You can monitor my trip at the link: Second Winds Progress Live
Today was a traveling
day. We were originally planning on
spending one more night in Beaufort, however, the schedule indicates that we would
have a relatively short day on Sunday then a long day on Monday. The other small boat, the schedule indicates
that we will have a relatively short day on Sunday then a long day on
Monday. The other small boat, Sweet Pea, and I don’t do long days well
especially if we have some sort of difficulty along the way. The Sweet Pea travels at about 4.2 knots and
I average around 5 knots. The Monday
trip is slated to be over 50 miles meaning that we would need to leave before
sunup and possibly head into an anchorage or marina after dark.
So Sam, the Pea’s skipper had found a good anchorage
in about the middle of the 50 mile trek. We decided to head for the village of
Swansboro today then on Sunday, head to an anchorage called Mile Hammock Bay Anchorage
and finally to Wrightsville Beach Marina of Tuesday. Our group leader is a bit uneasy about our
doing this because he has scheduled a big shindig in Swansboro for Sunday
night. We decided that it was more
important to make three short travel days than a short one and a long one.
Sam and Phil rolled out
at about 7:00 and I followed at about 9:00.
We are finally traveling in areas that have significant tidal current so
the effect on our SOG, speed over ground, is very noticeable. At one point the tide was pushing me along at
about 6.7 knots when I passed an ocean inlet and got the tide on the nose. My speed dropped to around 4 knots.
As I approached the
town of Swansboro, a came upon a bridge, the waters on either side of which
were jammed packed with, I would estimate, fifty fishing boats. Most were anchored and the rest were weaving
in and out at high speeds causing the water to boil like a cauldron. It was amazing. These guys had no qualms about passing within
15 feet of my boat wide open. Even in
the passage under the bridge where huge “No Wake” signs were posted, the folks
would roar through shaking the bejeebies out of me.
At about that time, I
noticed that I had a text from Sam and Phil telling me that they were going to
bypass Swansboro and head straight for Mile Hammock Bay. The current in the anchorage at Swansboro
was quite strong not the best for holding a small boat. Our guide book indicated that the currents
there could reach to over 2 knots so I slogged on. Mile Hammock was only about 13 miles further
down the way.
About 6 miles from
Swansboro, I entered into the Camp Lejeune compound. The camp is situated on both sides of the
ICW. The first indication that you have
entered their zone is a huge sign warning of possible live fire across the
waterway. There were large lights that
flash when the waterway is closed. There
are also numerous signs warning that the grounds had unexploded ammunition and
the keep off. Most of what we saw was a small
complex of buildings and a lot of swamp land.
I had not seen Sweet Pea since I left Beaufort but near
Camp Lejeune, I heard a woman talking to Towboat US about needing a tow off of
a grounding. I came upon Sam and Phil firmly stuck on the side of the
waterway. The towboat arrived at that
time and I hung around until he had pulled them off. They were stuck so firmly that I doubt that I
could have helped had I arrived earlier.
Also, further down the
Way, we came upon a place that the folks transiting before us had warned that
it was badly shoaled and provided advice on how to pass. Since I draw less water, I slowed down and
led Sweet Pea through without
incident. I radioed depths to them as I
passed through and the shallowest that I found was 8 feet of water.
We pulled into Mile
Hammock Bay at about 5:30, dropped anchor.
I fixed beef tips and noodles and GREEN BEANS. After dinner, I motored over, picked up Sam
and Phil in the Damn Dink Too and
brought them to my boat where we enjoyed a glass of wine while we prepared a
spice blob cake. I took them back to
their boat in time for me to make my 9:00 bedtime.
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