The offshore conditions had not moderated by the time we were ready to head out so once again we struck off down the ditch. There are a couple of reasons this particular stretch is one of our least favorites. Although the sound appears wide it is very shallow so it's imperative to pay close attention to the narrow channel, and secondly, there are very few places to stop. That combined with the fact that the waterway would be closed for 5 days for bridge construction turned Sunday's trip into a drag race. The one anchorage suitable for sailboats normally has a dozen boats in it, we arrived early to find 10 boats there but by sunset we counted 27 anchor lights. We lingered over coffee the next morning to let the crowd thin out, after all the canal behind us was now closed and so we could enjoy a relatively quiet ride to Wrightsville beach.

This is one of the many old beach towns that dot the Carolina shores and although we have anchored here before we have never really had a chance to explore it. It certainly is refreshing to see how all these waterfront towns ensure that everyone has plenty of free access to the beaches for them to able to enjoy the ocean. The seas had been elevated for a few days to the delight of dozens of surfers who were out riding the waves. Unseasonably warm weather has been with us for a couple of weeks and we enjoyed a great beach hike on a hot sunny afternoon. After a couple of relaxing days it was time to move the 20 miles to the mouth of the Cape Fear river where we could stage for an overnight run to Charleston.

We were looking forward to getting off the ICW for a while but we certainly had to work for it. As we departed Wrightsville beach we were hit by the first rain of the trip. And rain it did, heavy rain squalls with gusting winds hammered as we picked out way through the narrow Snow's Cut canal. We both breathed a sigh of relief as cleared the last markers and picked up the ebb tide for a quick ride down the river. As we dropped the hook in Tina's Patch anchorage the skies cleared with a promise of good conditions for our upcoming trip to Charleston.

Today's picture is a typical bridge clearance sign along the waterway. The standard clearance is supposed to be 65' but in some areas it is greatly affected by flooding and or tides. Fortunately our 60' mast has never created any delays.