Monday was our tricky day. The tides and winds on the Cape Fear River were going to be very helpful for us if we could make the 33 miles from Calabash Creek to the river by 13:30. O.K. Would tides help us or hurt us? We just weren't sure. We decided to ere on the side of caution and leave at 07:00 to allow ourselves more than enough time to make the river in the early afternoon. I guess one of the cats at our anchorage was thinking the same thing. They left just ahead of us. Good so far, but we both had to get through Shallotte Inlet and Lockwood's Folly at near low tide. It can be done, but you need to have good knowledge of the two inlets. Thanks to Bob Sherer on ActiveCaptain we have very good information on how to transit these inlets. Sadly, the cat did not. They went to far out toward the starboard side of the channel and went aground. We felt terrible, but we couldn't get near them. We draft way more than any catamaran. We offered to call for help, but they were in no mood for as they called it "Chit-chat". We heard later that not only did they run aground, but they lost one engine trying to get off. Sad, but true. We wish they had just waited for help.
We kept moving and were able to get through Lockwood's Folly safely. As it happened, we were helped more by the tides than we were hindered. At one point we had to slow the boat to a crawl while we waited for the tidal switch on the Cape Fear River. It paid off! We did well over 8 knots all the way up the river. Now all we had to do was get by Carolina Inlet which according to Bob on ActiveCaptain had shoaled in badly. It works out that the way to get through that area is to actually go on the wrong side of one of the green cans and then hug the rest of the greens until you are several hundred yards past the inlet. It worked, but man it is scary to go on the wrong side of a navigational aid. We arrived at the Wrightsville Beach anchorage at 17:00. We made excellent time, but it was pretty stressful for some of it. We plan to stay here until at least next Monday.
Fair winds & Smooth sailing,
Elaine & Lawrence S/V Elle & I