To go or not to go. Weather looks bad, then good then iffy. Wind forecast is wind switching from the Northeast to Southeast overnight before we leave. Then 10-15 out of the Southeast later in the day. Waves about 1 foot. This is a long day for us. 66 miles. And most of it on the Pamlico Sound heading northeast until we exit the Pamlico for the confusing Old House - Oregon Inlet - Roanoke Sound channels. We decide that the ride may be a bit uncomfortable as we will be getting hit broadside with small waves in the 51 miles of the Pamlico. The wind is not to increase until we are out of the Pamlico. So we get underway just a little after 6AM. Leaving this early also gets me a head start of the two ferries docked in Silver Lake. I had taken note that the red side temporary 10A through 10D markers in Big Foot Slough channel is favored. From the fly bridge view the shoal is evident. But the deep water is very close to the shoal. There must be about a straight down ledge along the shoal.

Anyhow, we exit the channel and line up on a Northeast course leg that is 30 miles and the Garmin says it will be 4+ hours on this course. The autopilot makes adjustments to the wind and tide and we start to settle in for the ride. BUT, the wind has not switched to the Southeast yet. It is more like East and we are getting an ok ride with the starboard bow taking small waves. The wind clocks around to the Southeast and now we are getting confused seas. That is we have waves from the East and also waves from the Southeast in a cross hatch pattern. The Pamlico has 12 miles of fetch before the waves reach Liquid Therapy. Liquid Therapy is confused on how to handle this situation. Again all the waves are small. But, the boat gets rolled more when the two direction waves coincide. I am amazed how much we are rolling with the small waves every once in a while. Susan and I knew this was going to be a bumpy ride. It is safe, just not smooth.

After 30 mile leg we change course 8º to port and just that small change makes the ride much better for 17 more miles until we enter the Old House Channel. The ride will be much better from here to Manteo in the protected channels within the Roanoke Sound.

So, as certain as the sun will rise tomorrow the wind picks up as we dock at Manteo Waterfront Marina. This marina has NO DOCK MASTER and is being totally run with an online APP. That APP does not help with tying lines in docking. I try to turn Liquid Therapy’s bow into the wind to back into the assigned slip. The wind is too strong and that is just not going to happen. The face dock that we wanted is vacant and we tie up there realizing we will have to move when the boat that has reserved it shows up. In this wind that boat may have canceled. I message the APP of what we did and get an ok to stay there. We get the electric plugged in and the AC running and have a cold drink before setting off somewhere to eat. We will be staying 4 nights in Manteo because the Albemarle Sound is next and is not having favorable crossing weather until Saturday.
Today’s picture is Silver Lake channel at sunset.