Sail off anchor 6:05 after a clear, calm night. Light E wind, mist along the shore. Splashing sounds near the marsh grass, birds or fish, I can't tell, ghosting on the lake at 1.6.
video, sailing at dawn on South Lake
Out across the mouth of the Alligator River making 4.4 at 7:10. Entering Albemarle Sound at 7:35, very rough and choppy where the river meets the sound. Making 4.9 with wind forward of the beam. 7:55 calmer out on the sound.
Just after 8:00 a thin line of trees appears on the far shore of Albemarle Sound.
Military range marker in sight at 8:25, round the marker at 9:00.
There are two military ranges on the sound, one marked as a live firing area and the other marked as restricted. I take that restricted seriously as the point nearby was used as a training area for a very famous raid about a decade ago. The two areas narrow the width of the sound and cause me to make a decision on where I'm headed earlier than I like. I turn towards the Perquimans River. In Hertford there is a free town dock with water and fuel available nearby, and I could use a little of both.
9:25 sailing due west at 3.6. 10:20 approaching the Perquimans River entrance, 3.5 with wind on the starboard quarter. 11:00 wing and wing, 3.6. 11:45 in the river with Harvey Point to port, 2.2. More wind at 12:15, cooler and overcast, 3.9.
1:00 motor sailing. 1:15 wind, 3.9 and I have the river to myself. Round a marker and turn to the northwest as the river begins to narrow.
Main and jib down at 2:30 and pass under the taller of two bridges.
Nearing the lower bridge I call the bridge tender and tell them I am a small boat coming around the barges near the bridge. Can I get an opening please?
A long wait before a woman comes on the radio and says "the bridge isn't opening today" just as I realize that the barges are not around the corner from the bridge, they are in fact working on the bridge. "When will it open?" I ask. "They don't tell us nothing!" she says sounding a little distgusted. "What about tomorrow?" She doesn't know. "Would somebody with the city know?" I ask. I can't understand her response as it is both mumbled and disgusted. I realize I'm not getting in to Herford. I'm not happy with that but what am I gonna do? It was a nice sail.
I turn towards Racoon Creek and drop anchor. Omeals spaghetti dinner using creek water to set off the heating pad in order to save my water supply. Boom tent up and I can hear some thunder. My weather app shows it to be a tiny little storm. It arrives with swirling wind and some light rain, then moves on quickly. Getting colder as evening approaches.
33.95 NM for the day
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