Monday, May 16, 2022
Saturday, May 14, 2022
Friday, May 13, 2022
Thursday, May 12, 2022
Tuesday, May 10, 2022
stalled
Monday, May 9, 2022
Sunday, May 8, 2022
Saturday, May 7, 2022
Wednesday, May 4, 2022
Tuesday, May 3, 2022
Monday, May 2, 2022
Friday, April 29, 2022
tracking map
Here is a link to my spot tracking map for the sail on the sounds of North Carolina. Or you can copy and paste the link below.
https://maps.findmespot.com/s/5L4T
The photo is from one of the two visits I made to Oriental during last year's trip.
Tracking map should go live on Monday.
Tuesday, April 26, 2022
uphauls and downhauls / updated
P.S. A question from Michael made me realize that the term "downhaul" is a misnomer on this my boat, I cannot use the downhaul to lower the rudder. I do that manually, reaching over the transom and pushing the rudder into place. I then put the "downhaul" into the auto-release cam cleat which holds the rudder in place.
Friday, April 22, 2022
hauled out
I motored SPARTINA down the southern branch of the Elizabeth River this morning to the boat ramp. She is due for a little maintenance that I need to do next week before heading south for the spring sail on Pamlico/Albemarle Sounds.
This trip will be a walkabout style trip with no definite plans, just any which way the wind blows. I do have a list of places I would like to visit, the usual spots like Oriental, Beaufort, Little Washington and New Bern. I do want to to make it to both Ocracoke and Roanoke Islands, it has been a few years since I sailed to either. I've got three to four weeks so there should be time to visit most of those places. And of course there are the favorite isolated little anchorage on creeks, rivers, bays and coves.
Next week will be maintenance, packing food and gear. Then I'll be ready to go as soon as we get a good two or three day weather window to start the trip.
Wednesday, April 20, 2022
a dog's life
A nice sail today, light winds and cool temperatures. A few snowbirds heading north, including this well-worn schooner with a dog on board.
Sunday, April 17, 2022
of time and tides, part two
Saturday, April 9, 2022
of time and tides, part one
1 - Casting off from Beaufort it was the beginning of the ebb tide, a helping tide that carried me down the Beaufort River.
2- Passing Parris Island Recruit Depot (I could hear reveille playing) the ebb tide was running and we were making 6.4 knots, the wind was good but some of the speed came from the tide.
3- Approaching Parris Island Spit and the mouth of the Beaufort River the tide was strong enough to pull crab pot markers nearly under the surface, I would guess this was full flood tide. As I rounded the spit I could no longer feel the tide, maybe I was in the "shadow" of Parris Island. Once around the spit on to Port Royal Sound it was full ebb tide which can run at a couple of knots. With the light wind at that point I could only hold my own against the tide and not make any progress up the sound. So I motor sailed across the sound to Skull Creek.
4- Near Dolphin Point there was swirling water and a tide line. Once I crossed the tide line I could not at first feel any tide.
5- Passing Skull Creek I could once again feel the tide, an incoming tide, water flowing from Port Royal Sound into the creek and helping us along the way.
6- Off Windmill Harbor a helping tide but it was hard to tell as the wind was very good on the port quarter and we were making 5.0.
7- On Calibogue Sound approaching the Cooper River both crab pot markers and boat speed told me that it was a flood tide, water coming up the sound and we were sailing against it.
8- Once on the Cooper River that very same flood tide was helping us. Before rounding the corner into the river the tide was against us, once around the corner it was with us and we were making 4.4.
So you can see the tides are an interesting part of sailing the lower Mid-Atlantic. If there is any decent wind I found I could sail against most of the tides just fine. And if it was a helping tide, well that made for some nice sailing.
There are a few places along the way, mostly man-made cuts connecting creeks and rivers, where I could not sail or even motor against the tide. I'll get to those places in another post.
Friday, April 8, 2022
Tuesday, April 5, 2022
a Pathfinder in town
I headed in early to go see Bobby Asher and his Pathfinder LAGNIAPPE at Little Bay Canvas. He had stopped in to talk with Angel about a boom tent for his boat. Sounds like it might be similar to mine but with a few changes to suit Bobby's boat and his style of cruising. It was great to see him, and also very nice to see Angel who has done some really nice canvas work for me over the years. I'm going to shoot a few detail photos of SPARTINA'S boom tent to show Bobby and remind Angel how my tent is set up. Good luck to both of them on the new project.
Sunday, April 3, 2022
Wednesday, March 30, 2022
home waters
Tuesday, March 29, 2022
Sea Islands track video
I made this video clip of the Google Earth track of the Sea Islands sail. I wish I could find a way to zoom in and have the cursor stay centered in the screen do that the detail of the waterway can be seen. Still working on that.