As usual I have a lot that I'd like to say, but unusually so I don't have the energy to do so. Today was a very long day starting at 06h20 and ending at 17h30 at anchorage in the South River across from Oriental. We did 60 nm including a stop for 30 minutes in Swansboro to take on fule. A stop that nearly had us not being able to get off the dock. Where we are now, South River, is a really nice place but we are hunkering down here in 20-30 kt winds and hoping that we don't get a repeat of the Dec 3rd storm that beat us up so bad when we were at Whittaker Creek. There is so much wind that I don't want to put the dingy in the water to take Peri ashore. I am simply not sure of the anchor yet and I don't want the dingy to be swamped in the chop. We'll see what tomorrow brings as far as getting Peri ashore in the morning. If not, he'll just have to wait for tonight.

Our friends Jay and Mary Lou had already left Bock Marine. Funny, I had sort of hoped that they would be anchored here where we are. For some reason I had thought that was something that they might have done. But, nope. They must have moved on further up the magenta line.

Paula Perkins behaved very well right up to the last hour, and I can't really blame her. She worked he little pistons off! And even in the last hour when was only really running warm not hot at about 90 degrees which is at the upper side of her recommended range. That darn hose is leaking coolant so tomorrow morning I'll try to tighten the hose clamp again.

Tomorrow we will try to get to Dowry Creek. If we can't we'll anchor at some place interim and then head out for Alligator Creek Marina the next day.

Enough of that. Rest time. Zzzzzzzzz.