Up at 6:00, I take my time packing the sleeping gear and cleaning up Spartina. Grey morning with dark clouds and rain sweeping across Goose Creek Island to the west. I choose to wait out the first little rainstorm of the morning and as it passes the wind swings from south to west.
Just after 7:00 we drift off anchor, no wind. With sails up I start the outboard and we motor across Mouse Harbor.
Mid-morning we are motoring across the Pamlico River, no wind and light clouds with a hint of blue to the west, dark clouds to the east.
A SE wind comes as we pass Currituck Point and enter the Pungo River. All sails up and making 3.8 mh to Belhaven. Just after 11:00 the sun breaks through. Hot. Wind drops but still making 2.5 and I'm content with steady easy sailing without rain. Wind comes and goes and we slide through the Belhaven breakwater under sail a little after noon. I tie up at Wynne's Gut town dock.
It's a holiday weekend and the town is dressed for it, but the rain has chased everyone away. I take care of chores, buy some bottled tea, empty out the portable head, clean up Spartina. The afternoon is grey and a light rain falls. In foul weather gear I sit on the porch of a gift shop with a plastic bouquet of flowers to my right and the top of a bushel basket painted with a crab to my left. I send a few emails on my phone and read the news. I think of taking a nap there but decide it is not a good idea. Fish Hooks, my favorite restaurant is closed. I picked up a burger, fries and iced tea at Farm Boys and sit across the street on the covered porch of the old hardware store to eat.
We cast off from the dock and motor across Pantego Creek in a light rain. I set up the boom tent but leave it hanging from the boom as the rain stops and the sun comes out just in time to dry out Spartina before I get out the sleeping gear. I read, listen to the radio, check the weather. Forecast for tomorrow: rain in the morning, chance of thunderstorms, rain in the afternoon, chance of thunderstorms.
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