Monday, May 23, 2022

day two - around the corner and up the sound

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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