Voyage 2017: Chapter 2

15 May 2017, Time in Little Washington, 35 32.55 N/ 077 03.528 W

We are newbees to Little Washington and there was a lot for us to see. The waterfront is well restored with walking paths, museums, eateries, sops of all kinds. However, you can see the wounds of a slow recovery as you leave the waterfront. But it has a great country town spirit.

On Sunday, we headed for church at Mother of Mercy Catholic Church. It is a 20 minute walk from the marina and the campus included the church and the school. Service and the congregation remind Bob of the church when he was a kid, a conservative celebration. They even have Latin Masses!

It turns out we have some cruising buddies in LW also. Mike of SV Diligence is a marina manager of the Moss Landing marina. We know him from the old Pelican marina in Elizabeth City. Moss Landing is a growing player on the LW waterfront. Susan and Bob, formally of SV Coleen Mae, have houses here and in Tenents Harbor Maine. We saw them in our last cruise up to Maine. Butch and Vicki were doing some work here so they dropped by a quick lunch. Our diets are not doing too well.

Today, we left our berth in Little Washington at 0600 with no wind. The railroad bridge was still open but was scheduled to close by 0700. The wind was out of the SW but never got above 5 kts apparent. We noticed that LW is a pretty far piece from the ICW. Still, it was worth the trip.

18 May 2017, Change in Plans - Cape Lookout is Scrubbed, 34 33.102 N/ 077 19.536 W

As Little Washington had no fuel, we chose Grace Harbour marina to overnight again, and get our jerry jugs topped off. We arrived at the fuel dock at 1430, filled the jerry jugs, and waited for the appointed hour for dinner with Butch and Vicki (they live in Oriental which is a short drive away. Good meal and good friends! However, we got news about Ann's brother; the doctor indiated that his condition is terminal and it could be soon. So we will divert to Wilmington via the ICW as the weather on the outside will soon turn foul.

So the next day we left at daybreak with a goal of Mile Hammock at high tide. Goal accomplished at 1900 after most of the day offered only adverse currents, Onslow bridge tender was not very nice, and the Marines closed the ICW for nearly two hours (artillery drills). Amazing what you see on the ICW. We don't know why this helicopter was there.

Next day we left the Hammock at 0715 (near low tide) with skinny water everywhere. We bumped a couple of times on the east leg approaching the New River inlet. No worries. We arrived in Carolina Beach just in time for Survivor. Can't believe they kicked her off! Today, we left CB at 0730 and arrived at the breakwater at Southport's Deep Point marina at 0930. Curtis warned us that the water was still thin and we might have to some plowing; and plowing we did. Hurricane Matthew and the continue turbulence from the ferries has robbed a lot of depth from the marina.

At least we didn't overshoot our slip. Docking was actually quite easy as we plowed through nearly a foot of silk. Mattie Kay was protecting the Jeti most of the day. Nobody knows why. Today we cleaned, tomorrow we will head back to the house. Afterwards, we head up to Virginia so see Ann's brother. Jule and Bob passed their shakedown cruise.