Gone Sailing!

Pulled out of Edenton on Thursday morning bright and early.....well early anyway! Ran hard all day long and ended the day at Slade Creek southeast of Belhaven. Alas I had to motor the whole way as there just wasn't any wind. For a change the Albemarle Sound was almost devoid of crab pots....I only saw a few thousand and almost got to run a straight course....well at least not a completely random zig zag as evertime before.



Friday I pulled into Clubfoot Creek just after One O'Clock having weighed anchor at half past Five in the morning. The Sun Rise was one of the best I have ever seen! The Sun was filtered by some morning mist and low cloud that allowed for looking directly at the perfect Orb glowing brightly in gold and flame orange as it rose above the grayish hued tree line and the molten lead colored water. Definitely makes one glad to be alive! Frady elected to stay in bed thus missed such a glorious start of a new day.



Young Shannon came aboard that afternoon and went out for a bit of sailing despite the weather being a bit wet looking. We no sooner got all the sails up....first time for Shannon....than the weather took a very bad turn for the worse. We managed to get the sails down without any major disaster but were definitely way late in doing so. Shannon turned to and did a very good job of securing the mizzen sail by herself and the main sail after I had lowered it. I needed to be on the helm as the winds picked up to forty knots as the rain poured down. She was jumping up and down hooting and hollering having the time of her life.....me I was just shivering in me sea boots wishing I was at anchor in the creek with a cold beer in my hand.



In time the blow moved through and we headed back to the creek for our dinner. Jeff and his girlfriend stopped by for a drink after the rain stopped. I am pleased Jeff has found such a lovely young lady and they both seem to be very happy together. As Jeff works a one month on and one month off schedule on the oil rigs in Brazil.....I very nicely offered to stop in on his girlfriend just to make sure she did not get bored or lonely. Jeff politely refused my kind offer!



Harold Pope sold his boat to a fellow that I ran into here at Edenton.....guess Harold will be buying a Trawler now....as he thought his sailboat too slow in travelling to the Bahamas. He will probably do the same with the trawler and then buy a Sport Fisher and really roar down to the islands.



Buck and Vickie of the Victoria Gayle were down and had two of their dogs along.



Wayne and Wezzie showed up in Sunday from their trip to Cape Lookout aboard Sea Prompt.



The Porpoises were in the creek by the droves....several pods swam under the boat and gave us a good show. Shannon grabbbed her surf board and went paddling after them. Later we rigged up a tow rope for the Dink and I towed her all over the creek while she stood on her surf board. She took a couple of really good face plants in the process but finally did really well.



After Shannon departed Sunday Afternoon, I departed Clubfoot Creek and anchored out at Green Mark 23 just north of the Bay River south of Hobucken. The anchorage was a nice place and had a good view. Early Monday I was again underway and ran the ICW north through the Alligator River Canal and ended the day at north end of the canal just south of Swan Creek in nine feet of water. The wind picked up for the last few miles and would have made for perfect sailing had I not needed to anchor for the night.



So....here I sit in the Alligator River....hitting the internet by means of my Blackberry....ain't technology great!