day four - rough Albermale Sound

Long evening last night with the thunderstorms.  6:35 under power out of Peter Mashoes Creek heading into a northeast wind.  Heavy low overcast, a touch of orange on the horizon.  7:05 raise a double reefed main and jib.  Thinking the northeast wind might give me a nice sail west on Albemarle Sound.  

Making 3.4 in hard sailing as we round from Croatan Sound to Albemarle Sound.  Steep waves and lots of spray coming on board.  Wind out of the northeast but waves out of the north or maybe a little bit northwest.  A lot of pounding into the rough water.  Round up to bring down double reefed main, sailing with mizzen and jib at 7:25.  A long hard sail to any protection to the west on the sound.  Weather radio talks about more bad weather coming.  

Frustrated again on the sound.  8:10 turn west southwest towards the Alligator River.  8:30 sun breaks through the overcast.  8:50 turn to the northwest to round some fishing weirs on a shoal, making 4.3.

9:20 bright sunshine and blue skies, a sailboat ahead on the ICW coming out of the Alligator River.  Making 4.8.  Pass the Alligator River entrance marker at 9:10 with a tug and a barge leading the way ahead of us.  10:00 round Long Shoal Point by following a line of duck blinds on the edge of the shoal.  Calmer water and making 6.0 at times.  

10:20 slide into the Little Alligator River and sail along shore looking for a good stand of trees to get out of the wind.  Anchor down 11:05.  

Frustrated with the contrary weather.  Take a look at the forecasts.  Three different apps show gusts to 35 mph for four days - has to be a mistake - starting the day after tomorrow.  Can't be right.  But if it is, I'm halfway through my water supply.  I spend the afternoon thinking about what to do.

17.48 nautical miles for the day.