Hard aground

 Hi folks,

Today was a long day. I knocked off quite a few miles and was quite pleased with myself for negotiating the shoal prone Bogue Sound without touching the bottom. Alas, I pulled into the Mile Hammock anchorage in Camp Lejuene and found it to be quite full. Nosing around the perimeter I managed to run gently aground. And the tide was falling. I quickly ran a kedge anchor out in the dinghy, and led the rode back to my primary winch in the cockpit. I did manage to get the boat turned around, but she wouldn't move forward. Finally, I said the heck with it and made dinner. The next high tide is at 0400, so I'll get up around 3:30 and pull her forward about 10 feet. This place is totally protected, with no current and no wakes so it is not a big deal. Other than to my ego..... She will be heeled over at low tide, but it will be pitch dark then so minimal embarrassment!

And its gonna be cold! A freeze warning has been issued for the area. Time to get out the long johns, hat, mittens, etc.

All the best. Charlie

Short day

 Hi folks, 

Spent 2 nights at the town docks of Oriental. Enjoyed meeting Keith Smith who is a good friend of Emily Greenberg. He treated me to a cruise up the local creeks on his delightful, shallow draft powerboat. Simply sublime.

I just went a very short distance today, across the Neuse River to Adams Creek. Not real crazy about anchoring in Beaufort and there was a stiff breeze today with a front passing thru tonite. If any of you happen to see my wife Meg, ask her about the storm we survived a few years back while at anchor in Beaufort. I'll get underway in the morning and skip Beaufort entirely. I am in a decent spot for the frontal passage later. Three boats anchored here and widely separated.

Cheers, Charlie

Brevity

My new watchword. When my scribblings disappear into the ether I won't cry as much.

Presently at the free town dock in Oriental. Tied up next to a massive shrimper. Very little wind. Regatta day here on the Neuse River and it looks dreadful out there. Sails hanging limp. Water like glass. 

Will report further if this posts successfully.

Best, Charlie

Digital failure

 Spent a ton of time on update only to have it disappear. I am at the River Rats Yacht Club off the Pungo River.

Best, Charlie

Elizabeth City

 I have been hanging out with Emily here in Elizabeth City for 5 nights. Two nights at the Mid Atlantic Christian University, and now 3 nights at the city docks, all free. Folks at the University are just delightful, and encourage cruisers to tie up for up to 48 hours. Cathy, from the administration, loaned us her car to procure groceries. And they told Emily she could stay longer given her limited engine options. The protection there from the weather is very good. Emily is going to wait for a weather window to sail around by Manteo on Roanoke Island, whereas I will utilize the engine to transit the ICW with its several manmade cuts. She tried to talk me into taking her route, but I am reluctanr to get way out on the Outer Banks while hurricane season is still in its prime. Plus, I cant fit under the bridge to Roanoke and would have to go further out. Not now. Maybe in the spring. Anyways, I will leave in the morning and head for the Alligator River. Will be out of touch for 2 days as there is a whole lot of nothing with no cell service for probably 80 or 90 miles. There are 3 other boats headed the same way in the morning. But I will miss Emily. She has been a ton of fun to travel with. We are hoping to meet up in Oriental. She really wants me to meet Keith, the guy she will be writing for. She will be staying in Oriental for a while. It will be interesting to see who gets there first.

All the best, Charlie

The Horror at South Mills Lock

 Hi everyone,

Apologies for the scary title! We are fine! Furthermore, the sun is out for the first time in a week. Emily and I are tied up at the Mid Atlantic Christian University in Elizabeth City. They have a free dock and are super welcoming.

Yesterday morning we bade adieu to the visitors center and continued on our southerly trek. I was delighted to see the absence of duckweed, which should have triggered alarm bells. It was only 4 miles to an opening bridge, which works in conjunction with the lock. We raised the operator on the radio and he warned us of a massive buildup of duckweed at the lock. He said it would take some real work to get thru. Well, I certainly had no intention of turning around. The bridge was easy, and we began motoring the quarter mile to the lock. As we got closer , we could see what the problem was. There was a literal wall, a sort of miasma, that had backed up in the lock entrance. It was a stinking, fetid mass, of duckweed, pine needles, branches, and trash. We hit it at a good clip and came to a complete stop, about 75 feet from the lock entrance. Cooling water for the engine stopped completely, so I shut it down. The green mass was about 2 feet thick. The strong north winds of the previous week had blown everything to this choke point.

Getting in the dinghy, I managed , with considerable difficulty, to get ashore with a long anchor line. Pulling hard, I managed to pull the 2 boats about 10 feet thru the mire. The lockkeeper used the motorised gate to pull Emily's boat another 10 feet. I then ran the line to a bollard in the lock chamber and was able to eventually pull her in. I then made my way back to my boat, and led the anchor line to my cockpit winch. Eventually, I was able to muscle my boat into the lock. The water was then lowered and the other gates opened. But we were still encumbered by the slime. And everything was covered with this disgusting, stinky duckweed. We somehow managed to extricate oursselves from the lock, and make our way to the clear water below. The rest of the way was uneventful, and really quite scenic. The locking process took 2 hours of hard work, and then it was another 2 hours to clean up the unbelievable mess on the decks when we arrived at Elizabeth City. You just never know what might happen when traveling by boat. In 60 years of boating, that was a first!

Cheers, Charlie

New storm

 Hi everyone,

Here we go again! Yep, a gale warning is in effect for later tonight and tomorrow. In retrospect we could have been on the move today but decided to stay here at the welcome center dock. No big deal. Nice place, fun people, and protected. Emily and I made friends with Phil Reed, who travels on small boats up and down the coast. He is currently on a Sanibel 18. Great guy. Emily interviewed him for a story. He will hunker down and stay here tomorrow also.

Cheers, Charlie