Voyage 2002-2003: Chapter 7

2 May 2003, Beaufort SC to Cape Fear NC, 33 52.549 N/ 078 00.009 W

We had a good time in Beaufort waiting out the weather. Seems that weather windows are few and far between this season. We get a window for a few days and then we have to hunker down for three or four days. Had drinks with the crew of S/V Barbobasea, a rather large Columbia 43 with 7.5 foot draft! They have been bumping their way up the ICW. Nice couple! Hope to see them again.

We left Beaufort SC on 28 April for the outside with the promise of favorable wind and seas. Wrong! Wind was out of the NE at 15-20 kts with 5 foot seas (both on our nose). Plus we had a one knot unfavorable current (a counter current from the Gulf Stream?). Four hours out we decided that we could not make any port in a timely manner. So we turned around and anchored 6 miles from Beaufort SC. What a bummer!

The anchorage in Cowen Creek was nice enough. The anchorage had good holding and reasonable protection. The next morning we got up around 0600 and were greeted with fog! We waited until 1000 when the fog lifted (sort of). We had a few dolphins entertain us while we were waiting. We headed back down Port Royal Sound to the Atlantic. What a difference a day makes. Seas were down to 2-3 feet with a 10 knot breeze from the Southeast. Not bad! However the current was still in opposition to our course. We had a diver clean Jule III's bottom and prop. It made a 1 knot difference in our speed. All in all, our 30 hour passage was not too bad. Of course, we had to motor sail the entire trip.

We arrived at Bald Head Island Marina at 1400 on 30 April on an opposing current of 4 knots. It was slow going up the Cape Fear inlet. The folks here are quite friendly and the Harbor Master remembered us from Voyage 2000. Seems like we arrived there in November 2000 with the worst fog in memory. The next day, three boats arrived from the Bahamas. The had a calm passage. S/V Paradise remains here with us while S/V Quality Time and S/V Alley Cat left today for Wrightsville Beach. We rented a golf cart for the day to explore the island. Many expensive homes and a nice network of roads made expressly for golf carts. Cleaned the deck and washed the Atlantic off of our stainless and bronze rigging. The weather is not cooperating again. Doesn't look like the Atlantic will calm down until mid to late next week. Oh well, guess we'll 'do' the ICW the rest of the way to Norfolk. The stretch between here and Beaufort NC is not too bad.

5 May 2003, Bald Head Island to Morehead City, 34 43.129 N/ 076 42.199 W

Weather is still quite unstable. Can't go on the outside. S/V Paradise and we headed for the ICW on 4 May at 0730. Hazy, cloudy, and breezy. But we had a supporting current. The part of the ICW is 'blessed' with few anchorages and two bridges that only open on the hour. Fortunately, we timed it so that we didn't have to wait too long. We were approaching another sailboat and were ready to pass them. We never pass anybody. It was S/V Barbobasea (the folks we met in Beaufort SC. How kewl!

The three boats continued in a 'caravan'. We were the lead boat! Paradise draws 6.5 feet and Barbobasea draws 7.5 feet. Our challenge was to find the deepest water so that they would not go aground. Well, it sorta worked. Barbobasea only went aground twice that day. As anchorages are not plentiful on this stretch, we decided to stop at Harbor Village Marina (it had enough depth for all of us). Nice place, but there was not anything around. According, to Skipper Bob, it is "isolated". He was right.

Left Harbour Village at 0630 headed for Morehead City. Weather still unstable with predicted T-showers in afternoon. Bob hates T-showers as he has to steer right below the mizzen boom. Fortunately, the showers never materialized. The three of us arrived in Morehead City at 1630 and tied up at Portside Marina. We opted not to stop at Beaufort NC as it was too expensive (rates went up again) and we did not want to deal with the current again.

We decided to stay an extra day at Portside as weather was deteriorating. We explored the waterfront district and the three crew had lunch at one of the local seafood eateries. Not too much to do. Ann and Barbara had a hunger for ice cream so we called a taxi and headed for Beaufort NC. When we got there we found our ice cream store was closed. Actually they were in the process of moving to the waterfront. Bob and Barbara knew the owner and we decided to find the new place. We found it and Susan, the owner. After a little chit-chat, we headed back to Portside and prepared for next day's departure.