hitchhiking, handsome and five perfect sails

The all-knowing internet confirmed that the crab and the jellyfish I saw on Cedar Creek have a symbiotic relationship.  More precisely, they are demonstrating commensalism.  This is where one organism receives a benefit and the other organism receives neither benefit nor harm.  The crab gets a free ride at no cost to the jellyfish.  Seems like a good deal.

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While tied up in Beaufort on this past trip, a man passing by on the boardwalk said "That is a handsome boat!"  Handsome, yes, I like that.

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I ended the Spring trip a few days early.  Weather apps showed there was a lot of moisture over the mid-Atlantic coast which means humidity, rain and thunderstorms.  Coming back to the dock at Potters Marine was the right thing to do, there were a lot of storms the next five days.  I don't mind sailling in rain, but thunderstorms can be dangerous.  

Even though the cruise was a bit shorter than planned, I look back now and realize that I enjoyed five days of almost perfect sailing.  Here they are...

Day One, North Creek to Juniper Bay

Rigging SPARTINA at Potters Marine I was protected from the wind and had no idea how much it was blowing out on the Pamlico River.  Good solid south wind on the beam.  11:25 tucked in a reef and spent the rest of the day sailing east, first across the mouth of the Pungo River and then skirting the marshes and islands near Swan Quarter. A lot of sailing at 5+ kts and the gps touching 7 kts in a gust.  Turned downwind into Juniper Bay and was greeted by a flock of ibis.  

Day Three, Juniper Bay to Ocracoke

It was unusual north wind sail to Ocracoke.  I believe I have almost always done it with a southwest wind.  But this was fine.  Making between 4.5 and 5.5 knots, a bit rolly in the cool wind and waves coming down the Sound.  Just as the tree-line to the stern disappears the first towers on Ocracoke become visible off the bow.  Made the crossing easily, had to work around a ferry into Big Foot Slough and then a couple tacks into Silver Lake.  Ideal small boat sailing.

Day Nine, Beaufort to Cape Lookout Bight

A lovely sail from the Beaufort waterfront past Pivers and Radio Islands to Beaufort Inlet.  An unusual west-northwest wind on the stern once out of the inlet, tacking downwind to the Bight.  White sand and blue water,  Cape Lookout Bight is a special place.

Day Eleven - Shackleford Banks to Beaufort

The shortest sail of the cruise and the lightest wind.  And I loved every minute of it.  Sailing at less than a knot, against the tide into the wind, and the sails with the orange morning tint.  (I suspect I enjoy light wind sailing more than anyone I know.)  Then through the shoals back into Beaufort, a favorite town.

Day Thirteen, Oriental to Mouse Harbor

A day with much better wind than I expected.  A south wind, blue skies, sailing north from Oriental past Piney Point, the Bay River, Jones Bay, Middle Bay, Big and Little Porpoise Bays and then into Mouse Harbor.  I've been sailing that stretch of water for almost 20 years, and each point, bay and river along the way brought back memories.

So it was an excellent cruise.  Starting to pack now for Maine.

day seventeen - back to the ramp

Dawn comes grey and thick with humidity.  I check the weather forecast on my apps.  A lot of moisture over the mid-Atlantic for the next five days. That means days and days of thunderstorms and showers. I decide to head back to the dock.

Sail off anchor past the unmanned ketch KISMET at 6:50.  My goal is to get back to the ramp and haul out before any rain.  Several tacks to work my way out of Durham Creek.  On the Pamlico River at 7:45 with a nice long tack east.  Making 4.2 under the low overcast.

8:45 Indian Island to the southeast, 3.3 kts and a haze covers the river.  9:50 tacking towards North Creek.  The wind shifts and falls off, motor sail the last stretch towards the creek.  10:25 in North Creek.  10:55 docked at the marina.  The trip is done.

13.41 NM

 

day sixteen - a hard rain is gonna fall

Wake to a morning thick with humidity.  Check the weather apps.  Thunderstorms rolling across the Pamlico River beginning late morning.  I don't mind sailing in the rain, but thunderstorms are another story.  Not going anywhere today.

Check the weather one more time, maybe see if I can make it to Washington.  The forecasts show me getting caught out on the river.

Hot breakfast and tea.  A morning nap, then the first storm arrives with a driving rain.

Moisture all around the mid-Atlantic.  More afternoon thunderstorms.  I read, relax, nap.

 

day fifteen - down the Pungo, up the Pamlico

A rally night on SPARTINA.  Wind, waves and tide from different directions.  Sail off anchor at 7:15.

Light southwest wind and blue skies.  2.3 on the Pantego River.  7:30 through the wooden breakwater and on the Pungo River.  Pleasantly surprised by the nice wind.  7:55 making 4.7 and then 5.2 in a long steady gust.  

8:10 passing Woodstock Point.  9:50 tacking near Wade Point where the river opens up onto the Pamlico River.  10:45 struggling to get out of the Pungo, maybe it is the tide.  11:10 past Wade Point, finally on the Pamlico, 3.0.

11:30 tacking upriver, 3.2.  12:15 wind falls off, motor sailing.  1:30 wind returns, 4.1.  

A tug with a barge coming down the river, plenty of room and stay well outside the marked channel.

Wind comes and goes, getting hot.  A few clouds move in and glad to be out of the sun for a while.

3:00 tacking to the entrance of Durham Creek, a narrow cut that it hard to see with all the trees along the shoreline.  Finally pick out the red channel market, then a quick tack to port and in the creek.

A few more tacks and then anchor near the ketch KISMET out of Lewes, Delaware.  No one aboard, seems like the ketch has seen better days.  3:45 anchor down, boom tent up for some shade.

 30.9 NM

day fourteen - north to Belhaven

In the middle of the night, the hum of mosquitoes.  Reach up on top of the centerboard trunk, find the Thermacell bug repeller.  Click the starter button a couple of times, wait til I see the glow of a flame the size of a pinhead, the quiet hiss of the repeller.  Soon mosquitoes are gone.  Back to sleep.

Wake to the calmest of mornings, the sounds of birds in the marsh.  Look over the side to see jellyfish below, one hosting a small crab for a ride.

Sail off anchor at 7:00 with just the hint of a breeze out of the south.  A slow pleasant slow drift, less than a knot, just off the marsh.  A favorite kind of morning.

 

7:30 out on the open water of Southward Bay, 1.9.  8:10 across Mouse Harbor, making 3.4 rounding Pamlico Point.

8:25 on the Pamlico River, 4.1 with wind aft of port beam.  9:10 less wind, 1.8.

9:35 cross the sailing track from two weeks earlier, and just north of that enter the Pungo River.  Making 2.0.  

10:40 sailing at 0.8 with Persimmon Point just ahead.  Motor sailing.  11:05 under power, sails still up but they are of no help in the windless heat.

11:40 some wind, sailing at 2.5 wing and wing.  12:10 3.4.  1:00 jibe to the wooden breakwater.  1:35 slip through the breakwater and onto the Pantego River.  1:40 sails down.  2:00 tied up at the public docks on Wynne's Gut in Belhaven.  

Paying for my slip at the marina, I realize it is Monday.  The little town is mostly closed down.  Two nice restaurants, a steak place and Spoon River, both closed.  The brewery, closed.  I get an iced at Farm Boys,  a burger stand, and sit in the shade at the marina porch.  Bad timing for a visit to Belhaven.  It is hot, I'm tired.  Early dinner at Fish Hooks.  A salad. Still hungry so I order a second salad.  Back to SPARTINA.  Cast off.  Anchor out on there river.  Set up the boom tent and relax in the shake.

 18.24 NM

day thirteen - unexpected wind

A cinnamon roll and iced tea at The Bean.  Keith does a double take when he sees me on the porch, he quickly looks to the sea wall to see SPARTINA tied up there.  "You're back!"  I enjoy talking with Keith and the locals, wondering about the wind.  The consensus is that the wind will be light or maybe non-existent.  Cast off at 8:00 cast off, 8:05 sails up, 8:10 out past the jetty.

8:45 making 2.3 on a tack across the wide Neuse, hoping for a better angle on the light south wind.  Jibe north, aiming for Long Point Shoal, and the wind fills in, 4.9.

9:15 making 4.1, steady, easy sailing.  9:45 using binoculars to look for the shoal marker.  Clear skies and have the solar panel out to charge batteries.  Sunshine lets me listen to some music via the phone and blue tooth speaker.  How nice!

10:00 less wind, doing 2.0.  10:25 less wind, making 1.4, the day so pleasant I relax and enjoy.  Get the first glimpse of the marker at Long Point Shoal.  

11:25 passing the shoal marker, better wind, 3.3.  

Past the shoal, with the white sandy beach of Swan Island to port, doing 3.7.  Wind on the stern, sailing wing and winglet.  A beautiful day.  I look to the east and see nothing but the water of Pamlico Sound.

12:00 can see the water tower at Hobucken to the northwest, Maw Point off the port bow.  Soon crossing the mouth of the Bay River at 3.5.

A few boats on the ICW heading up the river, pirates outside the channel checking their crab pots.

1:00 Rock Hole Bay to port, Sow Island Point ahead in the distance, 3.5.  Light green water as we sail over the shallows just east of Bay Point.  1:25 turn to Sow Island Point for better angle on the building wind, 4.7.  Cross the mouth of Jones Bay, pass Sow Island Point at 1:45, crossing over the shallows.

2:00 passing Middle Bay to port.  I notice markers ahead through the shoals which surprises me.  Years ago I sailed this area a lot and don't recall the markers at all.  See a waterman coming from the northeast and he is tracking the markers so figure I should respect them too.  

2:10 gps shows 5.6 as we follow the slightly curving channel.   Passing Little Porpoise and Big Porpoise Bays at 5.5.   Finally out of the shoals and jibe towards Mouse Harbor entrance at 2:30.  

2:40 jibe towards Sound Point, sailing close-hauled into the building afternoon wind at 5.2.  

A long port tack across Mouse Harbor carries us into Southward Bay and then Cedar Creek.  Decide I want a little more room so jibe back out.  Anchor down Cedar Creek at 3:10.  Set up the boom tent to get some shade.  

 25.26 NM

day twelve - catching the flood tide

Awake at 5:30, stow sleeping gear and boom tent.  At the coffee shop as they open at 6:30 for a blueberry muffin and iced tea.  Cast off Beaufort docks 7:00, sails up 7:10 off the Duke marine lab on Pivers Island.  It the beginning of the flood tide, light southwest wind.

Making 3.0 past the shrimp boats lying Gallants Channel, surprised by the strength of the flood tide.  7:20 under the bridge, good wind and making 4.4.

7:50 4.6 with the helpful tide up the Newport River.  8:05 at green "23", 5.2 downwind towards the canal.  8:30 3.6 as the river narrows and the tall trees to port block the wind.  8:35 motor sailing.  8:50 under the bridge and on the canal, flood tide still running.  Sails still up and catching a helpful breeze now and then.

9:15 not sure if I can feel the flood tide anymore.  Green marker "15" shows a helping tide, though I think it we have crossed the head of the tide and it is an ebb tide carrying us towards the Neuse River.  Sailing with wind on the stern, 4.3.  A dolphin swims nearby, an eagle flies overhead.

10:15 at red marker "8" wind forward of port beam.  Slip to the north side of the channel and follow a line of crab pots.  Making 4.1.  11:15 struggling with light wind on the nose, tacking back and forth across the channel with lots of power boats passing by.  

11:35 on the Neuse River, 2.0 and getting hot.  Soon down to 1.1.  Motor sailing.  

12:45 a little wind approaching the entrance channel to Oriental.  Inside the jetties trade tacks with a Wayfarer, a boat that English sailor Frank Dye made famous with this cruises.  My first look at a Wayfarer in person and I chat a bit across the water with the boat's captain.

1:00 sails down, tied to the seawall across from the circumnavigator SKOOKUM.  

It is hot, so an iced team from The Bean and then an afternoon of laundry, refilling water bottles, charging batteries and catching up on the log.

22.10 NM
 

day eleven - a brief and pleasant sail

Sail off anchor 6:20 on a clear, beautiful morning.  Can hear the surf breaking on the beach on the other side of the banks.  A flood tide running west to east, light southwest wind.  Making 0.5 against the tide, then 0.9 with better wind.  Shackleford Banks to port, Back Sound to starboard, and I could not be happier.

7:15 making 1.5 to the west-northwest, Beaufort Inlet markets barely visible in the distance.  7:30 tack out off the beach to get around some shallows.

7:30 gps crawls up to 2.4, the slides down to 1.1.  Gentle sailing.

7:45 making 2.2 and getting closer to the inlet, can feel swells rolling in from Onslow Bay.

8:35 making 3.8 with waves breaking over a rocky shoal to port.  Bird Shoal to starboard.  Flood tide is now in our favor.  Centerboard bounces on the shallow, tack out to deeper water on the edge of the channel.

8:45 off Radio Island and in the channel to Beaufort.

8:45 jibe at the east end of Bird Shoal, 2.5 on a downwind run.  9:05 pass the marker for Taylors Creek.  Round up, bring down the sails.  9:20 docked.

Pay the dock fee.  Pick up some supplies, including a new SPARTINA ball cap.  Lunch at the Dock House, catch up on the log in the coffee shop.  Dinner at Finz, and the waitress from the other night teases me about staying too late with my friend Tom.

5.31 NM