This morning I received a nice note from friend Harris. He forwarded a YouTube video and said that must be me in Elizabeth City. He was correct.
A few days before Christmas I took SPARTINA down to Elizabeth City for a test sail. I had replaced the main and jib halyards and wanted to sail with the new lines before the (now-canceled) winter sail down south. I really did not need to do a test sail but it was a good excuse for a sail on a favorite river. The crew of ARRABELLA must have been tied up at the free slips on the waterfront docks and included SPARTINA in a video about their passage down the Dismal Swamp Canal.
I do not know much ARABELLA. She appears to have been recently built by four friends and now they are taking her south. They have a YouTube channel that documents the build and their journey. I will bookmark their page and follow along. ARABELLA is a beautiful boat. And the journey is a mixture of old and new. The "old" being a traditionally built double-ended ketch, the "new" being a journey supported by YouTube videos and online donations. Interesting.
As for the canceled sail down in South Carolina, I am glad I did cancel it. Surprising cold weather has persisted for over a week, and will continue for almost another week. I can sleep comfortably on SPARTINA at 40 degrees, and have done one night at 34 degrees. But 10 or 12 days in a row at just above and below 30 degrees. It doesn't sound like fun, and it doesn't sound safe.
Next cruise: the sounds of North Carolina in May
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