Sunday November 12
We decided to leave the Moorehead City Yacht Basin while the winds were light. It was 8:10 a.m. and we were ready to go, so off we went. As we entered Bogue Sound the winds were 10-15 kts. There were a few fishermen out. We unfurled the head sail and motor sailed until the winds were too light. There are a few shoaling areas that we must watch out for. We have slowed our speed to try to time going through the shoaling areas closer to high tide. Karen And Ron catch up with us and they follow us through. We are 20 minutes early for the Onslow Beach Bridge opening. The bridge tender opened 10 minutes early for us. It is not much farther to our anchorage for the night at Mile Hammock Bay in Camp Lejeune. Dolphins are jumping out of the water, as if to greet us. There are five other boats already in the bay when we arrive. After we anchored 5 more boats came in, including a 63 ft. catamaran.
Monday November 13
It was a quiet night in Camp Lejeune. Someone turned the wind on at 7 a.m. The winds are gusting to 20+. Our Drag Queen app tells us that we've moved. We both are topside assessing just how much. From the boat we can see that two of the boats that left the anchorage earlier have run aground where the New River inlet is shoaling. We decide that we should move, reset the anchor and wait for the tide to come up before crossing the New River inlet. Carl raises the anchor and I am on the helm. I moved the gear shift forward but it did not engage. By the time I realize that we are not moving forward, the anchor is off the bottom and we are blown into the shallows. Yup....we're aground. Carl takes the helm and tries to muscle our way off to no avail. I go below to call Tow Boat. They say it will be an hour before they can get there. I put the coffee on. Did I mention that we have bananas on board? Someone at the marina left two bunches of bananas for anyone who wanted them. Carl took one bunch. We ate a few and I made some banana pudding. We had two bananas left on board. Bananas on board are supposed to be bad luck. I've never believed that kind of stuff. After all, women on board are supposed to be bad luck too! I handed Carl a banana with his coffee for breakfast.
By the time Tow Boat arrived, the boat was heeling hard to port. It had started to rain. I went to the bow to catch the tow lines. After about 10 minutes, we are on our way. Compromise leaves ahead of us. A boat is still aground as we pass through the New River inlet. Well, we know where not to go. The tow boat captain had to help a disabled boat in the anchorage before coming back to help the boat in the inlet. Looks like he's going to have a busy day. The sun came out after we went through the Surf City Bridge. Now we have the wind and the current carrying us towards the Wrightsville Beach Bridge. We go through the bridge on the 4:00 opening and turn off the ICW to our anchorage for the night.