23 Mar 14

Woke at 07:30 to a pea-soup fog, with visibility down to less than 25 m. We had to wait for this to burn off before we headed the 40 N-m to Beaufort, finally departing at 11:15. The weather was better than forecast (i.e., it did not rain), but it was cool and blustery (gusts to 29 kn) all the way in to Morehead City (Portside Marina). However, we were warm and comfy inside our new cockpit enclosure. The forecast for the next 3 or 4 days looks pretty grim, so we will probably just sit tight here and wait it out. Plus, the Coast Guard tall ship is going to tie up right beside us on Thursday.

24 Mar 14

We slept in this morning until after 08:00, then had a leisurely breakfast. It is cold but clear and sunny out. Late in the morning, we went for a long walk around Morehead City; not much going on here on a Monday in the early spring with cold weather: this is a beach town and probably booms during the summer months, especially on weekends. The number of multi-million $ houses along the ICW all the way from Hampstead is just amazing; nearly all of them >5000 sf and nearly all of them apparently unoccupied. Terri found a little kitchen ware shop to investigate after lunch. When we got back in the afternoon, I contacted Raymarine and my instrument tech from Key West, and finally managed to get the AutoPilot remote working again (just needed to de-register and then re-register the unit). We met the guys (Steve and Susan) next door on board “Great Notion”; they are from NJ and are now headed back toward home. We also briefly met the solo sailor on “Triall” (a Robert Perry designed double-ender, sort of like a Hans Christian), who was just setting out for an overnighter outside to Cape Fear. He is either tough or crazy, or just a better sailor than we are. He wanted to get out of here before it gets really nasty; too late in my book. Terri cooked salmon on board and I took on a modest portion of anti-freeze (whisky) and carbs (chocolate) in anticipation of a long, cold night.

25 Mar 14

And it was long and cold night. After going to bed at 22:30 last night, we slept in until 09:15; we are turning into a couple of hibernating bears. It was cold, windy and intermittently windy all day long. We stayed pretty close to the boat, did a few chores and the laundry. I patched the holes in the forepeak hatch liner (where the snaps used to be for the wind scoops); I used Marine-Tex plastic two-part putty, which patched the holes well enough and is sandable, but which dried dark brown, so I will have to paint it after it sets completely. The forecast for the late afternoon was quite dire, and sure enough, about 16:30, a cell blew through, with a very impressive wind wall, followed by wind gusts to 35+ knots and heavy rain. We doubled up the shore lines and hunkered down in the boat for the evening. 

26 Mar 14

Wednesday dawned cold but clear. There was ice on the floating docks early, but it soon melted. We decided to rent a car for a day and do Beaufort. Jimmy and Susan tagged along with us. We had an informal lunch at Finz’s in Beaufort, made a quick run to the liquor store, then roamed around town. Terri and I went to the Maritime Museum and Jimmy and Susan walked around town and did a bit of shopping. We met back at Finz’s for a beer and to watch Djokovic beat Murray in the quarter-finals of the Miami tennis tournament. Back to the boats before dinner, which we ate aboard.

27 Mar 14

Thursday was still cold and windy, but clear again. Terri and I did a bit of grocery shopping and stopped in at West Marine, where I finally bought all I need to make up hurricane dock lines (4 x (40’ of 3/4” 3-strand twisted line, a thimble, 1/2” shackle, two 3/16” shackles, and 18” of chain)). This will allow us to get the chain round dock cleats; i.e., these will never chafe through. We have two springs and bow and stern lines. I spent most of the afternoon whipping line ends and splicing eyes. We also acquired a mooring ball hook, which should allow us to hook a mooring ball eye using the boat hook, without having to lean bodily over the gunwale. We had happy hour with Jimmy and Susan, followed by dinner aboard.