We arrived in Beaufort, NC a couple days ago, here we will stay awaiting Halloween. We had promised the kids they could trick or treat here with their friends from Pie Squared. Beaufort is a major stopping point for cruisers headed south because it is south of the dreaded Cape Hatteras and close proximity to the Atlantic Ocean. Yesterday we went to the Maritime Museum to get a loaner car to drive to West Marine. The museum provides loaner cars to cruisers so they can run errands. It was strange driving a car after almost 3 months of not having to worry about staying between the lines.
One thing I forgot to mention on our previous post was that I had hit an overhanging branch while going down the Dismal Swamp canal and had damaged my wind instruments. I had dreaded going up the mast to survey the damage but was encouraged by some other cruisers, and did so while in Elizabeth city. It wouldn?? t have been too big a deal if it wasn?? t for the fact that I had to go up three times and still need to go one more time when the winds die down. The first time up I disconnected the wind speed indicator and brought it down to repair it. After I repaired it, I went back up for a 2nd time to re-install it but ended up bending a pin in the process. Back down I went and decided to wait because there is a 64?? bridge in the Alligator River Canal that had me pretty concerned. The top of the mast is 63?? off the water and my instruments sit about a foot on top of that. So up again for a third time to bring down the tricolor light ($100 part) for a little more insurance. Well we cleared the bridge with inches to spare and should be fine for the rest of the bridges headed south. Sorry about dragging that on�. like I said, I still need to go up one more time and will do so once the winds die down.