A long night. Began peaceful and calm, then very strong south winds, rain and the more wind. Bouncy and uncomfortable on the gut.
Take my time in the morning. Break down the sleeping gear and boom tent. Wait for Farm Boys to open to get a breakfast sandwich and iced tea.
Cast off 9:50 under grey skies. Round up to replace my SPOT batteries. Meant to do that before casting off. Tack west on Pantego Creek by the old mill. Making 4.9 in good wind over the calm water. 11:20 turn back toward the breakwater and the Pungo River.
12:00 tacking in the mouth of Pungo Creek, 4.0, dark and grey. A dreary day. 12:30 turn back to the Pungo River.
1:00 making 4.3 to the southeast across the wide river. 1:30 choppy and getting some spray on board. Doing 5.1 with some blue skies to the west. Brightens my day.
1:40 looking for the entrance to Slade Creek. Appears to be a marsh and a solid tree line to the southeast, but know the creek entrance is there somewhere. Use the crab pot floats as depth finders, GPS shows shallows to either side. 1:40 calmer water in the lee of Sandy Point, less wind and making 4.0.
The creek finally reveals the entrance to port. In the creek 1:50, sailing downwind. Follow the gentle curve of the creek as it bends to the northeast, rounds a point and then back to the southeast. Anchor down 2:20, surrounded by water, marsh and trees. Beautiful. Skies clear in the afternoon and begins to get hot. Relax in the shade of the boom tent.
14.04 NM
4 comments:
Steve, my work takes me near the Pax River area - tornado warnings last night (July 1) and winds that made me wonder what I would do if I were you! The windage with my tent up is too much in those conditions. I was thinking I might have had to take the tent down and sit on it in the bow and take the pelting. Hoping the weather is kind to you. RobK
You anchored in one of my favorite spots! And rarely see anyone go past where the creek turns SE. Also, Gingerbread Bakery in Belhaven does a better breakfast than Farm Boys in my opinion.
I was anchored at Tangier Island when a front rolled through. My friend Barry, who understands all the wx data sites, said sustained gusts were at 50 mph, and the wind gauges quit working as gusts reached 70 mph. My boom tent did fine. I don't think there is much that can be done with tornadoes or lightning. For that I trust my statistician friends who say that I am unlikely to have to deal with either.
Love Slade Creek!
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