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

Thu Feb 5 21:11:50 EST 2009

Bob Weber wrote:
>
> 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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>
>
> __________________________________________________
> Use Rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org, Help? www.rhodes22.org/list
I was just looking at some old emails and came across this one
My favorite book is "Sailing the Dream" by John  F. McGrady.  Bluewater 
sailing from your easy chair. I just read it again. I think it is one of 
the better written adventure books.

It was first published on the internet. Then it was printed.  It is a 
good read

Rod Ellner

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