I stayed here on the trip north this spring. I had hoped to make it another 20 miles today, but another late start due to fog, plus there are bridges to get through that have to be timed just right since they only open on the hour or hour/half hour. Anyway, there was no way to get to the next anchorage much before well after dark like yesterday, so I pulled up short. But I still made 50 nm, and that isn't bad.

I took a couple of pictures today that I thought might amuse. The foggy pic is obvious. The one with a guy standing in the water looking like he has something attached to an important part of his anatomy is actually a contraption I think he was using to dredge crabs or oysters or something. Does anyone on this list know anything different? What I saw him do was push a rod forward and then walk backwards pulling a metal drag attached to the thing belted to his waste. I did not see him bring much of anything up, but even if he did, I have to think there is an easier way to make a living. Then again, I am not from NC either and maybe I have no idea what I am talking about.

The other picture is of a sign that is posted as you enter Camp Lejeune. You can pass through on the ICW but landing ashore is prohibited and if there are active exercises like practicing amphibious landings or shooting off cannons or whatever, they don't allow passage. So I took a picture of the sign when the lights were clearly NOT flashing while I could hear these tremendous explosions like bombs or something going off. It was close enough to feel the concussion of the explosion, but I never saw anything. I am sure it was safe or they would have stopped me. Right ...?

I would like to get past Cape Fear tomorrow but the bridges and the tide on the Cape Fear River, as well as possible fog in the early morning hours probably will not allow that, so it will more than likely be Wrightsville Beach, which is only about 30 nm. But we'll see ...