day nine - back to the ramp

Rain in the early morning hours, fog at sunrise.  Dry and comfortable inside the tent I listen to weather radio.  Rain and chance of thunderstorms for the morning, rain and chance of thunderstorms for the afternoon.  And the forecast for today is the same for tomorrow, the next and the one after that.  

I think about sailing west up the Pamlico to Washington, but the idea of walking around the waterfront wearing foul weather gear doesn't appeal to me.  Been there, done that in both Bath and Belhaven.  I think about sailing east on the Pamlico to Bluff Point, the jumping off spot for Ocracoke Island.  But there is no way I'm sailing across the sound with thunderstorms in the forecast.  

It is time to go home.  We motorsail down the river, skies beginning to clear about 7:30.  I can see thunderstorms forming over the land on the north side of the Pamlico.  My goal is to get back to Goose Island Creek dry and comfortably.  The wind is out of the NNE and with sail and outboard we make a steady 6 mh.

We make the creek late morning and head down the canal, turning to port onto Jones Bay.  I follow my tracks to find the creek up to Shawn's place and there he is waiting to help with the lines.  He glances at me then looks around the boat which is surprisingly dry and well organized after four days of bad weather.  We can hear thunder in the distance and I break down Spartina's rig, Shawn and Captain Jack asking about the trip and the weather.  Captain Jack credits me with the stormy weather, says they get bored on the island with good weather and I can come back anytime to stir things up.

I thank Shawn for his hospitality and head home.

total miles - 173.7

max speed - 8.9 mh (sailing down West Bay with a squall behind me)

average speed - 3.9 mh