After a really excellent dinner at Aqua in Beaufort, we got a slow start in the morning. It was a beautiful day, the kind of weather that the Chamber of Commerce would give the thumbs up to. Chilly, but clear and sunny with just a light northerly breeze. Promise for the day was high. Continue reading A Bluebird Day to Swansboro, NC
The Neuse River was fiesty when we followed a shrimp boat out of the narrow channel, leaving Oriental at about 0900. The sun was shining and the wind was biting cold, but we were toasty in our cozy pilot house with the replacement Webasto heater honking away happily in the engine room. Our visit had been pleasant and successful. We were ready to roll on. We had Beaufort, NC in our sights. Continue reading From One Great Town (Oriental) to Another (Beaufort)
While we explored Belhaven we contemplated our next move[s]. We had one major constraint to contend with: our insurance policy stipulates that we remain north of 35 degrees North until after November 15. This is a clause that is designed to keep us out of the worst of the hurricane zone until after hurricane season winds down.
Given the storm devastation in North Carolina from September and October the restriction does make some sense, but we were beginning to feel a bit like caged rats. The sub-optimal weather was preventing us from cruising at a normal pace; we dash as far as we can when we have a weather window, then hunker down as gales blow over. It is a pattern that had begun the day we left home a month ago, and it persists. Continue reading If River Dunes is Sterile, Oriental is Rich and Ripe (in a good way!)
After our layday in Coinjock we were looking at a 74 nm run to Belhaven so we were up for our o-dark-hundred early-start program of coffee at 4:30, walk the dogs at 5:30 and cast off at 6:30 (sunrise-ish). This works well for us as the caffeine has time to enter the bloodstream and the dogs get a decent stretch before a long day cooped up on board. It also give us a nice opportunity to experience our destinations in the pre-dawn quiet of the day which is usually a lot different from daylight action. It might sometimes be hard to get out of bed, but it’s usually worth it. Continue reading Into The Heart of Hurricane Florence’s Darkness
We enjoyed our time in the Chesapeake, and leaving as we did, without spending more time and visiting more destinations, left us both feeling a bit let down. How did this happen?
In a word: weather.
This has been a tough first three weeks of our cruise. First, we were bashed to death by westerly gales in Long Island Sound. New Jersey gave us a surprise break with a fair window to get down the coast and up the Delaware, but the Weather Devil assaulted us again in the Chesapeake. The pattern of Small Craft Advisories and Gales called the shots with respect to where we went, and even if we went anywhere at all. It also kept us in protected marinas instead of remote coves. We couldn’t find any rhythm to our trip, and our expectations were tossed in the trash bin. Continue reading Leaving The Chesapeake – Prematurely
Our primary reason for heading to Annapolis so soon after reaching the Chesapeake was — once again — our heater. One more overnight parts delivery from the west coast, and hopefully that project would be DONE. Arriving on a sunny Sunday afternoon was a bonus. We had decided to take a slip right smack in downtown, at the City Docks, aka Ego Alley. Being in the center of things can be a lot of fun, and since Annapolis is a little more laid back in the fall, it seemed a good idea. Continue reading Annapolis Done Right: Ego Alley
When we left Cape May through the Cape May Canal and out into Delaware Bay, our goal was Chesapeake City on the C&D canal. We wanted to get there early to make sure we had a secure spot. We were under way in the Cape May Canal before sunrise, and passed the Lewes-Cape May Ferry Terminal at the west end of the canal as the ferries were getting ready to start their runs. Continue reading The Chesapeake is for Crabs: Rock Hall
