Finally Going Cruising

[Wolverine]

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? 

[pgandw]

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

[Wolverine]

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?     

[pgandw]

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

[Wolverine]

Fred,
Didn't we meet at last years Florida 120?

[pgandw]

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

[Wolverine]

We left Oriental last Friday with little  to no wind for the 1st coupke miles. Then it picked up to 18mph out of the south. We were on the north side of the Neuse and battling 3 footers until a line snapped on Chris's Suncat. We headed up Broad Creek for a repair and then back out into the washing machine. After 10 minutes we called it quits and returned to Broad Creek where we found a secluded cove for the night. After only sailing 11 miles day 1, we went 36 on day 2. We started out under the same rough conditions, but once we headed up the Bay River, the water calmed down a bit. We were able to sail up the Pamlico River canal and headed west, dropping anchor just east of the Aurora ferry terminal. Easter Sunday we sailed into Bath and tied up at the free docks where we met Dave from Charlotte sailing his Catalina Capri 18 with no planned route or destination.

To be continued...

[Wolverine]

After a full day and night taking in all that Bath has to offer, we ate and drank at Blackbeards Tavern, we departed for Washington. Tying up at the free docks we were greated by a gentleman in golf cart who had us fill out some paper work before giving us the code for the free showers. That evening i enjoyed a ribeye at "Ribeyes" and maybe 1 too many painkillers. My stove had caught on fire and needed replacing so the mext morning we used the free bicycles to ride to Walmart and West Marine. On our 2nd trip we filled our outboard tanks and rode around town. 

[Wolverine]

Day 5 we left the docks early only to find the swing bridge closed. I could hear a train in the distance so we waited. The return sail to Bath was enjoyable and we found another DavCTe at the docks to help us tie up. This Dave was sailing a 23' gaff rigged cutter. He too had no specific destination. In the morning we saw Dave off and he quickly put a lot of water between us. We tried sailing, but what wind there was, was on our nose so we motored until the picked up. Temporarily. Several times the wind picked up only to drop again so we motored down the Pamlico River until turning north into the Pungo where the wind obliged to push us all the way to Dowery Creek Marina where we enjoyed hot showers, a fish & chips dinner and an amazing raspberry whiskey drink. Or 2. Yea, it was 2.
Day 7 we traversed the Pungo/Alligator canal. That was a lot of motoring. Once we made the Alligator River, we bTtled another broad reach to the bridge and then to the Abermarle Sound. The southwest winds piled on the waves and we decided not to try crossing the sound, so we started west where the sound is narrower. After 2 hours beating into the chop, we decided to turn back and spend the night on the Little Alligator River. This went well for Chris, but my outboard failed again so was sailing into 3' waves. After 2 hours of not making headway, i tried the o/b and it fired up. I was smartlyoving along when a large trawler's wake, combined with the wind and waves, tossed the stern out of the water. Slamming down, I was thrown into the companionway and the o/b made a horrible spound before stopping. Now the wind was pushinge into the log infeated shallows. I fought this for another 6 hours before finally finding a little shelter. Chris saw what was happening and pulled anchor and in the dark he towed me to shelter behind Big Island. A massive storm was heading our way and lighting was visible in the distance. Some how it went north and south of us, leaving us wind battered, but dry. Windfinder indicated strong north winds arriving at 1am, so about then i choae to pull anchor and sail around to the south side of the island. Water was about 5 1/2' deep very close to shore, but tree debris is everywhere and I didnt want a fouled anchor so I kept a distance. The rest of the night was great. A 55° breeze blew through the cabin and the rocking was minimal.

[Wolverine]

Day 10. Somewhere I lost time. Most days we dont have cell service so keeping in touch with family is difficult. This morning I have 2 bars. There is a small craft warning on the Alligator River this morning, but the winds are to lessen to 9mph out of the north this afternoon. This will allow us a down wind run to the canal where we'll tuck in and inspect my o/b. For now, I'm boiling water for dishes and laundry.

note: the 4-12lb blocks of ice i made are still keeping everything cold after 10 days.

You cannot view this attachment.

[Wolverine]

I failed to mention, this morning we decided to abandon our plans to visit Elizabeth City. Looking at the weather/winds, it would be a rough crossing for 2 old geezers, and we have already been brutalized by the wind and seas. (I have cuts, scrapes, and bruises to prove it)

[pgandw]

Spring is typically pretty brutal for small boats in Albemarle Sound, as I learned during last year's trip to Edenton.  But the GPS peaked at 9.2kts with a reefed main, so I was pretty happy with that.  Coming back was 8hrs of beating to windward in 15-20 out of the east.  We seem to get a front at least once, and sometimes twice, with associated small craft advisories as the front seeks out offshore of Cape Hatteras - where all strong fronts go to die.

Fred W
Stuart (ODay) Mariner 19 #4133  Sweet P

[Wolverine]

Sunday we made our down wind run from Big Island on the Little Alligator River to just outside of the Pungo/Alligator Canal. This morning we attempted to sail down the canal, but after 9o minutes of ghosting along, we gave in and started the outboards. I may have fixed my fuel delivery problem as the o/b ran fine all the way south through the canal. After exiting the canal we rafted up, ate lunch, and sailed to Dowery Creek Marina where we met some sailors out of New Bern. A shower, a tender and juicey steak, and Im ready for bed.

Edit: several north bound sailboats gave us the thumbs up and took photos. 2 Canadian boats almost lost their skippers as they hung outside their enclosed cockpits to cheer us on.
I should mention when we decided to motor, my thumb got caught in the motor mount. When i was hit by a large wave on the Albemarle, both springs pooped off. As i tried to lift the o/b to release my thumb, the end boom main sheet caught my head, steering the boat straight to the many dead falls along the canal. My thumb is now a combination of green, purple, black, and blue.

[Ziradog]

It was good to meet you fellows at Bath.  I was concerned about the weather but looks like you handled it well.  I spent that Thursday ghosting down the Pamlico River, finally gave up & motored into South Creek for a quiet night.  Hope to cross paths with you again some time.  Oh, and my boat is a cutter but not gaff rigged.

[Wolverine]

We got blasted on the Albemarle Sound. All the way home south we had SSW winds. I dont think I've ever tacked so many times on one trip. Outboard quit so we headed into Belhaven. A representative from the Chamber of Commerce stop at the free docks with a bag of information. Then she drove is to a marina that tried hard to find a new carberator and even lent us a golf cart, but we torn the carb down ourselves and the o/b ran great afterwards. After 14 days out we made back to my dock this afternoon about 2pm. We had planned to return to my house, wash our laundry, resupply, and head to Lookout Lighthouse, buy my companion decided to call it quits and head back to Ohio tomorrow.

I'll remember 3 things from this trip.
Lots of tacking
Way too much motoring
Beam reaches