day fifteen - Dipping Vat Creek, storms all around

I take my time breaking down the boom tent, removing the sail covers and carrying my duffel and electronics box down to SPARTINA.  No rush to leave.  A muffin and iced tea at The Bean as I sit with Keith from TownDock and my friend Jimmy.  Jimmy and I worked together in a small town in Texas 40 years ago.  What are the odds we would be sitting together this many years later at The Bean?  

I grab a large iced tea to go, cast off 7:50, waving to friends on the PRINSES MIA and the neighboring boat PLANET WAVES.  Full sail in the harbor at 8:00, making as easy 1.3 on the Neuse at 8:05.  

It's a slow drift on waves rolling out of the south.  Then more wind, making 3.1 at 9:05.  The sail covers will be tucked away in a duffel for a few days, so I spread them out to dry off the morning dew.  

10:10 Piney Point Shoal marker in the distance.  Less wind and humid, motorsailing.  11:00 over the shoal, round up to refuel the outboard.  Wind!  

Sailing at 2.1, wing and wing, white beaches of Swan Creek to port.  2.4 then 3.3 with better wind.

Noon crossing of Maw Point Shoal.  Wind swings to northeast, 3.3.  12:25 thunder in the distance.  Turn to the Bay River.  I get an alert on my phone for a severe thunderstorm watch.  Lightning to the south, skies getting darker.   Time to look for some shelter.  It's a few miles if I round Davis Island Point to get into the Bonner River.  Somewhere in the back of my mind a recall a narrow cut I took years ago than might get me into protected water sooner.

I check Navionics and find Dipping Vat Creek.  It's just a few hundred yards away.   1:00 drop the sails and motor in that direction.   

My only concern is a draw-bridge style foot bridge over the creek.  Years ago it was there, but in a raised position.  Motoring into the creek I see I have no worries.   A past storm must have taken out the bridge.

1:30 anchor down in Long Creek, boom tent up and rain begins to fall.  I wait for the storms but the seem to pass to the east and the west.  

Late afternoon is calm and incredibly pleasant.  Eating dinner I watch storms erupting in the distance.

Thunder in the evening.  Later I wake to lightning.  Once again, it is in the distance.  I go back to sleep.

17.43 NM