spring fever

Still cold and rainy. Hopefully it will clear up and warm up soon. I've started focusing on a long weekend - maybe four day - trip in either late April or early May. This will be out of VanHorn's Bayside Marina not too far from where the Pamlico River opens up on Pamlico Sound. I've sailed through the area three times, twice on solo trips in '08 and then again last year with Bruce on the Skeeter Beater. Each time I pass through the area, with all the bays, creeks and island, I think to myself "I really ought to come back here and explore." That's exactly what I hope to do on this weekender trip.

Sorry about the map. It looked great in photoshop, but lost something when I posted it to the blog. (If you click on the map it will open in the browser window and labels/details are much clearer). But it gives you an idea of the area and some of the anchorages. The marina is the upper left hand corner. Due south of that, across the mouth of the Pamlico River, is Mouse Harbor. I anchored there in the fall of '08 and really enjoyed it. There are several bays within the bay, lots of protection from just about any kind of wind - and good fishing too.

Above is Shell Bay Narrows with a part of Swan Quarter Island at the very bottom of the frame. I've passed within sight of this area a couple times, but never entered the narrows themselves. Looks like good protection and, I've heard, good fishing for puppy drum and trout.

And just tonight I noticed the creek above off of Juniper Bay. It is called Old Haulover and it looks very interesting. Certainly a narrow creek and probably shallow too. Just right for a Pathfinder.

And on the opposite side of Juniper Bay is Buck Creek with good protection when the wind is out of the north, east or south (southwest winds, not so hot).

And south of Buck Creek is this little unnamed island, good protection from southwest winds. The more I look over maps and google earth the more places I find to explore just in this little 20 mile by 15 mile area.

This trip won't be a lot of distance sailing. Just exploring, reading, napping and fishing. A good chance to relax and enjoy a nice long weekend.

steve