day one - around the corner to the Pungo River

Cast off Potter's Marina on North Creek at 10:35, light overcast with southwest wind, motoring through the maze of crab pots.  In a open area I go to raise the main and something is wrong.  It takes me longer than I like to realize I switched the halyards on the main, connecting the peak halyard to the throat and the throat halyard to the peak.  Full sail at 11:00, 3.6 down the creek towards the Pamlico River.

On the Pamlico River 11:45, 3.2 and then with a little more wind 4.3 with a spitting rain and dark cloud above.  Feels like a small storm trying to form but nothing comes of it.  I slip on my foul weather bibs.  A little more rain, 5.0 kts. 

A can of tuna and crackers for lunch at noon, 6.2 down the Pamlico.  12:20 more sun, less wind, and soon I can pick out Wade Point in the distance.  We are just a couple hundred yards off the north shore of the Pamlico.  Bright orange on a pier catches my eye: a scarecrow wearing an orange shirt.  Making 3.3.  

At 12:50 dark clouds and rain up the Pamlico River.  Make Wade Point and enter the Pungo River at 1:00, some rain and then clearing.  4.3.  Sailing downwind so partially raise the cb.  Loud crack of thunder to the west.

Green marker 3 at 2:35, thunderstorms all around and very dark skies to the north.  

1:45 turn to Slade Creek looking for shelter with thunder and lighting around.  Make Sand Point at 1:55 just and the wind picks up ahead of the storm.  

Drop main at 2:10 and sail in to Allison Creek.  Anchor just inside the mouth of the creek, then raise anchor and motor farther up the creek for better protection.  2:20 anchor down.  At 3:15 a line of thunderstorms moves through.  Calm once they are gone.  Think of raising sail again but forecast shows a chance of another line of storms at 4:30.  Decide to spend the night on the creek.

Second line of thunderstorms never arrives.  Spicy sausage and pasta for dinner.  

13.44 NM