Sunday, Nov 3, 2019We left our anchorage at 5:45 am. The sun isn’t up yet, but there’s enough light to ease our way out.
It’s chilly again this morning, and winds are light. I think the weather guessers miss d the forecast once again. There’s a small craft advisory until 11:00 am, so we decide to stay in the ICW again today.
We raise the jib, and motorsail along!
Lots of fishing boats zoom past us!
The southward migration has definitely begun!
We miss the Onslow Swing Bridge by minutes. We are only 1/2 mile away, but military traffic takes precedence, so we wait another 35 minutes. UGH!
Lunch of sandwiches while we wait.
The afternoon goes by with more of the same— many dolphins around us!
We listen to the updated marine weather, and decide to make an offshore hop tonight.
I ready the ditch bag, offshore life jackets, jack lines, and put more air in the dinghy. Bag of snacks, and nausea medication prepared.
We get delayed another 25 minutes at the figure 8 bridge— damn it! Gotta love the ICW!
The current is working against us, and we slow down to 4 knots, and we’re still hours away from the Cape Fear inlet. SHIT!
The sun sets, we’re still fighting this head current, so we decide to try to make it to Carolina Beach , and stop for the night.
We pick our way through numerous day markers, both of us intent and focused.
We make it to Carolina Beach State Park Marina at 8:30 pm, Robert at the helm, and me out on the bow with the spotlight, highlighting markers.
We skinny in with 0.8” under the keel, and tie up to the dock. WHEW! The last few hours were intense!!!
Time for a stiff drink, and dinner of chili with the leftover Mac-n/cheese.
We re-group, and make a new plan to leave before sunrise tomorrow, head down the Cape Fear River, and jump offshore then.
Night-Night!!!