This is the story of our Memorial Day 2007 Adventure. I will warn the reader that it is a long log entry because there was a lot of activity. If you are expecting to read about a voyage to an exotic Polynesian island you will be disappointed. This is an adventure of regular folks who work for a living. You will note there is no reference to $100 meals, although some of the meals we had could not be bought for that. Our time and resources are limited but we enjoy every minute of our time on the water. On this trip, we reached two destinations and had a lot of really great sailing in the Pamlico sound. As an added bonus we actually sailed in the Atlantic Ocean for a time. We spent two nights at anchor and two in a transient slip. We spent nearly four full days underway either using diesel or wind power. Sailboats are amazing machines. The fact that a machine that weighs five tons can be moved across water at over six knots using only a wind power simply blows me away. No fuel consumed, no pollution. I never get tired of the sensation of sail and I am continuously amazed at how well our little ship works. Every boat is a compromise and none are perfect. The Catalina 30 is a fine example of a modest design that works well for our purposes. The ship's log follows...

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Friday May 25, 2007
The boss was kind enough to give everyone on the team an extra couple of hours on the Friday before the holiday. I graciously accepted and we were able to leave at about 3 pm. The traffic around Raleigh was terrible, as we expected. We used the opportunity to take a slightly different route that took us through Greenville, NC. This route is probably no shorter but we avoided Clayton, NC that is always a trouble spot any Friday afternoon. We arrived about 9 pm and unpacked. The weather was excellent and the forecast was for more of the same.

Saturday May 26, 2007
Our plan was to go the Fossil Festival in Aurora, NC on Saturday. Being somewhat of a fossil myself, I was look forward to it. The Fossil Festival is an annual event sponsored by the PCS Phosphate Plant in Aurora. Our regular readers will remember the huge barges that we take pictures of out on the sound. Many of these barges are transporting phosphate and related products from the mines to the state port at Morehead City. We have sailed past the plant on a couple of occasions and were curious about what went on there. The overburden that is removed before phosphate is mined contains millions of fossils that are studied by scholars all over the world. The main attraction of the festival was a bus tour of the plant and the mine. It was interesting to say the least. The festival was a standard small town bash with street vendors, hot dogs, cotton candy, face painting, and the like. There was a new exhibit of a whale skeleton that we had not seen in the museum on our first trip over a year ago. Our plan was to attend the festival on Saturday, do some day sailing and mess about in the boat for a few days and head for Ocracoke and the Ocrafolk music festival on Thursday. The talk on the dock on Saturday morning was a trip to Cape Lookout. The weather forecast was simply spectacular and we were encouraged to give it a try.

Going to Cape Lookout is a big deal. It is considered offshore by our insurance company, because it is offshore. Going there requires leaving the relative safety of the Pamlico Sound and going out into the Atlantic Ocean. Cape Lookout was definitely on the list of must-go places. We wanted to go some time this summer but simply had not considered it for Memorial Day weekend. Our plan was to go at a time when we go in the company of a more experienced sailor but the weather was so inviting that we wanted to give it a go. I called the insurance company who happily granted an offshore waver (for $25.00).

Sunday May 27, 2007
We left early Sunday morning for Cape Lookout. We had been told to expect nearly 8 hours travel time. The wind was very light and (as usual) right on our nose so the entire trip was made under diesel power. We had been to Beaufort, NC before and that was the first step to going to the Cape. We traveled south up the Neuse River and entered Adams Creek where the Intercostal Waterway takes you to the Beaufort, Morehead City area. The trip was uneventful as before. The channel forks north of Beaufort and one route goes to the Beaufort waterfront, the other takes you out the channel to the ocean. South of the split, the waterway was very crowded. There were dozens of speedboats, fishing boats and sailboats all attempting to go either in or out the channel. The good news is, everyone was on fairly good behavior and the channel was very well marked. Before we knew it we had passed the state port docks and were headed out to sea.

Ours is not a tiny boat in most respects but when you suddenly find yourself in the Atlantic Ocean, it seems very small. As soon as we cleared the channel, we looked to our left and saw the Cape Lookout lighthouse. This came as no surprise; lighthouses are designed to be seen for great distances. We are very timid sailors. That's how we got to be old sailors. Our sails were ready to be deployed in case of engine trouble but since the winds was very light we opted to continue using diesel power and get to the cape as soon as possible. We really had no idea what to expect.

The "Bight" at Cape Lookout is shaped like a fishhook. It is essentially a huge salt-water pond almost surrounded by sand dunes. The channel is deep and well marked and the area inside is 20 to 30 feet deep with excellent anchoring. It is without a doubt one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen. The water is green and very clear. Fish are abundant although you couldn't prove it by my meager fishing skills. Judy really enjoyed the sea turtles, which were very common. Unfortunately they are almost impossible to photograph because they are seldom at the surface for more than a few seconds. We anchored near some of our dock mates mostly because I was looking for a good place to anchor and they happened to be there. Great minds think alike. The anchorage was very crowded because of the holiday weekend but there seemed to be plenty of room for all.

We dropped the anchor and deployed Charlie Gibson (our pet dinghy) for a quick tour of the lighthouse. The whole area is part of the national park system so there is no private development to speak of. There is a museum in the light keepers house. The lighthouse is not open for climbing but most of them are not for many reasons, especially safety concerns. We returned to the boat for a delicious dinner of grilled chicken and vegetables. The weather was still just great. With the boat at anchor a cool ocean breeze came through the forward hatch and flowed out the companionway all day and all night. It was very pleasant. A blanket was not required but it was close a few times. At one point during the night, I got up to check the anchor. When I looked out, the scene was almost like a small city with all the anchor lights. What a beautiful day and a red-letter day for the crew of Southern Star. We had successfully navigated an ocean inlet and actually floated in the ocean for a time.

Monday May 28, 2007 Memorial Day
This was a day to remember. We woke early and had our usual breakfast of oatmeal and coffee. The first order of business was to go to the beach. We took the dinghy and landed near the picnic shelter. We crossed the dunes and explored the beach in both directions. Judy collected some shells and we generally had a great time just ambling along. We went back to the boat for a light lunch and to rest up for the afternoon. By this time our dock mates had left for home. The traffic in the bight was thinning and the anchorage was much less crowded. The weather is always the most important factor when you are on the water, and every minute of our time was simply beautiful. Each day seemed to be a copy of the day before. Any time we were aboard we kept a sharp lookout for sea turtles. We saw plenty of them but were never able to get a decent picture. After lunch we headed for the beach again for some serious exploring. Judging by how my feet felt we must have walked 5 miles. Sailors have to be prepared to walk a lot because walking is the usual mode of transportation on land. Back at the boat Judy prepared a delicious pasta dinner that we enjoyed before we turned in. What a wonderful day. We had not planned to be at Cape Lookout at all but we were really glad we had changed our plans to include a visit. This is such a cool place. If you want to go to the beach you just hop in the dinghy, go ashore and walk over the dunes to the beach. What a deal!

Tuesday May 29, 2007
There is a limit to the number of days a 30-foot boat can stay at anchor before creature comforts begin to suffer. We only carry 40 gallons of fresh water and that does not last long when we shower regularly. Our shower is tiny. A phone booth is huge in comparison. After a day in the sun it is so refreshing the cramped conditions are soon forgotten. Today was the day to head back to our homeport at Ensign Harbor. We were up early for the ocean passage. We left Cape Lookout at 7:30 AM. When we exited the bight, the sea seemed confused. The wind, as usual, was right on our nose. These two circumstances made sailing difficult but we were determined to actually sail in the Atlantic even if just for a short time. We deployed the jib and headed out to sea. It was exhilarating to say the least. The feel of the ocean is very different from the sound. The wave action is different and the water itself seems different. We sailed for an hour or so, just for the experience. Soon we headed for the Beaufort channel and retraced our original track. The channel was much less crowded and we were able to spot landmarks that we had not seen on the way out. Fort Fisher was obvious to port as we entered the channel. We had not even noticed it when we went out on Sunday. We traveled north up Adams creek. The weather was still great and the forecast was for more of the same. We exited Adams creek at about noon. The wind was light but there was enough for sailing and I was determined to sail if it was possible. We shut the diesel down, set the sails and allowed the little ship to do what she does best, sail. It was one of those slow easy sails. Out on the sound in mid-week there are few boats so we really enjoyed the quiet. The wind was very light and as a result, the return rip took 9 hours 38 minutes but we enjoyed every minute of the trip. Back at Ensign Harbor Judy served a very nice pasta dinner and we turned in at about dark thirty.

Wednesday May 29, 2007
Today was to be a "down" day for the crew. We needed to rest and re-provision the boat for a trip to Ocracoket. There is always a list of tasks that I want to do and it's hard for me to just sit and rest if I'm not tired. Richard stopped b for a visit. He was in New Bern working on their new house. We all went into Oriental for lunch then went our separate ways. Judy and I went to the grocery store for supplies and ice. I went for 5 gallons of diesel fuel and a fishing license. I figured if I was persistent I would eventually catch a fish and I wanted it to be legal when I did. My Dad might say, "A blind hog will get an acorn once in a while". We stopped at the provision company in Oriental for some of the "boat stuff" that is always needed. I bought a "way too expensive" anchor swivel to connect the anchor to it's chain. Getting the anchor and the chain shackle up and over the anchor roller had always been difficult but with the new chain to rope splice I tied at one end of the chain and the swivel at the other, I think we are in great shape as far as ground tackle goes. Other tasks included cleaning the boat's transom and cleaning the bilge. Judy prepared a vegetable dinner, which was really great. I am always amazed at the quality of meals she can prepare with the boat's meager galley. Bill and Susan loaned us a 12-volt refrigerator. We are going to give it a try. My only concern is running it without shore power.

Thursday May 31, 2007
We like to start early and today was no exception. We left Ensign Harbor at 7 AM. Ocracoke is an island town on North Carolina's outer banks. We have been there before and really enjoyed it. The attraction this time was the "Ocrafolk, Folk Music Festival". We are not huge music fans but there was to be a lot going on in town and our friends told us it was a great time to be there. The trip over is unique in that it is practically a straight line from east to west across the Pamlico sound. I've heard it said that during the trip there is a time that you are out of the sight of land. I'm not sure this is true but it is close. There is an abundant amount of water in the sound. We have traveled in this area long enough to know that we should not expect to sail unless the condition are just right. On the trip east to Ocracoke, the wind was very light and from the east. The diesel was called into service for the entire trip. The weather was perfect. It was sunny and cool. There was enough breeze to make it comfortable but not enough to sail.

Since I could now legally fish in both fresh and salt waters of the Old North State, I got out my fishing tackle and proceeded to take advantage of my new status, licensed fisherman. I did not expect to catch anything, which is usually the case. You can imagine how surprised I was when I discovered I had caught something. I wound the line of my hand reel in enough to see that I had hooked a huge Spanish mackerel. Dinner plans were immediately changed to include fresh fish.

The rest of the trip was uneventful and that is always a good thing. As luck would have it, we managed to meet two North Carolina ferries after we entered the channel. The first one was smaller but the second one was huge. Ferry operators are not very communicative. Your best bet is to simply stay out of their way.

We had planned to stay at the Parks Service Docks if a space was available and if not we were just going to anchor out. These public docks cannot be reserved so it's the luck of the draw. We were motoring around looking for a space when a nice fellow came out and told us he was leaving if we could wait for his crew to eat lunch. We tied up to a piling and had our lunch while we waited. I used this opportunity to clean our fish and put him (or her) on ice. We finally got the boat tied up and the slip fees paid. We met a really nice couple from Durham, David and Renee aboard Valkyre a Cal 34. They helped and advised us on docking procedures. We accept any and all help that is offered.

Exploring Ocracoke was next on Judy's agenda. Now that our sons have provided daughters-in-law, she enjoys shopping and finding unique jewelry for them. We returned to the boat and started preparing dinner. Judy prepared fresh squash, wild rice, saut�ed sweet potatoes and of course we grilled the Spanish mackerel. We grilled with olive oil and spices. I have never eaten Spanish mackerel. It was possibly one of the best meals I had ever eaten. One fish was plenty for the crew.

Friday June 1, 2007
Our slip was next to the ferry dock and we were concerned about noise and current. On Friday morning the barn swallows woke us long before the ferry horn. This was to be a busy day. Judy's parents and our nephew Alan were to arrive on the 9:30 ferry from Cedar Island. Our friends Bill and Susan were to arrive on the same ferry with their bicycles. Bill and Susan were staying at a bed and breakfast inn near the Ocracoke lighthouse. They are folk music fans. Judy's parents stopped in for a while when they got off the ferry, and then left for the campground to unhitch the camper. They would return later. Bill and Susan stayed with us for lunch. We agreed to stay in touch throughout the day and maybe get together later. Judy's parents (Bill and Mollie) returned and we met them at the Ocracoke lighthouse. We had seen the lighthouse before but it was actually open for visitors this afternoon. You can only go inside when volunteer guides are on site. Alan, our nephew was with Bill and Molly because they take each of their grandchildren on a camping trip when they are twelve years old. This summer is Alan's turn and he wanted to see the outer banks. His main interest is to climb Jockey's Ridge and see the lighthouses. He had already seen the Cape Lookout lighthouse, so the Ocracoke was the second one for him. Having a vehicle to ride in was great because Judy and I were "on foot" since we arrived by sailboat. We stopped by the English graveyard historic site on our way back to the dock. We took in the National Park visitor's center then offered Alan a dinghy ride tour of silver lake, the protected salt-water lake at Ocracoke. I stopped by to speak to several of our dock mates while we were out. Alan thought I knew all the people on all the boats in the harbor, or at least it seemed so. I think he enjoyed the trip.

Mollie did not want to cook that evening so we went to Howard's Pub for pizza. After dinner they left for the campgrounds. Bill and Susan called about 9 pm and declined our invitation to visit. They were completely worn out after riding bikes all day. Late in the afternoon, I called the national weather service in Newport, NC. You can actually talk to a person if you like. A very knowledgeable fellow answered and I asked his advice on moving a 30 foot sailboat from Ocracoke to the mainland. He said I would be fine going back on Saturday, but being on the sound on Sunday was not a good idea. A tropical storm had churned up near Florida and would pass the area late Saturday and Sunday. Having been on the sound during bad weather, we changed our departure from Sunday morning to Saturday morning. This was a bit disappointing since we were looking forward to the music. We had a nice visit in Ocracoke and leaving a day early would not be a huge loss.

Saturday June 2, 2007
We were in no hurry to leave. The weather was great, although the forecast was not. Just before we left we noticed Nick and Jeanette motoring out the channel. Other dock mates were going to wait until after the storm passed but some of us had to return to the real world next week. The sail home was almost worth missing the festival. The winds were slightly west of south, a beam reach for you sailors out there. The wind came from just ahead of the boat, which is the most efficient point of sail for most boats. We reached speeds of nearly 7 knots averaging about 6.5. The winds built gradually and steadily all the way home. We set the sails as soon as we cleared the channel from Ocracoke and sailed all the way home. We only used the diesel when we were entering the channel at Brown creek, our home channel. Nick and Jeanette sailed through the channel and nearly to the dock. Last time someone talked me into sailing into a channel, I had to call the towboat to get off the sandbar. Nick did a nice job navigating the channel, and I will try it when I gain some more experience. Nick said it was his fasted passage ever from Ocracoke. The trip was almost exactly 6 hours 33.8 nautical miles. We rinsed the salt off the boat and cleaned a bit. I went back to Oriental to get a replacement for a troublesome bilge pump float switch and put the dinghy back into his case. Judy prepared a delightful Mexican style dinner. Sailing is not a spectator sport. It is more of a contact sport. The rousing sail across the Pamlico sound was enough to wear this computer jockey out. We finished dinner and turned shortly after 8 pm.

Sunday June 3, 2007
The wind howled and the rain poured all night. The forecast had been accurate. We discovered leaks that we had forgotten about. Oh well, most boats do leak and if it was ever going to leak, now would be the time. The remnants of tropical storm Barry were moving through the area. The rain came in bands. The sun would shine for a while, then the bottom would fall out and the rain would pour. I managed to get one of the more annoying leaks stopped between showers. Since we had come home a day early, Sunday of sort of an easy day. Judy wanted to check out the antique mall in New Bern. It was really very nice, one of those large shops with individual dealer booths with a single checkout station.

Several weeks ago, I had received an email from my good friend John. Southern Star had a previous life as SEABREEZE II on lake Lanier near Atlanta. John was our marine surveyor when we purchased her. He went above and beyond the call of duty when he offered to guide me through the bottom painting process. We became friends and I met his wife Jerrie, the other "J" in J&J Marine. John and I have been keeping in touch for these four years since we moved the boat but had never actually met in person since. Judy and Jerrie had never met so I was pretty excited when I read John's email saying that they were going to be in Oriental this weekend. I called John on my cell phone and made him promise they would come by for dinner. Judy and I made grocery-shopping part of our trip to New Bern. She was going to prepare her delicious Mexican dish that could be done in the cabin because using the grill on the rail would not be possible in the driving rain. Our guests arrived right on time. Judy's meal was outstanding as usual. She makes it seem so easy. We enjoyed a nice visit and a tour of Ensign Harbor. We certainly hope to see more of John and Jerrie in the future. The weather settled by 10 pm but a very cool dry wind started blowing sometime after midnight. The storm had finally passed.

Monday June 4, 2007
The weather was back to beautiful. Skies were almost clear and the air was cool and dry, much like it had been earlier in the week. It takes at least 2 hours to secure the boat and pack for the trip home. We left before 9 am because we have a very important appointment at home this afternoon. We are to baby-sit or grandson for the first time starting at 4 pm. We would not want to miss that!

We spent 9 full days and nights onboard Southern Star. The ground will be moving under our feet for several days I'm sure. This was one of our best and most active cruises ever, with no damage to the crew (that can't be cured with ibuprophen) and no damage to the vessel.

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