Wednesday 13 November 2019
‘Twas a bra’ brich moonlit nicht or so I would like to say but it wasn’t. It was windy, gusty, rainy and miserable. It was overcast. The wind blew to 30 knots. It rained. Nelleke squeaked at the dock against the fenders. Need I say more? The only saving grace was that although we weren’t too comfortable we were safe. There was enough wind that it broke the fender board that we put down failed and the wooden part was scraping against the hull for part of the night until we got up at one o’clock in the morning to put another one of the fat buoys down. It’s remarkable how much pressure the dock fenders come under and how much reliance we put on them.

This has not been a great night. We also discovered that the holding tank vent filter has expired and is showing us in its own little way. Poo-tinky! Cabbage and cauliflower in the garbage can sort of smell. The replacement cartridge costs a mere $120, more at West Marine. Sigh! More money bleeding. Still, we should have replaced it before this trip. The fact that we hadn’t had led to this problem. Easily but expensively resolves.

At any rate, by ten thirty we had installed the new filter, stink abated, bought some new fenders and put them down to take some of the strain, and decided to stay another night to let the weather system pass. We can still make Southport by Friday evening with that schedule, hopefully in time to hunker down before the next forecasted blow.

Then we borrowed the courtesy car from the marina and set off to buy groceries and to replenish our grog supply. In that we were successful but on our third task, to go to a post office and buy some stamps, we weren’t so successful. Have you ever visited a post office where they didn’t have enough stamps to sell you. We have. Right here in Moorehead City. Who’d have thunk it?

By the time our daily chores were over the wind had begun to abate which bodes well for us tomorrow. Early in the morning I will check the NOAA wave buoy data and see what conditions offshore are like. If we possibly can and if the waves are 6’ or less we just might make the jump offshore. We will look at going into Masonboro Inlet and anchoring Thursday night with a short trip to Southport or the North Carolina State Park to tuck into for the blow Friday night and Saturday.

By popular demand Barb has consented to add a posting. It should arrive soon.