[Rhodes22-list] Outer Banks Adventure of 2005, or How to Gain 10 Years of Sailing Experience in Just 5 Days

[William E. Wickman]

Contrary to some of the postings, I did in fact survive my trip to the
Outer Banks, but not without bringing back a great story.  I had to leave
town the day after returning and was gone all last weekend.  Thus the
delay.  During my down time, I wrote out a travel log to remember the trip
by.  I'll post it in a series each day and try to attach some pictues.  So,
here goes the first...



Outer Banks Adventure of 2005, or How to Gain 10 Years of Sailing
Experience in Just 5 Days

They say that a ship is safe in harbor, but that is not what it is built
for.  My ship of choice, the Rhodes 22, proved itself to be a tough boat
that will handle anything that you can throw at it.  The crew, on the other
hand…

First, let me start by explaining the players in this trip.  Myself, I am
what I consider to be a moderately experienced sailor.  I have many years
of experience racing dinghies, from Hobie 16s in the Gulf Coast during my
youth, to Thistles on inland lakes most recently.  I have also chartered
larger boats a number of times in locations including the Florida Keys,
Galveston, and the San Juan Islands.  While I owned (still own) an old 20’
wooden catboat, I really spent more time working on it than sailing, so my
acquisition of a Rhodes 22 last year opened a whole new and exciting
chapter in my boating life.

My crew was my old high school & college buddy, the best man in my wedding,
and one with whom I have shared many high adventure trips; the most recent
being a week long backpacking trip through the Grand Tetons (complete with
a grizzly bear encounter, but that is a story for another time).  I’ll
refer to him as “Sailing Buddy”.  Sailing Buddy has day sailed with me a
couple of times, but doesn’t have any significant boating experience.  His
sole qualification for this trip was his characteristic for always being up
for adventure.  He just recently returned from a trip to Tibet where he
climbed to the base camp of Mt. Everest.




Attached is a photo of a chart of the area with our route plotted.  The
other attachment is a picture of Sailing Buddy during the first day on the
ICW.  Note the blue skies, not to be seen again.



(See attached file: 125_2539.JPG)(See attached file: Picture 001.jpg)
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