29 June 2011- Sailing Trip to Cape Lookout Bight

29 June 2011- Sailing Trip to Cape Lookout Bight

The weather forecast wasn't favorable for cruising to Cape Lookout Bight.
First the air was smokey due to the forest fire at the Holly Shelter Game Land in Pender County. The wind has been blowing out of the Southwest for the last two weeks. Also they were calling for severe weather for the Beaufort area in evening. Our plan was to anchor in Beaufort for the night and continue to Cape Lookout on the out going tide, but with severe thunderstorms we decide stay in Oriental.

30 June 2011

We departed Whittaker Creek at 0800. We checked tide charts and high tide for Beaufort was at 0715 and low tide at 1310. We expected an out going tide to Beaufort. It usually takes approximately 4 hours to cruise the ICW to Beaufort at 30,000 RPM, but with an out going tide we were able to make 6.3. In the entrance to Beaufort Inlet we were making 7.4 knots (awesome). We arrived to Cape Lookout Bight 1335. Low tide at Cape Lookout Bight was 1238. We anchored at 34 degree 37.085 N, 76 degree 32.985W.

Once we dropped our anchor, it was time for lunch. On the way to Beaufort, we heard a "Security Message" from the Coast Guard stating that the RailRoad Bridge in the Main Channel was closed until 1600. So we decided to try an alternate route. At the Channel Marker 35 junction buoy, we bore left and headed into Beaufort from Town Creek. On chart 11545 parts of that channel are labeled as 5 feet. Our draft 4.5 feet and because it was still high tide in the Newport River, we decided to take the chance. The shallow area was at 10 feet, so there weren't any issues. We arrived at the draw bridge before it opened at 1130. The Bascule Bridge opens every half hour on the hour (good timing on our part).

It was a beautiful day at the bight. The winds were from the Northeast at 10 knots and the air and water temperature was in the 80's. You felt like you were in the Caribbean. There were only 5 boats anchored and in the evening we had a special guest.
The Coast Guard Cutter Shearwater (WPB 87349) anchored in the bight for the night. The USCGC Shearwater homeport is Portsmouth, VA. Also, we saw several dolphins in bight and two sea turtles.

1 July 2011

We got up early and saw an awesome sunrise. After breakfast, we kayaked to the beach and walked to the ocean side of the barrier island. We saw a stingray and sea turtle enjoying a morning swim. We gathered some shells and started kayaking. We were able to get the turtles to swim between the two kayaks. Michele didn't feel like kayaking to the lighthouse, which is open Thursday to Saturday during the summer. The weather forecast for Saturday was hot and humid with no air (breeze). We decided put up anchor and do some sailing. There was a light breeze from the Northeast, but in the afternoon it was changing to the Southeast (onshore breeze at 10 knots). We sailed adjacent to Shackleford Banks hope to see those wild horses. Unfortunately, we did not see any.

We enjoyed the nice sail back toward the Beaufort Inlet. Because it was around 1400, we decided to cruise to Oriental.
That was a mistake. We fought the current all the way back to Pamlico Sound. On the way to Cape Lookout we were
making 7.4 knots in the channel. On the way back only 3.8 knots. In the Newport River only 5.5 knots. In the ICW only 5.8 knots. Once we exited Adam Creek, we started getting back to 6 knots. It was long cruise back, but we enjoyed our adventure.

26 - 27 April 2014

It was the last weekend in April 2014.  It's been a cool spring.  During Easter week, there was freeze warning in the Raleigh, NC.   This weekend was promising, the forecast was calling for highs in the upper 70 and clear skies, NW winds 15-20 knots in the AM, changing to the NE  5-10 knots in the afternoon, and changing to SE 15-20 in the evening.  Because of the Tornado and severe weather on Friday,  I departed early Saturday morning for the boat.  The nation's first EF-3 tornado touch down in Beaufort County Friday afternoon.  You can see the Weather Channel ,  or NOAA .   On Saturday, the U.S. Coast Guard had Security broadcast notice to mariners for the Pamilco River, Pungo River, and Alligator River to Elizabeth City, because of the rash of severe storms with high winds, hail, and several other tornadoes in North Carolina and Virginia.

When I arrived in Oriental, the winds were from NW 15-20 knots with gust to 30+ knots. I was single handed sailing this weekend.  I decided to waiting until after lunch to get under way.  There was plenty of water in the channel with northerly winds on Friday and Saturday. The depth in the Whittaker Creek channel was between 6 to 7 feet, in normal conditions it's between 5 to 6 feet of water in the channel.  After I past Marker # 2,  I headed toward South River to hoist the jib.  Because of problems I had with my jib last year, I had problems with hoisting the jib.  I tried several times going to the bow to free the jib, but there wasn't much I can do single handed sailing.  I decided to just cruise around under power.  I saw 6 U.S. Coast Guard  45-foot Response Boat-Medium (RB-M) doing law enforcement exercise.  It sound like they were firing blanked in their  M240 machine guns.  I was glad that I was at the Adams Creek end of River and U.S. Coast Guard were far away from me.  Unfortunately, I didn't get a chance to take picture of their maneuvers.   The forecast was on target. NOAA was calling for NE winds 5-10 knots and  they were't kidding. It was dead calm out there.

After I moored and cleaned up the boat, I caught the 1700 ferry from Minnesott Beach to Cherry Branch for 1730 services at Annunciation Church in Havelock. The winds did switch to the SE at 15-20 knot in the evening. The bottom line  there was plenty of winds and water depending on your cruise abilities.