending, but it was no joy! It was interesting though sitting and listening to the rain. When you just listen, it can be very entertaining, very peace-producing, and utterly enjoyable. It helped put me in a peace of mind to make the decision to go into Oriental and get a slip. Getting the free spot at the town dock would have been nice but I would have had to pay for the showers and the laundry and there was no electricity so it was just as well to bite the bullet and pay for the slip.
Friday morning(Nov. 5th) I pulled up anchor in the sunshine and headed across the river to Oriental. I got a spot on the facing dock and shortly after I tied up, Dick Nelson, showed up and me made arrangements for dinner. Dick lives in Oriental and he was the one who tipped me to the free town dock. A nice gesture but in this case, the marinas was the better move for me this time. Oh the showers was a joy. I must have spent 15 minutes just soaking. Too bad they didn't have jacuzzi! I am spending the afternoon blogging and sending emails and getting the weather and planning the route for the days ahead. The sun is out and it is wonderfully warm though tonight, and for the next couple, the temps is heading down into the high 30's!!!!!!!!!!! They keep things tight in the Oriental Marina. They parked a LARGE MOTOR VESSEL not two(2) feet off my stern. Hope his dock lines are good! I just have to remember that if the crunch comes, the first thing to yell is "WHIPLASH!!!!!"
Well, it has been a couple of days since I have been able to get online. I am sure that as the population of the state increases, more towers will be built and the online deadspots will be eliminated. Unfortunately, such ins not the case currently. I am have "taken refuge" in Oriental, the "sailing capital of the North Carolina!" or so they claim. It is a small town and is what you would call "quaint." I hoofed it up to the market about a mile away and got to see pretty much the whole "village." And it is quaint! I can understand why the local want to keep it this way. Yes, please come and visit but don't stay long or even consider moving here. It rally would spoil the atmosphere of the place. Think in terms of Stockbridge, MA or Wickford, RI. If it were bigger, it would loose its panache!
When last we "spoke" I was headed into the Neuse River. I spent the night in Long Creek off Bonner Bay. when I woke up the next morning, it was raining and it was a good thing that I didn't have far to go. I made it to the South River, about 5 miles outside of Oriental on the eastern bank. It rained on and off the whole trip of about 15 miles. I was able to motorsail most of the way which kept the rolling and yawing down to a minimum. The part of the trip that was uneasy was when I broke form the "herd" of boats heading south down the ICW to cut over to South River. There is something a little scary to go off on your own when everyone else is going in another direction. I was able to find South River even though I couldn't see the mouth in the rain and overcast. Following the charts and the course laid out non the chartplotter, I hit it on the nose. As Skipper Bob predicted, there was plenty of room. when I got into the river, there was one other boat anchored so I moved in and left him with tons of room. I didn't want to crowd him. After I dropped the hook( good bite) and had done all of the anchoring procedures, and settled in for a stay, another ketch came in and did the same. I couldn't tell what she was, though she had to be a good five feet larger than ABISHAG. When I was anchoring, the rain came down in buckets, pouring so hard that it hurt to standout in it securing the anchor. But no sooner had I finished and so did the rain. A third boat also came in and anchored. I gather that the weather reports for Thursday, had made an impression (gale off the NC coast & 70-100% chance of rain) and people were unwilling to stay out in that!
Thursday, I awoke to fog and I mean FOG!!!! I don't believe that I would have been able to see the end of my boat hook (if I still had one) if I held it out from the bow of the boat. It was surprisingly warm but clammy all the same, and no rain. No rain by noon either and I was beginning to become a little irritated that I made a move that would turn out to be unnecessary. Still, I had a chance to look over the ICW from Oriental South. It is not a good stretch in the sense that there are not a lot of places to drop the hook and with the thundering herd on its way south from Newport News, things might get a little tight! I called Chuck Estell, the launch driver from TYC and he promised that he would go through his logs and charts( he has made the trip numerous times) and come up with spots that worked for him . . . . then of course, Chuck was one of those 50+miles a day guys.
About 3pm, NOAA came through and the skies opened up like there was no tomorrow. It rained like someone had a fire hose playing on the boat. I don't know how much actually fell, but it seemed like a foot! Unfortunately, South River is a "deadspot" and I couldn't get online. I had planed to to some bill paying and email sending, but it was no joy! It was interesting though sitting and listening to the rain. When you just listen, it can be very entertaining, very peace-producing, and utterly enjoyable. It helped put me in a peace of mind to make the decision to go into Oriental and get a slip. Getting the free spot at the town dock would have been nice but I would have had to pay for the showers and the laundry and there was no electricity so it was just as well to bite the bullet and pay for the slip.
Friday morning(Nov. 5th) I pulled up anchor in the sunshine and headed across the river to Oriental. I got a spot on the facing dock and shortly after I tied up, Dick Nelson, showed up and me made arrangements for dinner. Dick lives in Oriental and he was the one who tipped me to the free town dock. A nice gesture but in this case, the marinas was the better move for me this time. Oh the showers was a joy. I must have spent 15 minutes just soaking. Too bad they didn't have jacuzzi! I am spending the afternoon blogging and sending emails and getting the weather and planning the route for the days ahead. The sun is out and it is wonderfully warm though tonight, and for the next couple, the temps is heading down into the high 30's!!!!!!!!!!! They keep things tight in the Oriental Marina. They parked a LARGE MOTOR VESSEL not two(2) feet off my stern. Hope his dock lines are good! I just have to remember that if the crunch comes, the first thing to yell is "WHIPLASH!!!!!"
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
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!
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!
Monday, November 1, 2010
Two For The Price Of One!
SHIP'S LOG:
I may have forgotten to mention that cell phone coverage and online access can be a little spotty down here in North and South Carolina. You will just have to put up with these difficulties as do I.
Since last we spoke, I have journeyed up the Alligator River, through the Alligator river - Pungo River Canal and have drop the hook this night in Dowry Creek. Not much to say about the Alligator River except that for the most part is is untouched, which is strange when you think about it. Miles and miles and miles of water front property and nary a house in sight. Perhaps it is the fact that there doesn't seem to be any way to get here except by boat. Or Perhaps they named the river wrong. Truth be told, "Mosquito River " would have been more accurate. Still in all, at "39" QG, it was one of the most silent places I have ever experienced. You could hear the beat of the wings of a bird as it flew by. That's quiet!
The Canal is a straight as an arrow stretch some 29 feet deep, 10.8 miles long and not quite 50 yards wide, if that. Loose your concentration for a second. . . and it is easy watching the scenery go by . . . and you go from 19feet to 0 feet in a heart beat. No, I did not go aground today, I didn't even Kiss, but several times, I probably came close . . . looking for those Alligators. Actually thought I saw one, but it turned out to be a deadhead . . . not a fan of the Gratefully Dead, but a water logged log. Hitting one of those will ruin your whole day and hitting a partially sunken stump, well, you don't even want to think about that.
But I made it safely to Dowry Creek, just out side Belhaven, where I can actually get a signal on my cell phone and I can get online. Can civilization be far away?
I may have forgotten to mention that cell phone coverage and online access can be a little spotty down here in North and South Carolina. You will just have to put up with these difficulties as do I.
Since last we spoke, I have journeyed up the Alligator River, through the Alligator river - Pungo River Canal and have drop the hook this night in Dowry Creek. Not much to say about the Alligator River except that for the most part is is untouched, which is strange when you think about it. Miles and miles and miles of water front property and nary a house in sight. Perhaps it is the fact that there doesn't seem to be any way to get here except by boat. Or Perhaps they named the river wrong. Truth be told, "Mosquito River " would have been more accurate. Still in all, at "39" QG, it was one of the most silent places I have ever experienced. You could hear the beat of the wings of a bird as it flew by. That's quiet!
The Canal is a straight as an arrow stretch some 29 feet deep, 10.8 miles long and not quite 50 yards wide, if that. Loose your concentration for a second. . . and it is easy watching the scenery go by . . . and you go from 19feet to 0 feet in a heart beat. No, I did not go aground today, I didn't even Kiss, but several times, I probably came close . . . looking for those Alligators. Actually thought I saw one, but it turned out to be a deadhead . . . not a fan of the Gratefully Dead, but a water logged log. Hitting one of those will ruin your whole day and hitting a partially sunken stump, well, you don't even want to think about that.
But I made it safely to Dowry Creek, just out side Belhaven, where I can actually get a signal on my cell phone and I can get online. Can civilization be far away?
Saturday, October 30, 2010
"Paging Capt. Harry Schiffman!!!"
SHIP'S LOG:
When I rose at the crack of 7AM, it was a bloody cold 42 degrees and as much as the wine and cheese sounded like a good idea, I gave Elizabeth City a pass. It is no fun really drinking all the wine and eating all the cheese by oneself.
I was having morning coffee in the cockpit, cold as it was, as the two Canadian boat who were anchored by me last night took off. Actually I only saw one go. When it passed, the crew bundled up like Nanook of the North, I looked around for the other boat and he was gone. I mean, he wasn't even on the route of the ICW as far as I could see. They really must have wanted to go south . . .or get to Elizabeth City to be first on the dock for wine and cheese.
I had to re-reef the pennant on mizzen topping lift, repair the radar reflector, and dismantle my new, jury rigged anchor light system. I had an old kerosene anchor light which worked great but the bashing of the wind the last few days destroyed the chimney and it will not function now. Another item to get somewhere, sometime.
Got out and away about 9;30. i am sure that many ICW pilgrims would cringe at the thought of such a late start, but I am just going at my own pace. I'll get there, wherever there is, eventually. Out on the ICW, I was passed by an "American" sailboat. The guy must have great insurance or he is pay for the privilege of going south at this time. The home port is Fort Pierce in Florida which is where my buddy Gerry lives. He is one of my goals. I have been meaning to get down to see him for a couple of years now. He has a bottle of FINLANDIA in his freezer that we are planning to do some serious damage to when I get down to the sunshine state.
Albemarle Sound is beautiful and I was all set for it. When I cleared the last buoy to the sound, up went the sails but the heralded winds of Albemarle failed to put in an appearance. What I thought would be a nice, fast reach across the sound turned out to be another dull motor. I keep looking over my shoulder for boats to be overtaking me on their way south, but so far they have few and far between.
Oh Yes, Capt. Harry Schiffman . . . . Capt. Harry is the local Towboat/US operator the area of the Alligator River. I broke one of the 10 rules of the ICW, I failed to make my turns wide when I was going around a mark. Mark "8" FL R got me. Plowed right into a sand bar and got stuck, not hard and fast, but well enough that I couldn't get myself off. So off went the call and out came Capt. Harry. It took him more time to fill out the paperwork than it did to free me from the grasp of the Alligator River. Just prior to leaving, I bought Boats/US Unlimited Towing Package. It is sort of like AAA for boats. What it would have cost me to get freed today would have been more than what the package cost. From now on, it is gravy . . . so long as it isn't a hard grounding . . . like those previous one, by why bring up bad memories. Ok, I am 2 for 4!
It took me about an hour after Harry left to get to South Lake just off of the Alligator River where I am spending the night. A truly beautiful spot. Tomorrow, it is back out onto the River, a quick stop for fuel and a pump-out and picking up a few things and then off I go south. . . . . "towards where the water doesn't freeze in the bilge!"
When I rose at the crack of 7AM, it was a bloody cold 42 degrees and as much as the wine and cheese sounded like a good idea, I gave Elizabeth City a pass. It is no fun really drinking all the wine and eating all the cheese by oneself.
I was having morning coffee in the cockpit, cold as it was, as the two Canadian boat who were anchored by me last night took off. Actually I only saw one go. When it passed, the crew bundled up like Nanook of the North, I looked around for the other boat and he was gone. I mean, he wasn't even on the route of the ICW as far as I could see. They really must have wanted to go south . . .or get to Elizabeth City to be first on the dock for wine and cheese.
I had to re-reef the pennant on mizzen topping lift, repair the radar reflector, and dismantle my new, jury rigged anchor light system. I had an old kerosene anchor light which worked great but the bashing of the wind the last few days destroyed the chimney and it will not function now. Another item to get somewhere, sometime.
Got out and away about 9;30. i am sure that many ICW pilgrims would cringe at the thought of such a late start, but I am just going at my own pace. I'll get there, wherever there is, eventually. Out on the ICW, I was passed by an "American" sailboat. The guy must have great insurance or he is pay for the privilege of going south at this time. The home port is Fort Pierce in Florida which is where my buddy Gerry lives. He is one of my goals. I have been meaning to get down to see him for a couple of years now. He has a bottle of FINLANDIA in his freezer that we are planning to do some serious damage to when I get down to the sunshine state.
Albemarle Sound is beautiful and I was all set for it. When I cleared the last buoy to the sound, up went the sails but the heralded winds of Albemarle failed to put in an appearance. What I thought would be a nice, fast reach across the sound turned out to be another dull motor. I keep looking over my shoulder for boats to be overtaking me on their way south, but so far they have few and far between.
Oh Yes, Capt. Harry Schiffman . . . . Capt. Harry is the local Towboat/US operator the area of the Alligator River. I broke one of the 10 rules of the ICW, I failed to make my turns wide when I was going around a mark. Mark "8" FL R got me. Plowed right into a sand bar and got stuck, not hard and fast, but well enough that I couldn't get myself off. So off went the call and out came Capt. Harry. It took him more time to fill out the paperwork than it did to free me from the grasp of the Alligator River. Just prior to leaving, I bought Boats/US Unlimited Towing Package. It is sort of like AAA for boats. What it would have cost me to get freed today would have been more than what the package cost. From now on, it is gravy . . . so long as it isn't a hard grounding . . . like those previous one, by why bring up bad memories. Ok, I am 2 for 4!
It took me about an hour after Harry left to get to South Lake just off of the Alligator River where I am spending the night. A truly beautiful spot. Tomorrow, it is back out onto the River, a quick stop for fuel and a pump-out and picking up a few things and then off I go south. . . . . "towards where the water doesn't freeze in the bilge!"
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