Voyage 2016: Chapter 1

16 Apr 2016, Getting ready for our 2016 departure, 33 55.824 N/ 077 59.802 W

Before we got serious with a departure date, we had friends and family we wanted to catch up with prior to our departure. Lilli was available for a little camping trip in our RV during her Spring Break. After several days of fun in Wilmington, we got our RV ready for a short camp at RVacation near Selma NC. We had a great time but way too short. Good time by all except G-Po had to sleep on the floor.

Next we headed up to Dover NC where Dick and Judy live and provide support to the cruiser community. They have been active in our world almost as long as we have been cruising. They are net controllers in Cruiseheimers, provide liason with USCG, and started the Doo Dah Net which supports cruisers on long distance passages. And they are nice people!

Our bags are not packed and we are not ready to go! We are leaving on a sailboat in two weeks heading North to Portland ME and then Nova Scotia. We will finish packing the boat this week, recheck all of the Jule's systems, and complete the renovation of the interior. Long range GRIBs show a preliminary weather window 25-28 April for the Neuse River. We will see.

Before we leave, we have to finish up the remodeling of our North Carolina house (which some day will become our home-house). We have reworked the bathrooms, cleaned and painted the garage, cleaned up the trees near the house, cleaned the closets. We still have to move the outside stuff inside as the Colorado Hurricane folks say we will have more than last year as the El Nino is weakening. Sigh.

01 May 2016, Southport to RE Mayo, 35 14.7 N/ 076 35.454 W

Left Deep Point Marina (Southport NC) for our journey North two days ago at 1215. We passed through Snow's Cut at 1400 and the current gods were with us all the way to the Wrightsville anchorage. The Motts Channel anchorage was not crowded so there was plenty of anchoring room. Quiet night. Good.

Anchor up at 0645 yesterday and we departed the Masonboro Inlet with winds on the nose and lumpy seas. Our route found us in close proximatey of a Naval Amphibious Readiness Group (ARG) conducting exercises. The first vessel we encountered looked like an LHD. She had AIS so she was easy to stay out her path. The second LHD was not so equipped so it was difficult to determine her course. Both were accepting and expelling helicopters, Ospreys, and LCACs (hovercrafts). It was interesting to watch but difficult to extricate ourselves.

By 1835 yesterday, we had anchor down near the USCG station at Beaufort NC. We encountered several commercial fishing vessels on our way up the inlet. Fortunately, none had the nets deployed. Current at the anchorage peaked at 2.0 knots. Our anchor alarm went off at each tide change as Bob did not set the limits properly. Still better to be alarmed than not.

Today we headed for Hobucken NC off of the Bay River where we often tie up at R.E. Mayo Shrimp and Bait. We left Beaufort with a foul 2 kt current but as we approached the Adam's canal, the current switched and we enjoyed a favorable current all the way to the Neuse. Conditions on the river were mild so it was a 'breeze' to Hobucken. We arrived at R.E. Mayo at 1424 where SV Sandeling was also tying up. We checked in, bought our scallops, and chatted with Bob and Diane. Not bad.