[Rhodes22-list] Outer Banks Adventure --- Day 3 of 5

Wed May 11 16:52:01 EDT 2005

Thanks Bill, I can't wait for the next installment.  What happens with the 
wx?  Will you ever get out of Beaufort? Does Sailing Buddy have dramimine?  
I am not jokng, I spend about 50 dollars a year buying books about peoples 
sailing adventure - some I might add not as well writen.

Bob Weber

>From: "William E. Wickman" <wewickman at duke-energy.com>
>Reply-To: The Rhodes 22 mail list <rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org>
>To: rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org
>Subject: [Rhodes22-list] Outer Banks Adventure --- Day 3 of 5
>Date: Wed, 11 May 2005 15:32:02 -0500
>
>The saga continues...  Please note that there are a number of pictures at
>the bottom of the page.
>
>
>
>
>Day 3:  Turning Back
>
>As the sun came over the horizon we made a hasty exit from Cape Lookout and
>headed out for what would be a 10-12 hour trip up to Ocracoke via Ocracoke
>Inlet.  I have been told that this is a tricky inlet, but the wind, tide
>and waves were favorable so we thought we would go for it.  Worse case if
>the inlet looked too difficult, we would simply turn around and night sail
>back around Cape Lookout.  It was open ocean, and provided we didnâ€™t try 
>to
>cut the Cape too close, might actually be nice to night sail.  Can you say
>over ambitious?
>
>As soon as we rounded the point and headed into the ocean I could tell that
>the conditions were not quite like the previous afternoon.  Wave heights
>had increased just a bit to what I would say were 3-4 feet.  But they were
>long rollers and didnâ€™t present too much problem as we headed into them 
>on
>the long way around the shoals before heading north.  There was very little
>wind so we motored.
>
>Man, it is a long way around Cape Lookout and those buoys that mark the
>boundaries of the shoal area are far apart.  You cannot site from one to
>the next, but must dead reckon until each one comes into view.  After we
>got about Â¾ of the way out to the farthest buoy, we decided to make a cut
>across the point to save some time.  Visibility was good so we made the
>turn and kept a sharp lookout for the infamous breakers that can occur out
>here.  We did see some small ones, but they were a good distance in toward
>shore (but still waay out from the beach).  We continued on this point for
>well over an hour.
>
>Note to file:  You can cut the corner of Cape Lookout in a shoal draft boat
>in the right conditions, but be very careful to get way way out from the
>point.
>
>Maybe it was the overcast clouds that began rolling in from behind us;
>maybe it was the uncomfortable wave action coming from the rear quarter
>that rocked the boat in two directions in a sort of wallowing motion; maybe
>it was the green look that Sailing Buddy started to get.  I started getting
>an uneasy feeling about this leg of the trip; a feeling of bad karma.
>Further, I didnâ€™t like the trend of the latest weather forecasts.  While
>today was fine, the forecast now called for winds to build the following
>day, Saturday.  The offshore forecast called for 20-25kts with gusts over
>30; wave heights 6-8 feet building to 12 feet.  Definitely not something I
>wanted to be caught in if it came early and I was attempting to return to
>Cape Lookout after being turned back at Ocracoke Inlet.  Moreover, the
>forecast for Pamlico Sound called for 3-5 foot waves Saturday with winds
>out of the south at up to 20 kts.  It looked like we might be stuck in
>Ocracoke Saturday waiting for weather to abate.  Our weather window had
>closed on us.  I made the decision to turn around and head back to Beaufort
>after making it about 25% of the way to Ocracoke Inlet.  Sailing Buddy
>didnâ€™t argue.  He had just lifted his head from over the side of the
>gunnels after having thrown up for the third time.  Sailing Buddy said he
>was just hung over.  I think it was a clear case of seasickness.
>
>This was a disappointing moment for me because it took us out of our grand
>plan to see all three ports.  Sailing Buddy didnâ€™t care.  In fact, I put
>Sailing Buddy at the helm with his GPS in hand pointed directly to Beaufort
>Inlet [see picture below].  I knew he would get us back to port quicker
>than anyone else on the seven seas at this particular moment.
>
>I must admit that the change in direction made for a much more comfortable
>ride.  I shuddered at the thought of having to put up with the wave action
>that we had before turning around for another 8-10 hours.  I gained a new
>respect for those blue water transatlantic sailors that stay on the same
>course for days on end.
>
>My decision was rewarded shortly after turning around when we found
>ourselves completely surrounded by the largest pod of dolphins I had ever
>seen.  There must have been 30-40 of these magnificent creatures [see
>picture below].  We had been motoring to this point, but I immediately shut
>down our engine and raised sail.  Although we didnâ€™t move very fast under
>the light winds, I thought that the dolphins would be more likely to
>approach us while under sail.  A few curious ones ventured close enough for
>a peek at us, and for me to snap a few pictures.
>
>The sky began clearing again as we pulled into Beaufort Inlet around 1PM,
>and by the time we reached the harbor and anchored, the sun was shining and
>wind was blowing a gentle 8-10kts.  Short memory that I have, I began to
>wonder aloud if we had made a mistake by turning back.  Sailing Buddy
>quickly dispelled any misgivings.  [Some good pictures of Beaufort harbor
>below]
>
>The anchorage at Beaufort is very nice.  I carried a small light inflatable
>that is powered by two sets of oars.  We found this more than adequate to
>get to the dinghy dock and back.  The key is to anchor just across the
>channel from the dinghy dock or as close as possible.  Of course, location
>is less of an issue if you have a motor.  Beaufort is very boater friendly
>and provides a very nice dinghy dock on each end of the municipal marina.
>Dockage at the marina costs $1.75/ft, so anchoring out saved us around $40.
>Besides, the anchorage is much more quiet and private.  It also provided us
>with a special treat.
>
>Looking out from under the pop top at Carrot Island, the uninhabited island
>just across the channel from Beaufort, what to our amazed eyes did appear,
>but a beautiful young pony quietly grazing just a few yards away.  Carrot
>Island, as well as nearby Shackleford Banks, is home to a number of wild
>horses.
>
>Anchoring in Beaufort is unique in that if you want to feel like you are in
>a harbor, turn and face toward the town.  If you want to feel like you are
>way out in the wilds, turn and face toward Carrot Island.
>
>After a short rest, we jumped in our dinghy and rowed to shore for a look
>around town.  Beaufort is a quaint town that is just large enough to
>provide interesting shopping and restaurants, and just small enough to
>remain quaint.  The highlight was a trip to the maritime museum which was
>free!  Free is good.
>
>After doing the tourist thing, we ate dinner on the porch of a restaurant
>while overlooking the harbor in which I could see my Rhodes gently swinging
>on its anchor.  After dinner, we rowed the dinghy around the harbor a bit
>to look at the different boats.  As we approached one that looked
>particularly salty, the wind and current pulled us a bit to fast and we
>bumped the boat before we could correct our course.  Wouldnâ€™t you know 
>that
>there was someone inside that came scrambling up to see what had happened.
>I can only imagine what flashed through his mind when he heard the bump.
>Of course there was no damage as we were in a rubber boat, but if looks
>could kill.  I suggested to Sailing Buddy that we take a circuitous route
>back to our boat to conceal our location.  Thereâ€™s no telling, he might
>have been a pirate.
>
>Note to file:  Sailors donâ€™t like you bumping into their boats at anchor;
>even if you are in a rubber raft.
>
>As I drifted off to sleep, I was happy that we opted to anchor instead of
>pay for a slip.  It was quiet and peacful and much more private.  Now, if
>we could just get through the night without someone bumping into our
>boat...
>
>
>This is a picture of Sailing Buddy heading back to Beaufot:
>(See attached file: backtoBeaufort.jpg)
>
>
>A picture of dolphins off Cape Lookout:
>(See attached file: dolphinoffcape.jpg)
>
>
>
>The entrance to Beaufort Harbor:
>
>(See attached file: Beaufortharbor.jpg)
>
>
>Beaufort Harbor looking east and west:
>(See attached file: Beaufortharboreast.jpg)
>(See attached file: Beaufortharborwest.jpg)
>
>
>Wild horse:
>(See attached file: wildhorse.jpg)
>
>
>The Rhodes at anchor:
>(See attached file: Rhodesanchor1.jpg)
>(See attached file: Rhodesanchor2.jpg)
>
>
>
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