This Carolina winter seems to have been a bit colder with a little more frozen precipitation. We woke to 3 inches of snow last Monday. I've heard it said that if you don't like the weather in the Carolinas, wait a day or two and it will change. That proved to be so true for the second week in March. Last time we came to the coast we were plagued with weather that was not good for sailing so we did some maintenance chores and went out to dinner. This time I had planned to do my regular spring maintenance. I had assembled all the filters, oil and various parts for a major work weekend only to have it put on hold by great weather.

Friday March 6, 2009
Because of Judy's work schedule, we weren't able to leave home until nearly 7PM. We like to leave earlier but it really makes little difference and we miss Raleigh's rush hour. We made the trip in just over 4 ½ hours which must be close to a record. There were four cars in the Ensign Harbor parking lot. That's a big crowd compared to recent months. The temperature inside the boat was fairly warm since it had been warm all day Friday. Judy made the V-berth and we turned in soon after we arrived.

Saturday March 7, 2009
We slept in on Saturday morning. It had been a long week for both of us. We were having cereal and coffee on deck when Nick stopped by to greet us. Due to popular demand, he was going to turn the water back on at the docks. We met three new dock mates from Raleigh who had recently moved their Gemini Catamaran to Ensign Harbor. Mystic's skipper was down for a work weekend. Richard and Frances from Alcyon arrived later in the day as well as Don the skipper of Ragtop. Saturday's forecast was for 10 to 15 knot winds from the Southwest. The wind had been blowing strong and steady from the same direction for several days and was predicted to get stronger on Saturday night and Sunday. We knew Southern Star would do fine in 10 to 15 knots but we were concerned about the depth of the water. The Pamlico sound's wind tide blows the water out of the creeks when it blows Southwest. The water level at our dock was easily a foot lower than normal. The Catalina 30's 5' 3" keel works really great when she is screaming across the sound, full and by, but it is somewhat of a liability in the shallow creeks surrounding the sound.

The sunny skies and perfect winds lured us away from the dock. I'm sure we dug a little ditch in the mud for the first 100 yards. At full throttle we were making barely 3 knots. We finally broke free about the time we entered Broad Creek and had no further trouble reaching the Neuse River. As soon as we passed marker 1 we were glad we made the effort. The weatherman said the temperature would reach 75 degrees. What he didn't say was the wind blowing across all that cold water was at least 15 degrees cooler than the air back at the docks. We set sail and the little ship did what she does best. Since we had no particular place to go we headed straight out into the river on a starboard tack. Judy brought out the peanut butter and banana sandwiches she had made for lunch. I was really surprised at the conditions. With a strong wind blowing for a long time, I expected a lot of chop and wave action but there was almost no chop at all. The wind was less that forecast. I would estimate 10 knots or less. These conditions are nearly perfect for our boat. We averaged 5 knots for at least a couple of hours. We tacked three times and headed generally south, or up river. It was a picture postcard day on the sound. The sun made the water sparkle and the wind and temperature was perfect. For us these conditions are under the category of "It Don't Get No Better 'n This". We turned around at about 2:30 planning to sail back to the Broad Creek entrance but contrary to the forecast, the wind died completely and we had to rely on the iron sail to return to the dock. As we entered the Broad Creek channel we had a pleasant surprise. We met the Sailing Vessel Ashiya coming out. Ashiyas's previous owners are our friends Doug and Sheryl who have headed to warmer parts of the world aboard their current boat, Prudence. The closer we got to the dock, the warmer it got. We had to shed sweatshirts and jackets.

When we got to the dock the fun really began. The water had not risen at all, in spite of the reduced wind speed. Backing a sailboat is difficult enough under the best of circumstances but when her keel and rudder are digging into the mud it is almost impossible. I managed to maneuver close enough to pick up a line from the outer piling of our slip. Fortunately several dock mates were there to help. The only way to get into our slip was to pull on the lines and drag her keel through the mud. With the help of our dock mates acting as "yacht wrestlers" we were able to get the old lady back into her slip with absolutely no damage to her or anyone else.

I replaced canvas covers and did as much as I could to prepare the boat for our absence because we were planning to leave fairly early on Sunday. We both showered and Judy prepared the Santa Fe stew that we had brought from home. The hot meal was welcome after a day on the water. I almost fell asleep during dinner but we really wanted to visit with Richard and Frances since we hadn't seen them since before Christmas. We had a great time aboard Alcyone, as usual and caught up with everything that was going on. Frances has a new grandson in Atlanta that she doesn't get to see often enough. Their work on the house in New Bern continues and they are still looking forward to retirement. We turned really early and slept well. There is nothing like a day on the water to make you sleep.

Sunday March 8, 2009
We were to attend a party with some of Judy's friends on Sunday afternoon. Since we had to allow 5 hours for the return trip, we left earlier than usual. Sunday was another beautiful day. The wind was forecast to be stronger than Saturday but it would still be manageable for anyone who could get out of the slip. This weekend's weather was a pleasant surprise. The maintenance that I was going to do is just the annual tasks that can be done at any time. We look forward to many trips to the coast this summer as long as we and other family members are healthy.