day four - no wind, then wind

Up with the sun to stow the sleeping gear and bring down the boom tent.  Waiting for The Bean to open Keith and Allison drop by for a few more photographs.  A bottle of orange juice and a blueberry muffin from The Bean and we are ready to cast off at 7:50.  Keith grabs a few more photographs.  An all too brief greeting from Jeff and Allie - we had anchored near their boat on Whittaker Creek - and they stay on the dock to wave goodbye.

Not even a hint of wind as the glassy water of the Neuse River reflects the light overcast above.  Curt and I motor E on the towards the South River.  Checking weather radio at 8:45 I hear about a tropical depression forming in the north of the Bahamas.  Worth paying attention to that.

Just inside the channel entrance of South River I drop anchor.  Curt wants to check out the out cemetery at the no longer existent community of Lukens.  I'm content to clean up SPARTINA and catch up on my rest.

The sound of swooshing water wakes me.  Dolphins, I think.  I relax as I lay on my back in the cockpit, finding myself surprised by the sight of a mast looming near SPARTINA.  It's ANNIE, the swooshing sound was Curt sculling back from his exploration.

Sails up on the South River at 10:45 but not a breath of wind.  With mizzens raised on SPARTINA and ANNIE we motor out to the Neuse and turn north.  At noon the surface of the river shows some ripples, but no real wind.  The sun breaks through the overcast at 12:15.  Just past Lighthouse Shoals a light E wind arrives.  Sails up, 2.0 in a light breeze.

Making 3.3 by 1:00, a tug and a barge to the east on the ICW.  The wind builds, 4.5 with E wind just forward of the beam.  Maw Point at 1:45, Bay Point at 2:10, Boar Point at 2:30 and a rough crossing of the mouth of Jones Bay.  Curt and I round up in the choppy water to talk about the destination for the day.  Mouse Harbor, we both agree.

5.4  at Sow Pen Point, round the point and with wind aft of beam I partially raise the centerboard and make 5.8 across the mouth of Middle Bay.  Middle Bay point at 2:45, Big Porpoise Point at 3:30, making 4.9 as the wind swings to the south.  Little Porpoise Point at 3:40, sailing wing and wing to Sound Point and the entrance to Mouse Harbor.

A fast crossing of Mouse Harbor, sailing into the wind for the first time today.

Anchor down in the mouth of Cedar Creek at 3:45.  A northern water snake swims out from the marsh to SPARTINA'S starboard side, rounds the bow to port, then back again to starboard and finally back to the marsh.

Curt and I talk about tropical depression, both of us with the impression that we've got two more days until it reaches eastern North Carolina.  

29.8 NM for the day