day five - who is that masked man?

Wake a little after 5:00 after what had to be the best sleep the trip.  Anchor up and under power 6:35, 6:45 use channel 13 to request a 7:00 bridge lift.  

Once through the bridge, turn to port and tie up at the free New Bern day docks.  Walk to a nearby ATM to get some cash, then walk to a little breakfast restaurant to get a muffin and iced tea to go.  I set on a bench in the quiet morning and enjoy breakfast.

8:00 sails up east of the Neuse River bridges.  Forecast shows rain for much of the day but instead I find a mixture of clouds and blue skies, wind coming directly up river.  Steady tacking from the shore on the southern shore to the shallows on the north side.  9:10 tacking at 2.1, skies clearing to the south.  

9:40 feel the wind shifting from the southeast to the south.  Dark clouds move in overhead, the wind comes and goes.  9:50 a hint of good wind, then no wind at all.  10:05 the wind fills in strong and quick, sailing at 5.0 to the southeast.  

10:25 round up to tuck in a reef, the river is choppy at we're taking spray over the bow.  Slip on foul weather pants and boots.  10:45 tuck in the second reef, making 4.7.

I can see a small rainstorm well downriver sliding from starboard to port.  11:45 making 3.6, could shake out the second reef but decide to leave it in place.  Bright blue skies.  Tacks at 11:50, 12:35 and 12:55.  Making 4.8 approaching Wilkinson Point.  Choppy water with wind forward of starboard beam.  

Bright afternoon sun and feel both the sunburn and the windburn.  My face feels raw.  Slip up the gaiter on my sunshirt.  1:20 gusts building as we round then marker at the Wilkinson Point Shoal.  Round up and bring down the main, sailing under mizzen and jib at 5.2.  

1:55 due west of Adams Creek.  2:45 raise the double-reefed main at the mouth of the creek.  Smooth water inside the creek, sailing at 5.4, the air filled with flocks of noisy seagulls and terns.

Several tacks down the creek in the marked channel, timing the tacks between boats headed north on the ICW.  As the creek bends the wind is channeling directly up the waterway.  3:45 bring down the main and the jib.  Under power.  Approaching Back Creek I look over the marsh to see two masts.  Company at the anchorage would be nice.  I round the corner to find it is a sunken ketch.  What a shame.  4:15 anchor down Back Creek.

32.90 NM