day eleven - the stowaway

 

Under power at 6:25, headed north on Turnagain Bay.  Calm clear morning, light east wind that I hope will fill in. 

Forecast has changed to show rain arriving midday, with heavy rains tomorrow.  I look south down Turnagain Bay and see Dave's Capri still anchored there.

7:15 leaving the Bay as wind fills in.  Out on the Neuse River put on the dry suit as rain is not too far away.  Heading for Oriental.  Sailing downwind at 3.4.  8 a.m. decide to head towards the South River, just across the Neuse from Oriental.  Glance back and see a sail.  Grab the binoculars, I keep them in the starboard quarter of the boat next to the boomkin and under the after deck where they would stay out of the rain.  With the glass I can see it is Dave leaving Turnagain Bay.  Put the binoculars back in place.

8:10 distant thunder in the dark clouds to the southwest.  8:15, approaching the entrance to the South River, more thunder.  I take a short cut and cut across the shoal inside of green marker "1" and head directly towards red marker "2".  8:45 at red "2" and on the South River.  Calm water and wind has swung to the southeast, making long steady tacks across the river. Dark clouds and thunder seem to have moved on.  Easy sailing and I get out the blue tooth speaker, which is kept in the starboard quarter right next to the binoculars, so I can enjoy some music. 

10:40 light sprinkling rain.  I don't want to get the speaker wet, so I go to stow it away.  Lifting the binoculars to make room, I see a round reddish shape.  First thought - a coiled red line.  Second thought - Is that my rusted camera bracket?  Third thought - snake!  I am surprised to find it there, and a little shocked to realize I had been moving the binoculars and speaker without noticing it earlier.

Poisonous or not?  I have two friends who found snakes on their boats, both times they were Northern Water snakes, easily recognizable with their dark bands.  This one is reddish, maybe even a little coppery colored.  Copperhead?  

I try to look at the snake's head to see if has that "V" for venomous-shaped head. Leaning in closer for a look, the snake tucks its head into its coil.  Slowly, the snake's head emerges, probably just as curious about me as I am about it.

I conclude that it is probably not a Copperhead, probably not venomous.   I clear aways the electronics box in the stern and the oar inside the starboard side of the boat.  If I am going to mess with it, I don't want it to have anywhere to hide.   Even non-venomous snakes can bite, so I am glad to have the layered protection of my dry suit, and I slip on a pair of insulated rubber gloves.  

Reaching in with the boat hook,  the snake slithers to my left.  I cut it off with the hook, it jumps back to my right.  Then left again.  Then the snake seems to turn a bright red and makes a final dash to my right.  I get the hook under the snake and flip it up in the air, maybe 10 or 12 feet high, and sail out from under it.  Final sighting was the snake's head popping up out of the river.

A couple more tacks and we're are off of South Creek.  Sails down 11:30, motoring up to a little notch in the creek, anchoring and reanchoring a couple of times in the tree-lined cove to make sure I have good protection from the forecast winds.  Anchor down finally down at 11:50 as rain begins to fall.

Hot tea, lunch and a nap.  Rain comes and goes.  I use the photograph information button on my phone to learn that the stowaway was a Corn Snake, Pantherophis guttatas, a snake that kills small prey by constriction.  Often confused with a copperhead.  I will always wonder, and never know, how long it had been on the boat.

As a reward for having successfully dealt with the serpent, wine is added to the dinner menu.

17.45 NM