Late night I hear more thunderstorms and can see lightning flashing through the tent. No rain in the forecast so I had left the "fly" that covers the hole in the front of the boom tent off. Suddenly a strong gust of wind. SPARTINA shakes. I hear rain and soon horizontal rain flies in through the hole. I reach to the other side of the centerboard trunk and grab my phone and charging battery, pull them into the bivy with me to keep them dry. And then a strange sound, a tapping noise on the wood deck. And a popping sound coming from the boom tent. Hail. A first for me. SPARTINA feels as is she dances on the rough water as the wind howls. The storm is strong but brief, it moves on. I drift off to sleep.
Sail off anchor 6:00, making 4.2. 6:15 tack out of Caffee Bay on to Swan Quarter Bay. Turn downwind at 6:25, 4.9 kts.
Swan Quarter Narrows at 6:45, 7:30 making 4.5 towards Bluff Point. It feels like I'm hardly moving.
8:00 off West Bluff Bay, a group of pelicans diving on a school of fish just to the north. 8:20 Bluff Point, jibe to the northeast. 8:45 making 4.8 tracking the western shore of Pamlico Sound. I sailed here years ago but it has been a while.
9:15 Hog Island in sight. 9:45 round up Bensons Point to spread out the sleeping bag which had gotten went during last night's surprise rain. 5.5 kts across the mouth of Wyscocking Bay. 10:30 round up to tuck in a double reef. 4.4 under reduced sail, but much easier sailing.
Blue skies, a little haze, starting to get warm. At noon shake out the double reef at Gibbs Point. Looking at the chart for anchorages for a south wind. Look at Parched Corn Bay, Long Shoal River, Juniper Swamp. Decide on tiny Juniper Swamp that has a shallow marsh to the east that should block the swells.
I'm tired. Anchor down 1:25.
I nap, read and relax. Fusilli pasta with sausage for dinner.
30.5 nautical miles for the day.
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