05/22/2010, South River, N.C.

May 19th, 2010 Cape Lookout to South River

We woke to rain and after coffee and breakfast a little later, still had rain. Our plan was to wait until mid morning when things cleared out but I wasn't really sure that that was going to happen.

At about 10 the radar showed a large squall headed our way but there didn't seem to be much behind it. It rained very hard with some lightening for about another hour, but at 11:30 we decided to make a break for the channel at Beaufort which is only about an hour away.

Although it was cloudy all day, we stayed dry as we motored through the canal and then into Adams Creek out to the Neusse River. Steve and Kim were going home after 6 ½ months and needed some time to get settled before company so we headed out the Neusse for a few miles and then into South River. We motored up stream about 4 miles to get away from civilization and anchored for the evening.

I made some potato soup with ham for dinner, which we ate in the cockpit listening to the birds.

Comments [0]

05/22/2010, South River, N.C.

May 19th, 2010 Cape Lookout to South River

We woke to rain and after coffee and breakfast a little later, still had rain. Our plan was to wait until mid morning when things cleared out but I wasn't really sure that that was going to happen.

At about 10 the radar showed a large squall headed our way but there didn't seem to be much behind it. It rained very hard with some lightening for about another hour, but at 11:30 we decided to make a break for the channel at Beaufort which is only about an hour away.

Although it was cloudy all day, we stayed dry as we motored through the canal and then into Adams Creek out to the Neusse River. Steve and Kim were going home after 6 ½ months and needed some time to get settled before company so we headed out the Neusse for a few miles and then into South River. We motored up stream about 4 miles to get away from civilization and anchored for the evening.

I made some potato soup with ham for dinner, which we ate in the cockpit listening to the birds.

Comments [0]

05/22/2010, Cape Lookout, N.C.

May 16th and 17th, 2010 Charleston SC to Cape Lookout Bight NC

Sapphire backed away from the dock into the current of the Ashley at 7:30 a.m. on Sunday with the help of Bob, Bev and Steve. Although we're getting better, backing up with current is always a big question mark. As it turned out the prop walk spun us directly into the river where we belonged.

It takes about an hour and a half to work out of Charleston Harbor and through the channel to the ocean. Once there, we set a course for the outer edge of Frying Pan Shoals 114 miles away. We had about 10 knots of wind from the south .... and if we were purists like some of our friends we could have sailed ....but we're not so we didn't. We got all the sails up but left the motor on to maintain about 6 knots.

The weather stayed that way for the 31 hours that we were underway. It was a very pleasant trip. The boat was happy all the time with moderate waves and a nice breeze.

The atmosphere is unsettled with a front dying to our north and there was some lightening in the distance. By daylight the only clear skies were over head. We watched storms on land ( about 25 miles away) but they stayed there all morning.

We arrived at Cape Lookout around 2 p.m., worked our way through the entrance and anchored in about 24 feet of water. There are thunderstorms forecast for tonight and tomorrow so we'll stay and try to get a walk in on the beach tomorrow.

May 18th, 2010 Cape Lookout Bight

The morning brought threatening skies so we spent time reading and picking up the boat. Around noon it cleared and we all headed to shore for a walk. There are more shells on this beach that anywhere we've traveled. We crossed over to the ocean side and walked until it was time to stop and them returned to the dinghies.

I made some bread in the afternoon and worked on making a necklace our of some of the broken shells that we'd picked up ... spending most of the afternoon doing that and reading.

Later we took one of the prototype necklaces and a loaf of warm bread over to "Fine Lion". We decided to leave tomorrow morning, weather permitting, for Oriental.

We had pork tenderloin for dinner which Bev had given us in Charleston. She was in the process of cleaning out their freezer in anticipation of leaving their boat. It was delicious.

Comments [0]