[Rhodes22-list] Outer Banks Adventure --- Day 3 of 5
Mark Kaynor
mkaynor at gmail.com
Wed May 11 21:39:35 EDT 2005
Bill,
And hopefully you'll get plenty of those. Great story and pics. Thanks for sharing.
Mark Kaynor
-----Original Message-----
From: rhodes22-list-bounces at rhodes22.org [mailto:rhodes22-list-bounces at rhodes22.org] On Behalf Of William E. Wickman
Sent: Wednesday, May 11, 2005 5:11 PM
To: The Rhodes 22 mail list
Subject: RE: [Rhodes22-list] Outer Banks Adventure --- Day 3 of 5
Thank you very much. The only payment that I will get is compliments.
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| | "Bob Weber" |
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| Subject: RE: [Rhodes22-list] Outer Banks Adventure --- Day 3 of 5 |
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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 didn’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 didn’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 ¾ 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 didn’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
>didn’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 didn’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 didn’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. Wouldn’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. There’s no telling,
>he might have been a pirate.
>
>Note to file: Sailors don’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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