One major project remains before we can consider ourselves truly prepared to head south. The depth sounder problems which have plagued us for the entire summer need to be addressed. For a while, we had considered installing a fancy forward looking sonar system. After a consultation from an electronics dealer, we decided against such a system. His opinion of the reliability of those arrays was not favorable.

Currently our boat has two thru-hull sensors, just forward of the keel. The aft sensor is for depth and the forward sensor is for speed. Our plan is to have the forward paddlewheel removed and the thru-hull glassed over. Then we will replace the aft sensor with a bronze thru-hull containing an Airmar DST800 Smart Triducer. This is a single sensor which will relate speed, depth, and water temperature. We purchased a second Triducer to carry as a backup, just in case something goes wrong 'down island.' We should be able to swap this out without having to remove the boat from the water.

A trip to Oriental is required in order to have the boat hauled and this thru-hull work done. We don't trust the water levels or the quality of work at the boatyard we used earlier this summer in Bridgeton. We have scheduled a haul-out at Deaton Boatyard for first thing on Monday morning, so we have to move the boat to Oriental today in order to be ready for service.

We departed the slip just shortly before noon, with a crowd of family taking photos of us from the dock. A smooth exit from the slip matched the surface of the water on the Neuse River. It was mirror-like for the entire ride to Oriental. The engine purred along nicely, keeping us moving at about 5.5 knots the entire way. Although uncovered this time, our sails were not raised at any point during the trip. Our seamanship skills were only called into play when it came time to anchor.

This time of year, many sailboats are already engaged, as we are soon about to be, in a southbound migration. Theses 'snowbirders' are already starting to fill anchorages along the coast of North Carolina, and Oriental Harbor is no exception. When we arrived, there were no fewer than 12 boats at anchor around Oriental Harbor Marina between the breakwater and the bridge. We had expected this situation and talked our plan through, prior to our arrival. This would be the most crowded anchoring situation we had ever attempted.

The plan evolved moment-by-moment as we drew closer to the anchorage. Finally, we spied a spot, pulled in between a few boats facing upwind, slowed to a stop, and dropped the 60-lb CQR in about 8 feet of water. As the very light winds pushed us back, I paid out about 30-feet of chain, then walked back to the cockpit to confer with Sheryl regarding our position. We were close to the other anchored boats, much closer than we had ever been in the past (and it was just going to have to be that way). However, neither of us was quite comfortable paying out another 20-30 feet of chain. We decided to pick up the anchor and move forward about 10 yards, then drop again. The second time we paid out the chain, sufficient to achieve about a 5:1 scope, we were ready to back down. With the anchor set nicely, we pulled chain back in to about a 4:1 scope (considering the forecast for continuing light winds and our proximity to the boat behind us). Our timing was good, as three additional boats were pulling in to drop anchor as we were attaching our snubber. Note to self: During our pending southbound transit, early arrival at anchorages shall be a very desirable goal.

It was a beautiful sunset here in Oriental, and overnight the light winds became non-existent. I awoke several times to conduct an 'anchor check,' with no change in status. It is good to be back in the Sailing Capitol of North Carolina. Wish us luck that the progress on our repairs goes as smoothly as this anchoring drill has gone.