windless, humid, thunderstorms

After several days of excellent weather, the early summer weather pattern has caught up with me.  Light winds today, thunderstorms rolling around.   I’ve reached most of my goals - Ocracoke, Oriental, Beaufort, Cape Lookout, Shackleford Banks and Belhaven.   I would like to make it to Washington which is several miles up the Pamlico River from where I am anchored on Durham Creek.   We’ll see what the weather allows   

 

on Cedar Creek this morning

 

back in Oriental

Rode the flood tide north from Beaufort this morning.   Back in Oriental for laundry and a good dinner.   Tied up next to Skookum, an 18’ boat that recently completed the 2025 Mini Globe race.   Hoping to meet Josh, the circumnavigator.  Heading north tomorrow if there is enough wind   

 

Cape Lookout and Shackleford Banks

Spent yesterday at Cape Lookout, then made our way today through the shoals and ebb tide currents past (scaffold-covered) Cape Lookout Lighthouse to a nice little anchorage on the inside of Shackleford Banks.

 

Oriental

I just received the top photo, from John, who runs Potters Marine, on the day I began the trip.  I like the way SPARTINA looks on North Creek.

The rest of the photographs are from the last two days.    A long motor south on a windless Pamlico Sound until I finally found wind on West Bay and through Old Canal   Today I crossed the Neuse River into Oriental.   I will enjoy the town today and tomorrow, then head south Wednesday.

I put the boom tent up early this afternoon as thunderstorms are passing over the area.

 

nice sail to Ocracoke

Twenty seven nautical miles with a nice north wind   Made it there in time for lunch  

 

sailing and not sailing

Yesterday was great sailing down the Pamlico River to the Sound, wind on starboard beam and at times on the starboard quarter   Very rough water and a lot of spray, but good sailing.   27 NM which is a lot for the first day  

Today no sailing, tucked way back in the marsh on Juniper Bay eating out thunderstorms and high winds   A good chance to rest and catch up from the travels  

 

packing, tracking

 Packing yesterday and today.  Got to work on the trail mix, water and a few other things today.  Tracking url is

https://maps.findmespot.com/s/T5JZ#history/assets

SPOT tracking url

 Headed south for the Carolina Sounds in a few days.  Here is the tracking url, or copy/paste the link below.

https://maps.findmespot.com/s/T5JZ

in the Andes

A visit to a farm high in the Andes.  A man and two women.  Several dogs and cages of Guinea pigs that are being raised for market.  The fields where they grow beans, potatoes and some other vegetables that looked like a cross between potatoes and carrots, are worked by hand.  

They speak Kichwa, an indigenous language that has several dialects, and some Spanish.  I tried to ask how many generations had farmed their piece of land, but I don’t think my question was understood.  I had to settle for what the little fading photographs, mementos and artifacts hanging on the wall would tell me.