My friend in Ohio and I had planned to sail the Keys for 6 weeks this winter, but a surgery, 6 week recovery and a funeral delayed the trip to April 17th. A date we judged too late. So, he will be trailering his Compac Suncat to my house where we will start our voyage. As of now we are thinking of heading out of Oriental to Hubucken where we will spend the night on a creek off the Pamlico River. From there we will sail on to Washington. Once we're asked to leave we'll head to Bath. After they run us out, we head up the Alligator River and on to Elizabeth City. When they have enough of us, and if they hadn't called ahead, we'll try our luck in Kitty Hawk. By then we will surely need to sneak into Manteo under the cover of darkness. After ditching our disguises we'll need to hide in a less populated area like Ocracoke, the Outer Banks, Lookout Lighthouse, and Shackleford Banks. With luck we'll visit Fort Macon, where no doubt one of us will end up in a cell, Beaufort, and then up Adams Creek and home.
Without many places to seek refuge along the banks, our itinerary may change due to weather and time restraints, but so far this is the plan. I will try to post our progress, or lack of, for everyone to criticize and leave suggestions after we make those embarrassing mistakes.
If we stop in your town along our route, don't be put off by our rickety boats, lack of sailing prowess, strange dress, unshaven faces, or fermented breath. Buy us a beer and we'll consider you our friends. We may even allow you to photo us! What more could one ask for?
If you get as far west in Albemarle Sound as Yeopim Creek, give me a call. We just might have some dock space, hot shower, and vittles. About 3 miles up the crik from Albemarle Plantation marina.
Fred W
Very kind of you, I will indeed make contact if we're in the area. On Google Earth, the homes look quite large. Looks to be an upscale municipality. Are you sure you want "our kind" around? :P
Albemarle Plantation - east side of Yeopim Creek - is upscale. But the marina is run by very good folks, and the marina caters to everybody. Further north on the West Bank are those of us who couldn't afford the Plantation, who put all they have into having a decent (not spectacular) waterfront home. If you can sail your Sun Cat this far, we can help you out with a meal, water, shower, gas for an outboard, a place to tie up for the night.
Closer to the Sound where you are sailing is the Plantation marina at the mouth of the creek, as mentioned they cater to everybody. They have restaurant, transport into town, fuel dock, golf course, etc. Edenton, which you already know, also has a town dock, restaurants, water.
It depends on what you want. I'm assuming that participants on this forum are decent people in making my offer. I will likely be out of town during the Outer Banks 130 (middle of August).
Fred W
Stuart (ODay) Mariner
Yeopim Creek, Albemarle Sound, NC
Fred,
Didn't we meet at last years Florida 120?
No. The only group cruises I've done to date are twice with the Mariner Class Association on the Connecticut side of Long Island Sound.
The OBX 130 is a challenge for me to have to be able to sail up to 5 days and nights without resupply. I'm not as young as I used to be. The Mariner Rendezvous tie up at a dock with bathrooms and showers every night, and is only 3 days long (plus a full day of trailering each way plus a day to set up and prepare to launch).
Fred W