[Rhodes22-list] Outer Banks Adventure --- Day 3 of 5
William E. Wickman
wewickman at duke-energy.com
Wed May 11 18:11:26 EDT 2005
Thank you very much. The only payment that I will get is compliments.
|---------+---------------------------------->
| | "Bob Weber" |
| | <ruba1811 at hotmail.com> |
| | Sent by: |
| | rhodes22-list-bounces at r|
| | hodes22.org |
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| | 05/11/2005 04:52 PM |
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| To: rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org |
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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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