We don't usually travel to the coast on consecutive weekends. I had taken my brother Jack sailing just last weekend. Judy had not been since mid December. The long holiday weekend and the unbelievable forecast combined to make a trip to Whortonsville irresistible. As I have said many times before, the weather is the single most important factor determining the quality of a sailing trip. It had been nice most of the week and the forecast was for early May weather in January.

January Weekend Pictures

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Saturday January 13, 2007
We left late on Friday afternoon and arrived at the docks at about 9:30. The forecast was holding so far. We never make hard and fast plans but we were thinking it would be a terrific opportunity for a mid winter mini cruise to one of our favorite anchorages, South River. We were in no hurry to leave. We wanted to sun to have a chance to work it's magic, and there are always chores to do. I added 4 gallons of diesel, and pumped the waste tank. I replaced the engine's "kill switch" cable that I had taken home to clean. The weather seemed to be cooperating so we left the dock at about 11:30. The wind was about 10 knots from the southwest, and South River is south southwest from our creek, so we weren't going to make it in a single tack. We are still learning about our new roller furling headsail and we used this trip to experiment. The sail across the Neuse took most of the afternoon and was one of the best ever. The wind was steady and our "over ground" speed was between 3.5 and 4 knots all the way to the entrance to the channel.

We arrived in plenty of time to get the anchor down and relax a while before dinner. We were a bit surprised to see two other sailboats that had the same idea. We had never seen many hunters in our travels, but then we don't usually cruise in the middle of duck season. I was a bit nervous about all that firepower but the hunters were very responsible. We heard a lot of shooting but nothing too close. Judy prepared my all time favorite meal of grilled salmon, brown rice and salad. We still could not believe the weather. What a perfect day. We turned in and even without any kind of heating system. We were comfortable but it was definitely a two-blanket night.

Sunday January 14, 2007
Sunday's weather was a carbon copy of Saturday. We slept late, again waiting for the sun. Judy made pancakes and coffee for breakfast. The heat from the stove was a pleasant side effect but it was never cool enough to be uncomfortable. Shortly after breakfast, I heard a tremendous splash near the boat. We looked out to see dolphins swimming lazily up the river. Several groups passed and didn't seem to be in any particular hurry. They were so close we could hear them blow their breath when they surfaced. We watched for an hour or so and tried to get pictures but I am convinced that the best thing to do is enjoy watching them because pictures are almost impossible for an amateur. The pelicans were fun to watch too. Their favorite activity was to take off, fly low for a hundred yards and then just crash into the water. They could have been hunting but I think they were just playing.

Judy piloted us out the South River channel. Then we set the sails and started to enjoy the day. The winds were light but steady, this is one of the few modes of transportation that allows the driver to steer and doze at the same time. About half way across, the wind had started to increase a bit. About that time we got a call on the marine VHF from our friends Richard and Frances aboard Alcyon, their Catalina 36, out for a Sunday sail. They were headed due east so we turned and chased them across the Neuse. It was great fun and we almost caught them. That could have been because they were only sailing a headsail with no main. Richard's wind instrument was measuring 20 knots of apparent wind. It was a most excellent sail because the wind had not been blowing that hard very long and the river (sound) had not had a chance to build any chop. Both boats turned around when we reached the restricted military area on the other side of the river and headed back for Broad Creek. By this time the wind was really cookin'. We were close hauled making nearly 6 knots and heeling about 15 degrees. The new sail was doing wonderful things. I set a compass course of exactly 300 degrees. The rig is so well balanced that we sailed for nearly 45 minutes and I never touched the wheel.

All good things must come to an end. We cranked up the "iron sail" and arrived back at the dock at about 3:30. The brisk southwest wind and the sound's "wind tide" had taken the water in Brown Creek down to a level that made landing difficult. Our keel was digging a little trench while we backed in to the slip. We had plenty of expert dock-mates to help get us tied up properly. Richard and Frances had a simple pasta dinner planned. Judy had planned the same sort of meal so we pooled our resources and had a great "pot luck" dinner. We turned in early after a very active day on the water. I am glad to report no major damage to the vessel or her crew.

Monday January 15, 2007 (Dr. Martin Luther King Holiday)
It's time for Southern Star to have new bottom paint. After having breakfast and packing up, we headed out to get an idea of cost and schedules form a couple of local boat yards. I did all the work myself last time she was painted and I will probably do the same this time. It's an expensive proposition, even if you do your own work. There are charges to lift the boat out of (and back into) the water, pressure washing, setting her on jack stands and daily fees for just sitting there, not to mention bottom paint at over $200 a gallon. I always think about the boat broker who told me, "Buying a boat is the entry fee". While she's out of the water I want to polish her dull topsides and install a new depth sounder transducer. The bottom paint will wait until after our Grandson is born. The rest of the road trip home was thankfully uneventful.

I really didn't expect to be making a lengthy log entry in the middle of January. As I write this, I am concerned about getting to work safely tomorrow. We had a wintry mix this morning that made the trip to South River seem like it was months, not days ago.

January Weekend Pictures

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