This was supposed to be a very exciting weekend. We had invited Steve and Donna to cruise to New Bern on Saturday morning. They were staying in a hotel and we had reservations for a slip at the Galley Stores Marina, right next door. Steve and Donna really enjoy street festivals and this was the weekend for "Mumfest" in New Bern. The plan was to sail to New Bern, take in the street festival, then have dinner at a downtown restaurant. The weather forecast had not looked good all week and weather is an all important factor when planning time on the water.

Friday October 9, 2009
It rained off and on in the afternoon but by the time we were ready to leave, the sky had cleared and the temperature was higher than expected for October. We stopped for dinner near home and made good time after that. We were expecting rain when we arrived but the skies were clear. Unfortunately, the wind was very strong and there was a small craft advisory for Saturday morning. The forecast was for a cold front to move through the area on Saturday bringing unsettled weather.

Saturday October 10, 2009
With the small craft advisory in place and lots of wave action in the forecast, we decided it would be better not to attempt a cruise. We had attended "Mumfest" before. It is a typical small town street fair and is very well done with numerous attractions and vendors. We called Steve and Donna and met them in New Bern. The weather was fine for a festival, but for sailing, not so much. We always have a good time with Steve and Donna, no matter what we are doing, so touring a street fair was a good thing to do if we could not go sailing. When we got hungry, we had a late lunch at Capt'n Ratty's in downtown New Bern. The food was excellent. After that we toured the gardens of Tryon Palace. It had been a long day, so we parted company about 6pm for an hour's ride back to the boat.

Sunday October 11, 2009
With the weather still questionable, we decided to cut the long weekend short and head for home where projects are plentiful. We left before 10am and drove through a lot of rain. Hopefully, next time Steve and Donna come with us, the weather will be more cooperative.