It's GO time !!!

Oct 25  sunday

new ICW bridge construction: Beaufort 

We have been in and around Oriental, North Carolina 14 days!  Our longest time in one place since we left home.  It felt good in some respects, people and places being familiar but we are also getting antsy to move on to the next adventure.  We spent the day finishing tasks.  A run to the grocery for fresh fruit and veggies: a few more passage items, then to Inland Waterway Provision Company to pick up the last of our order: BVI’s courtesy flag and fuel jugs.  Pat the owner has truly gone the extra mile to help us.  He spent hours tracking down cruising guides, paper charts and several other items we needed by special order.   Our shopping complete we headed back to the boat.  I inventoried new purchases and updated our checklist of passage items.  Jim spent hours on the computer taking care of paper work needed before we depart the states sometime next week.  NEXT WEEK ! Time is going sooooooo fast… 

We had a quiet dinner aboard then went to the marina club house to watch a Netflix movie.  They just put in a new ‘lightning fast’ modem for the big house and it is great… We watched ‘Tracks’, a true story of a young woman’s 1,700 mile walk across  the deserts of western Australia.  A very interesting movie.  

We have been making quite the habit of being up past midnight for weeks now…    It’s well after 10 pm on a Sunday night…  and we are still up… But fading fast.

Oct 26  monday   Beaufort, NC

We are off for Beaufort, North Carolina.  We will remain here while making our final preparations for the 1,500 mile passage south.  Our long time friend Bob J. will be flying in this Thursday.  He will be helping us make the passage.  

We joined the boat parade heading south along the Inner coastal.  The snow birds continuing to make their way south before the real cold weather hits.  The wind was blowing hard out of the north which was good as we were headed south.  The open water of Neuse River / Pamlico Sound was a bit churned up as we crossed it to get to Adams Creek Canal.  Th winds brought the clouds so it was pretty overcast all day.  We had barley headed down the canal when a dolphin surfaced less than 10 feet from the boat.  It repeated it’s inspection of us a few more times before heading off in search of a meal.  Soon after, several pelicans skimmed by.  Looking around the tainted waters of the sound had given way to relatively clear water… probably why we were seeing our salty friends again.  Several calls on the VHF reported logs and debris

Cindy and Kathy...  

 just up ahead… then clunk.Luckily we had hit a small log, no damage.  So we kept our eyes peeled for more ‘stuff’ as we continued on.  The current gave us a great boost adding 2 1/2 knots to our speed.  We made Beaufort in less than 3 hours, 25 miles.  We did a drive by off the marina looking for the fuel dock.  Located, we came about and found some skinny water for the keel.  A bit of throttle and we slipped off the bottom then motored up to the dock.  The tide was down and the posted were a good 12 feet high.  I tossed the line and lassoed the post first try, yes!  Jim hit reverse and we drifted unto the dock.  We topped off the fuel: boat and jerry cans.  Then found S/v Splash and crew  to help us into our assigned slip.  Jim and Cindy have been here a week, prepping for the passage ahead of us.  The wind was still snorting at 20+ knots and we vey thankful for their help in maneuvering.  The slips have 2 x 2 foot concrete posts as well as wood pilings.  Low tide = long high toss of the lines… low tide, easy to range the posts.  There is about a four foot tide here.  Anything left in the water, posts, lines, fenders have lots of ‘barnacles’ on them… 

Jim, Kathy, Jim and Cindy...We'll see you in the BVI's 

The tides are significant here as are the currents, so we needed a few extra lines positioned to keep from getting jostled around in the slip.  The finger piers here were designed by a ‘distance challenged’ individual, they are only 15 feet long at best.  If you don't stern in (we don’t) then you have to disembark from near the bow of your boat, climbing over lifelines.  We ( I ) needed a step ladder to get off the boat, which the marina provided.  We tidied the boat then headed to check out the facilities.  Very nice accommodations, clean showers, cheap laundry and a ships store / restaurant.  We stopped by to quick chat with Jim and Cindy… Cindy was elbow deep in meal prep for off shore.  Many cruisers precook meals and freeze / store them to heat and eat while under way.  She is following suit.  Today she completed 5 huge meals for the 4 crew they will have and freezing them in their portable freezer.  Tomorrow, 5 more.  We are thinking the passage will take 10  +/- days …. I opted to go with prepackaged meals for the most part: 3 crew and very little freezer space.  I have it stowed in the shower in collapsible bins.  

We have soooo much to talk about with Jim and Cindy before we set off on our journey, our quick visit turned into a couple hours  We pulled ourselves away from their great company and headed home.  While we were away, the tide had risen several feet!  The floating docks keep a consistent level with the boat though.  We splurged on electricity, a small extra fee, and turned the heat on tonight.  The chill soon gone from the boat.  A quick dinner and then bed.  

Oct 27   tuesday  Beaufort NC / Town Creek Marina

Windy and chilly.  Rain on and off for the day.  We checked in with Chris Parker (weather forecasters for cruisers) for an off shore weather update…The weekend looks pretty good.  Stay tuned…

HUGE off shore lures...

We busied ourselves with things from the list of to dos before the passage.  The fenders are stowed under the dinghy on deck.  Deck dorade's (air vents) removed and seals put in there place to prevent water from going down them if we hit heavy weather.  Jack lines installed.  Jack lines run the length of the deck, secured at bow and stern.  When on deck, we wear a lifejacket with a harness and it is clipped to the jack line or pad eyes while in the cockpit.  This ensures that rules 1, 2 and 3 are followed.  

Boat rule #1 - stay on the boat

Boat rule #2 - STAY on the BOAT!

Boat rule #3 - ALWAYS follow rules 1 and 2 

The storm sail secured on deck.  Loose items finding new homes so they won’t shift about.  Our menu for meals is complete and packages stowed.  By afternoon we were ready for a break so we accompanied Jim (S/v Splash) to Moorehead City, about 10 miles away.  Thank you courtesy car… Jim was getting root canal, having just discover an abscess… we checked out the strip mall shops while he went under the drill.  Moorhead City is quite large and has all the big box stores and lots of marine shops to fill the needs of the cruisers driving and departing from this convenient location.  We are within a few miles of the open Atlantic making it is a good place to depart for a trip ‘outside’ to head south and avoid the canal traffic and obstacles. 

We had  Jim and Cindy over for dinner.  One thing let to another and before we knew it the clock said we’d better get some sleep.  

Red sky at night !!! bodes well for tomorrow 

Oct 28  wednesday

Rain. rain. raaaain.   Lots of rain today.  ‘Chris’ says the weather and winds to the BVI’s will be acceptable Thursday  through Saturdaynfor departure… We want a peaceful crossing of the Gulf Stream. It is notorious for bringing the most resilient sailors to their knees; green and puking.  You need to time the winds, current and waves just right to cross it, or get tossed about for a good long time.  Very uncomfortable.  The stream usually lies about 40 miles off shore from here and continues east up to 100 more miles.  A days run (24 hours) on cruising boats our size.  Jim and Cindy have decided to depart with the out going tide Thursday, their crew having arrived today.  Best of luck!  Safe travels.  Following seas… 

With few projects to do in the rain, we stayed below of the most part.  An afternoon run to Moorehead City for new flares, having just discovered ours expire this November.  The expired flares will still work but the coast guard requires ‘fresh’ stock to be legal.  It was a good excuse to get out anyway.  The rains finally eased off after dark.  The wind losing steam as well.  

Oct 29 thursday

What a whirlwind of a day.  Chris our weather guru made a recommendation we leave for the BVI’s late Thursday (bumpy ride) or Friday early.  We are leaving Friday.  So that set in motion all the last minute details we needed to do.  Stow all things not needed during the passage in secure places.  Stow all things needed for the passage in accessible secure places.  It was nearing noon and we had things reorganized pretty good so we headed over to S/v Splash to see Jim, Cindy and crew off.  They opted for the Thursday window.  Hugs and pictures, then off with their dock lines.  Safe travels!!!!

We went over our list of to dos again, dotted the i’s and crossed the tee’s… Then off to get Bob in New Bern.  The marina owners have been incredibly helpful.  Carol runs the office.  She has the most pleasant demeanor, always smiling and has a kind word.  Bob’s flight was on time, we scooped him and his bag up and headed back to Beaufort. 

One task we have put off till now was getting some fishing gear.  The choices are immense for 2 people that don't fish much and have little experience with off shore fishing.  Carol at the Marina made some calls and found a place at Atlantic Beach, one of the coast islands off Moorehead City / Beaufort.  She very generously have us the keys back to the courtesy car have we were off.  With Bob’s help we made our selection.  It’s easy to spent a boat unit or more on this stuff.  There are even computerized versions (cha ching).  We opted for a much lesser version with the proprietors of the tackle shop all but guaranteeing a successful catch.  I guess all those prepackaged meals may have to wait for another voyage!  

Dinner with Bob, Jim and Kathy 

Back aboard again, we toasted Bob’s arrival properly.  By now it was well after dark, so we headed to the marina restaurant; City Kitchen.  We small venue above the marina facility overlooking the harbor.  The menu  small and eclectic.  The meal was quite good, a bit on the pricy side though.  Back aboard we caught up on events at home and shared some of our adventures.  By 10 I was a pumpkin and headed off to bed, the guys up for a bit longer.  

Oct 30  

Chris’s update.  It’s a go.  Waiting any longer means waiting indefinitely due to another front coming through.  So.  It’s show time.  We hope to be in Jos Van Dyke, BVI in about 10 days… No internet or  phone’s till then.  Just Chris or other ‘hammies’ listening in on SSB… 

This is what we have planned soooo long and hard for. All the prep-work, safety measures and dreams coming together.  We are living our dream!

See you in 10