Morning comes with a light fog on the harbor. No problem, there is no rush to leave.
I take my time breaking down the boom tent and tucking away gear. Just as I finish, Allison drives up and says hello. We walk together to The Bean. I get a muffin and an iced tea to go. Allison wishes me a good trip as I head out the door. Cast off 7:20, out of the channel and on the Neuse River 7:25.
Fog is lifting on the Neuse but no wind. We slowly move away from the shore, find some wind on the open water. Sails up!
Making 2.1 with wind on the stern. 8:05 doing 2.3, low clouds and blue skies above. 8:40 I can pick out Wilkinson Point in the distance. 9:00 better wind. Terns dive nearby on baitfish. Low grey clouds.
9:30 sight red marker "8" that marks the shoal at the point. I can see two ferries going back and forth across the river just around the point. Two small sailboats are sailing along the shore to the northwest. 9:55 round marker "8" and the shoal, the marker shows a favoring tide helping us on our way. Jibe and the wind is now on the starboard beam.
See a ferry in the docks loading vehicles. I call the ferry captain on channel 13, identify myself and ask how soon he'll be leaving the docks. He says about four minutes. The captain says I should be good on my course, continue on and if needed he'll go around my stern. It doesn't matter, I'm past the ferry channel by the time he leaves the dock.
10:05 making 4.8. 10:20 less wind, 3.2. 10:40 wind dies, 1.6. Motoring. 11:30 New Bern bridge in sight, still miles away. A light southwest breeze fills in, sailing again at 2.6. 12:20 doing 3.9 past a small boat regatta out on the river. 12:45 sailing in choppy water, making 3.5 to 4.2. I call one of the two marinas in New Bern, they are full for the night. I call the second marina, they are full too. Will have to anchor out.
I make the 2:00 bridge lift with just a couple minutes to spare. Spend 45 minutes trying to find a good anchorage. The first, Lawson Creek, is too exposed to the building wind, plus Navionics says there is a lot of debris that can foul anchors. I motor to south to a more protected shoreline but it is a trade off. Less wind and chop, more boat traffic headed up the Trent River. I explore near some docks on shore trying to find enough water up close to the piers. Anchor down 3:00.
I get wakes from passing boats all afternoon. The boat traffic and water both calm down in the evening.
22.56 NM
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