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

Sun May 15 12:36:53 EDT 2005

Great narrative!  All I'm able to do at the moment is work on the boat and
sail vicariously, so thanks for the trip!  I do agree that a stablized
sailboat with reefed sails is always more cormfortable than a nude one. (no
comments from Rummy on that one).  In twenty odd years of sailing Rhodes and
20 more in other small to medium sailboats I've found it is a huge
advantage......but then so is an attached rudder!
Chris G
Medford OR
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "William E. Wickman" <wewickman at duke-energy.com>
To: <rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org>
Sent: Wednesday, May 11, 2005 1:32 PM
Subject: [Rhodes22-list] Outer Banks Adventure --- Day 3 of 5


> 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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