Wrightsville Beach

October 27, 2013
34 12.315 N
77 48.041 W

I must have messed up setting the alarm clock with the result that Deidre and I overslept and missed the ETD target by 15 minutes. Fortunately Jon had sent us an "We are ready" text that woke us up. We raced around to boat to get ready and get the anchor up, and were underway about 20 minutes late.

We had slept OK even though the wind seemed to be pretty brisk during the night and we could hear the anchor chain working. The forecast indicated 10-15 kts in te AM decreasing during the day. As we rounded the point out of the anchorage and into the Atlantic we ran into the results of the windy night. The seas were quite rough with some six footers mixed in to the chop. Because we had rushed our departure, and did not anticipate these conditions, we had not really prepared properly and things started to "fly" around. We took turns running around securing the boat. This time only the table and plants on the aft dock took a dive. We left them where they landed, dirt and all.

Contrary to the forecast the wind was blowing 15-20 and was more West than North and basically on our bow. We were pitching a lot and taking a lot of spray. Talked to Jon and Bonnie over the radio about bailing out but decided that the forecast seemed consistent and that conditions would probably improve as we got away from the Cape and the tide.

We had noticed a fair bit of naval chat on the radio yesterday, and it continued today. There seemed to be a flotilla of ships in the area including an aircraft carrier. We had seen a few shapes on the horizon and as the day progressed a couple of them appeared near our path.

The wind started to drop mid morning and by Noon conditions were much better. The wind continued to drop all afternoon and by the time we reached the Masonboro channel the ocean was basically a millpond. Masonboro is not a first class entrance (ie not a ship channel) but it has a god reputation and we saw 20' all the way in. The Wrightsville Beach anchorage is about a mile north and we were anchored before 6 PM. It was perfectlty calm and we enjoyed a very peaceful night.

Busy anchorage

We now feel that we have made it from "the north" to "the south". Virginia style colonial houses on embankments are now replaced by southern style ranches built on stilts. Marsh replaces Cyprus swamp. In theory we are now only 3 boat days from Charleston.