Dear Reader, as you may have noticed, today there was a bolus of blog entries uploaded to our site. This is because we have finally moved to within range of free WiFi. Before I tell you how we got here, let me warn you that this is likely to be the pattern of posting once we go cruising for good. We intend to capture what we can, as we go, using pencil and paper or typing on the computer as time allows. However, posting will have to wait for both time and internet access. It has taken the larger part of the day today, first for Sheryl to sort, crop, organize and post photos & movies. And second, for me to proofread, polish, and post all of the text. As we rapidly approach the phase where this pattern will become the norm, we beg your patience, dear Reader, and hope to make the postings worth the wait.

Now, on with our regularly scheduled blog posting...

Yesterday started like any other in our vacation routine, breakfast and books. Soon, however, the relaxing routine gave way to preparations for our departure. We haven't had much occasion to use our manual windlass (since we haven't before laid out 200-feet of 3/8-inch chain), but now was the time to put the windlass to the test. Our windlass is mounted several inches too far forward of the hawsepipe to the anchor locker, making rode recovery something of a pain. We worked with it and figured out how to raise two or three links, then move the chain to the pipe by hand, then repeat. Any more cranking results in chain binding as it hits the deck, any attempts to divert the chain to fall into the pipe results in the chain slipping off of the gypsy, the wheel with grooves that feed the chain up.

We got the chain down to about a 3:1 scope, then secured it in an effort to let the waves work on the anchor a bit. Since 60-lbs of CQR have been buried in the mud for nearly a fortnight, we wanted to do all we could to make the final recovery a bit easier. We set about the remaining preparatory chores, leaving the hoisting of the dinghy for last. We decided to try carrying the dinghy on deck, which works very well, but precludes the use of the staysail and blocks visibility when seated at the helm. Once all was ready, Sheryl started the engine while I watched the new alternator belt. It seemed to be purring right along, generating good current to the batteries.

I went forward and pulled the remaining chain rode in by hand (not too bad in about 10 knots of wind). We had to motor up on the anchor slightly to loosen it from the bottom, but it came up easily (at least, as easily as 60 lbs at the end of 25-feet of chain can be raised hand over hand), and was soon secured on the bow roller. Sheryl steered us out of the bight, into a calm Atlantic Ocean. We put up full main and genoa, and averaged about 3-4 knots on a reach across to the Beaufort Inlet.

Once at the inlet, I took the helm and our speed dropped to about 2 knots. Even though we had timed our arrival exactly at low tide, we still faced significant current in the inlet. At least there was virtually no ocean swell to counter the ebb current, and the water remained relatively smooth. We fired up the engine and motorsailed to the cut-off which runs to Taylor Creek. We quickly doused the sails and headed to downtown Beaufort under full steam. We needed to make the 4:30 pm opening of the bridge or else wait until the next opening at 6:00 pm. We arrived in time and headed straight for the spot in Town Creek where we had anchored with Ashiya last year.

There were no other boats anchored, but a few swung on mooring balls just to the north of where we planned to drop the hook. As Sheryl was circling for the final survey of our anchor destination, Town Creek Marina hailed on the VHF radio and told us that we must anchor north of marker #1. (They must have gotten tired of people anchoring in the path of access to their fuel dock.) On the radio we indicated "affirmative," to each other we exclaimed "drats!"

North of #1 posed two issues for us. One was the boats on mooring balls. When those boats swing to the tide and winds, they do not make as wide a circle as a boat at anchor. And second, which exacerbates the first, the water in our preferred anchorage is about 9 feet deep (which would mean about 70 feet of rode out). Our new destination was showing 20 feet of water (which would have us put out 125 feet of rode in order to achieve the same scope). We circled and discussed our options. We decided that the time had come to try setting out a stern anchor. That would allow us to set adequate rode off the bow while keeping our stern out of the main channel, regardless of wind and tidal current.

Once we had the CQR down and set, we had to act quickly, because the wind had, in fact, shifted to put Prudence into the channel. Happy that we had stowed Patience on deck, we quickly flipped it over and hooked the halyard up to the hoisting harness. Once in the water, we backed her around and placed the Evinrude on her transom. Now we had to dig out the spare anchor and rode from the cockpit locker. The rode and parts for our Fortress anchor was located, you guessed it, at the bottom of the locker. We filled the cockpit with a pile of stuff, then quickly assembled the Fortress anchor. We also attached a float to the crown of the anchor, so that people would see that we had set out a stern anchor.

With both anchor and rode loaded into the dinghy, I motored out to about 100 feet from Prudence in the direction we wanted to shift her stern, and lowered the anchor. The 30-feet of chain went over with no problem, but the three-strand rode got a bit tangled. I worked to straighten it out and motor back toward the big boat (all the while trying to keep the prop from the Evinrude from getting near the rode). I'm certain that I must have looked like a drunken sailor trying to navigate that short distance.

When I finally arrived, Sheryl was ready at the bow with a boat hook and she walked the rode back to the stern. I climbed back aboard and we pulled until the boat was aligned between the two anchors. Once cleated to the stern, we sat rock solid (with about 60-70 feet of rode on the stern anchor). We enjoyed the unusual sensation of no anchor sailing until it became dark, then turned in for the evening (setting the anchor alarm on the hand-held GPS to its lowest setting, 100-feet).

When I awoke this morning to check the GPS, the path of our night's travels (usually notable as a set of scribbles within a defined arc), was practically nill. We have enjoyed a wonderful weather day on this, our 14th day at anchor. As indicated, this day has been largely about getting re-acquainted with the internet, but we did tackle a few other items of note.

The alternator belt appears to be working and wearing just fine (thank goodness, since we don't have another spare). We finally ran one onboard water tank dry and topped off the other one with the water from our jerry cans on deck. It looks like two-weeks required about 65 gallons of fresh water. Not too bad; however, one e-mail in our 'in box' suggested that we could do a bit better. Tom and Amy from Dream Catcher, who have years of experience down island, indicate (and I quote), "We're getting a minimum of 4 weeks with 100 gallons... Remember, without a water maker, in the out islands, fresh water is tough to come by." Words of wisdom we will not take too lightly. I guess we will just have to get some more practice at water conservation. At least the lack of refrigeration did not cramp our style too much. However, it is afternoon here and Front Street in Beaufort is just a dinghy ride away. I am hoping to convince Sheryl that an ice cream treat is in order.

Until next time, dear Reader.

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