Friday – Belhaven NC – to – Cedar Creek anchorage (OFF the Neuse / Adams Creek)
We thought we might sit this day OUT at Belhaven… BUT as the morning broke, the weather wasn’t BAD… a little damp, perhaps, but light winds… and smooth Pungo River… HUMMM “Let’s GO. Let’s make tracks for the Neuse River, and anchorages to the south! “
So we pulled anchor, and headed out… The PUNGO was smooth, even allowing a little “motor-sailing”… then we crossed the Pamlico….(sound and river)… and had to take in sail… but it was going well… motor a little more “sluggish” than I remember…. So… I began to think of reasons… broken head gasket; bad injector, etc. the mind was going full TILT…
BUT… we were making “southing” miles… at over 6 knots.. SO………….can’t be all bad, RIGHT?
I did breakdown, and called two friends; Earl Davis, and Nelson Gainey… explaining to each what the symtoms were.. of this engine, at present. Earl gave me the number of the firm, where Nelson’s son Justin works as a diesel mechanic…. SO………………… later in the day, I called…. Explained again…
MAYBE, they’ll take a look if we can get closer to Wilmington NC ( so… Wrightsville beach would be fine…)…. Maybe we can get a professional opinion… Until then we’ll keep on Keeping ON…. At reduced speed….
We’re anchored on the inside of the turn at Cedar Creek… we keep swinging over what I HOPE is “grass”… 5.1 feet depth…. (i.e. we should be aground, but we’re still “rocking” (good sign)…) NO ROCKING = AGROUND !!
Let’s HOPE that in the morning… the river current here will swing us into deep water…. 
We’re anchored at N 34 55.887 W 076 39.334 after 45.0 travel miles (nautical).
Tomorrow we should be anchored in Beaufort, NC… (decision POINT – to either go outside, or ease down the AICW on the inside… one may require WAITING… for weather… the other.. .just TIME IT and GO.
On the radio this PM… we heard a sailing vessel (the name will come back to me right after I file this blog)… loose “propulsion while in the middle of the Alligator – Pungo Canal… NOT Good… We couldn’t get details, because they were busy calling SEA-TOW, and Tow-boat US…. (long story there)…. So don’t know if they edged over so far in the canal they damaged a propeller… or jammed something up.. .or just lost the engine….(Power)… It’s very easy to loose focus on such a long RUN of “SEEMINGLY STRAIGHT” run of canal… (it isn’t).
I hope they got out of the canal…OK…. Perhaps we’ll hear tomorrow.