Tuesday, April 5

Cape Lookout

As predicted the weather was pretty rough today. I went on shore only briefly but returned to the boat quickly. I had to attend to a host of issues to fix - always something broken and needing mending. I had to resew some velcro on the sail cover and some lose stitches on the dodger and fix a broken oar, and numerous other issues. The weather is predicted to become better tomorrow, so I'll just stay put here. I'm pretty stuck right now but that's a sailors life.

Wednesday, April 6

Cape Lookout to Beaufort

As predicted the weather improved today and by lunchtime it was nice enough to leave from here. I sailed only a short two hour trip to Beaufort, a little touristy town here. As I was coming in I saw some dolphins playing (well, more likely fishing) in the inlet. They are so common I guess nobody pays much attention to them anymore. Even though I had left Cape Lookout at low tide there, and had taken 2 hours to get here, the tide was still running out from the inlet. Tides are just crazy - even a few miles from each other they can be quite different. I docked next to a gorgeous restored motorboat, but then the dockmaster came and told me to reposition as there was a more suitable dock available and they expected strong winds tomorrow that would possibly make some bigger boats seek shelter. People were super friendly and helpful. I hadn't even tied all my lines when a couple of strangers started talking with me and I invited them on board to have some beers. As strange as coincidences can come, one of them turned out a lockmaster from the Erie Canal - he retired last June though, just before my admiral and I went through there. We had a great time and it was good to relax a little. The last days have been a little rough. Their wives eventually turned up and we were all sitting in the cockpit which is the only inhabitable space really for guests as downstairs is chaos.
Eventually after they left I packed my laundry (almost everything is now either dirty, salty or sandy or all of the above) and found a laundromat. The final shower of the day was bliss and I went to bed early.