Crossing Our Wake

Day 372  |  Onancock to Deltaville  |  4.7 Hours  |  32 Miles 

Overnight storms dropped both the temperature and humidity making for a beautiful morning in Onancock. We tried to take it slow in order to time the tides, but we were both anxious to get underway on the final leg of our Great Loop journey. We spent three nights in Onancock and had experienced wind from all points of the compass. The chain came up twice its normal size, caked in thick mud from moving across the creek bottom. It took a while, but all mud was eventually washed off the chain, anchor, deck, and me. We had our fly swatters at the ready as we headed west.

Crab pots were everywhere, along with watermen working them. Today it was easy to find the channel for they thankfully kept the pots just outside our travel lane. The trip across the Chesapeake Bay was uneventful. We continued to see crab pots all the way to the Bay's primary shipping channel. Once across the channel boat traffic picked up. Sailboats and motor yachts came in and out of the Rappahannock River. We spotted the Norris Bridge on the horizon and it began to sink in that we were almost home.

By the time we entered Broad Creek, Crossroads was restrung with her home blue dock lines. We snuck into our slip like pros and got her tied up quickly and efficiently. We then headed to the office (a replica of the Stingray Point Lighthouse) to check in and pick up a package. The best treat of the day was getting to see dock neighbors Amy and Rex who came over to welcome us home. Our package contained our Gold Looper burgee, earned upon crossing our wake. We got a quick picture holding it, but will wait until we give Crossroads a good wash before attaching it to our flagstaff.

It has been an incredible journey and I cannot begin to wrap everything up tonight.

Time Flies

Day 371  |  Onancock  

Our final day in Onancock was a slow one. I took advantage of the opportunity to sleep late then did a little cleaning and organizing (not quite packing). By midmorning we were loading into the dinghy and heading back to the dock for another walk around town. We met four kayakers at the dock and spent about an hour chatting. Nowhere to go, nowhere to be, so all was good. We did decide to stop at Mallard's for lunch before the walk though. Our food and view were great, but we were joined on the patio by swarms of flies. There have been two disappointments here in Onancock: annoying flies everywhere, and poor cell / internet service. We knew, however, that if we kept moving the flies weren't too bad. We followed the markings on the road for a 5k race held a few days ago. We went by more festive houses and down to the backside of the creek for a good look at Crossroads.

The gazebo at the town square was also decked out. Our late afternoon was onboard. I spent one last Loop afternoon on Fiberglass Beach and made good progress on my latest massive novel. Boats came and went. The size of this megayacht surprised us. The two dozen scantily-clad college girls that got off the Miami-registered boat were even more surprising to the folks on Mallard's dock. We made one last lap around town then returned to Crossroads as the sun set. There was no breeze and the water was still. Strange reflections appeared on the water.

The dinghy is back on top and we're ready to leave in the morning for Deltaville. Hard to believe that tomorrow this time we will have crossed our wake and completed the Great Loop. Time flies.

Sweet Time in Onancock

Day 370  |  Onancock  

A perfect temperature and light breeze made for a great early morning retreat to the flybridge. There was minimal traffic on Onacock Creek and the only sounds came from the birds in the trees and the gentle lapping of waves against the shore. By 10:00 the dinghy was down and we were off to town. The town marina has been redone since our last visit here two years ago. Gone are the very short and rickety finger pier docks. In their place are longer floating docks. We tied up at the new dinghy dock and headed at the wharf where Barry visited with the dockmaster and I hung out on the Liar's Bench. There were no stories to be told at this point of the day. Mallard's and several other business had the stars and stripes flying for Memorial Day.

We started our walking tour along King Street and were pleasantly surprised to see fresh redevelopment, including a new Italian Restaurant. We also took time to stop and visit with the locals. The road just happened to lead to the Corner Bakery ... sweet. This is a local institution that is also home to Poppin' Fresh. The line extended to the door with locals purchasing dozens of pastries at a time. At one point we wondered if there would be any left. We enjoyed a donut before continuing our walking tour next door at the farmer's market. The seafood salad was tempting, but without a way to keep it chilled, we left empty-handed.

Onancock has a rich history that dates back to 1680. We have always enjoyed walking through the antique store and did so again today. The historic Cokesbury Church and Market Street Methodist Church are joined by Ker Place and many stately older houses on Market Street.

We ventured off the main drag and walked down side streets lined with fragrant honeysuckle. Tender corn sprouted in a large field. Our trek led back to the small park in front of the dinghy dock. We hopped back in and continued with a water tour. Along one branch of the creek are the support facilities for the crabbers.

The gravel barge Rappahannock sat empty along its dock awaiting a barge to come and take it away. As we have experienced on previous trips here, the barge comes and goes in the dark of the night. Interesting trees lined the shoreline. This one was seemingly dead until a closer look reveals one fully-leafed branch growing out of the top. As we returned to Crossroads we got a good look at our ICW "Mustache." The brown stain on our lower bow is a result of the many miles spent in the tannin-rich and muddy waters of the ICW. It is both a badge of honor and an eyesore and will be removed with the help of some elbow grease when the boat is hauled later this summer. A few late-afternoon hours were spent reading on Fiberglass Beach and watching the boats come into the marina. We recognized a few and Barry went out visiting for a while before dinner and another dramatic close to the day.

Our Final Stop

Day 369  |  Cape Charles to Onancock  |  6.6 Hours  |  42 Miles 

It was an uneventful trip up the Eastern Shore of Virginia to Onancock. We each took hour-long watches so the other could take a nap. There were plenty of crabpots to keep the watch captain alert. As we neared the entrance to Onancock Creek, the wind and waves both picked up. My nap on the upper deck ended abruptly when spray found its way to greet me. We made our way up the creek and dropped anchor just before the town wharf. The wind was blowing in the mid-20s so we stayed onboard and relaxed for a few hours. As the sun set, the wind had switched to light and variable, and we floated around with good views of a town we know very well. For many years, Onancock has been our destination of choice for Memorial Day weekend. We thought it would also be a good place to stage for crossing our wake on Monday. There is live music at Mallard's making its way through our open ports and all is good.

Two final notes on more important events of the day. Truthfully, these will be what I'll remember. Today, my Spanish Wells family said a way-too-early final goodbye to Bella. Words do not exist to properly convey the shock and sadness created by her untimely passing. It still doesn't make any sense. I follow several island businesses on FaceBook and it was heartwarming to see how many closed this afternoon out of respect for the family. Today was also Aunt B's birthday and I had fun texting her this morning and then speaking to her this evening. Happy, happy birthday ...    

Catching Up with Cape Charles

Day 368  |  Cape Charles   

I prepared Crossroads for a major cleaning by removing all her screens and covers. Before starting on the work of the day, we went out for a walk around Cape Charles. The changes just beyond the Mason Avenue commercial district were amazing. Since our last visit, two properties that have been under perpetual restoration and construction for as long as I can remember, are now complete. What a difference their stately presence makes.

Thankfully, one of the constants is the beachfront LOVE sign. We had some fun while creating our latest souvenir photo and then headed down the beautiful beach. The area was clean of both storm damage and trash and the dunes appeared healthy. The town is well-positioned to be a top-notch tourist destination. We can't wait to come back. When we reached the King Neptune statute we turned left and headed back into the residential area. Nice old houses with grand front porches and colorful curbside flower beds lined both sides of the streets.

We crossed through Central Park where preparations are underway for tomorrow's free USAF Rhythm in Blue Jazz concert. I would love to catch that, but we'll be moving on. Both the memorial fountain and drinking fountain were working properly. That has not been the case in most of the towns we've visited in the last year. Back to Mason Avenue, Hotel Cape Charles offers a nice contemporary vibe amid all the historic buildings. Rooms have priveate glass enclosed balconies to enjoy views of the harbor and Chesapeake. More evidence of upcoming enhancements included a truckload of new streetlights. We crossed back to the marina and although the railroad crossing sign is still there, the tracks have been removed. Workers were busy making small pieces of steel I-beams out of large with cutting torches.    

Back on Crossroads it was time to get to work. I waxed as much of the hull as I could reach. The smooth gray is a welcome change to the white chalkiness. We cleaned all the port glass and polished the stainless frames. All windows were cleaned and new Rain-X was applied. By the time all the screens and covers were reapplied, it was dinner time. Another great Cape Charles sunset followed. Tomorrow we will go to Onancock, our traditional Memorial Day weekend spot.

Returning to a Favorite Spot

Day 367  |  Portsmouth to Cape Charles  |  4.8 Hours  |  32 Miles 

These chilly temperatures are good for sleeping, but that's about it. We woke up this morning to find the Carnival Sunrise had pulled into their home dock overnight. I pulled the sweatpants and long-sleeved T out of storage before getting the anchor up. The chain was caked in mud and needed to be washed off before coming onboard. After that, Fiberglass Beach needed to be washed off as well. As a result of all this washing -- in the wind -- I was soaking wet and retreated to the warmth of the pilothouse and found a towel. The trip up the Elizabeth River has always been a favorite of ours. Between the shipyards, cargo terminals, and Naval base, there is plenty to look at.  

We followed behind the cargo ship Robert E. Peary which was returning to sea. Marine police patrolled the Naval base, here in front of the USS Bataan. We cruised past three aircraft carriers and then crossed over the Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel. On the north shore stood the Old Point Comfort lighthouse on the grounds of Fort Monroe. We set a direct route across the Chesapeake Bay to Cape Charles. The pelicans were traveling along with us. Quickly it seemed as if everyone else was traveling our way. A fleet of menhaden boats out of Reedville was converging upon us.

All the boats met and formed a circle just off our port. Small tenders began working large nets. We maintained heading and skirted all of the action. Off our starboard, the Coast Guard was conducting helicopter rescue drills. All of this action made the crossing seem to pass quickly.

Cape Charles has long been an annual destination. We pulled into the Town Marina and quickly started on chores. Barry got laundry going and then washed Crossroads. I followed behind him and gave her a much needed waxing. Salt spray over the past few months has definitely taken away her shine. After a few hours, I called it quits and cleaned up. I dug deeper into long-term storage and pulled out jeans and my jacket. We enjoyed dinner at Kelly's then walked the main street (Mason Avenue). I was definitely glad I brought my jacket. We saw many familiar places, but were equally excited to see so much new development. Retail and apartment buildings had sprouted up along the waterside since the last time we were here. We will revisit several of these places tomorrow during business hours.

Crab pot floats hung on the fence behind The Shanty. We walked out to A Dock watched another beautiful Cape Charles sunset.

The Best of Both Shores

Day 366  | Great Bridge to Portsmouth |  1.7 Hours  |  11 Miles 

In a first for us this morning, we came up into the salon and spotted a squirrel walking down our caprail. He didn't stay around for long and neither did we. We untied from the free dock and crossed over to Atlantic Yacht Basin to pick up fuel and get a pumpout. At that point, the math exercises began. The fuel pump will do 14 gallons a minute, we have 50 minutes for the next bridge opening, and we have two tanks that we need to keep at similar levels. How many gallons go in the each tank? We agreed to go with 250 and it worked out perfectly. 500 gallons and we were off. The bridge opened as we approached and the lock was ready as well. Our 103rd and final lock of our Great Loop journey gently lowered us about three inches. Not quite as dramatic as the 94-foot Wilson Lock in Alabama, but that was OK.

We entered the Elizabeth River and worked our way into Norfolk (east bank) and Portsmouth (west bank). Water traffic was heavy and the Naval presence is everywhere. At the Norfolk Naval Shipyard the supercarrier USS George H.W. Bush (CVN-77) is currently in dry dock undergoing a 28-month overhaul. Across the way, eight Naval vessels were in various stages of overhaul. The USS Carney (DDG-64) provided the best opportunity for a photo. We anchored off Hospital Point and were greeted by the cutest watercraft of the day. This little mallard and his mom spent quite a while swimming just off our swim platform. We pulled the dinghy down and headed into Portsmouth. The pool at Tidewater Marina is noteworthy because it is a floating pool and one of only four on the east coast. The platform floats on the river's surface.

A quick stop at the visitor's center hooked us up with a map and we went up and down the streets. We had hopes of touring the Lightship Portsmouth and the Naval Shipyard Museum but they were closed (who closes on a Tuesday?). A stroll down High Street led us past the historic Commodore Theater, a statue of Portsmouth founder William Crawford, and dozens of restaurants. We stopped in at The Bier Garden, a German tavern, and enjoyed a hot pretzel (and delicious hot mustard) with a few beverages. Their grapefruit radler was a nice substitute for the Pink Sands I frequently enjoyed in the Bahamas. Once sufficiently hydrated, we headed over to Olde Towne, one of the oldest National Historic Places in America with history dating to 1620. The actual street layout dates to 1752. We loosely followed the Path of History Walking Tour and just went up and down the street grid.

Interesting architecture was on every corner and several informative signboards were very helpful. Most houses had nice curbside landscaping and pink hydrangeas were well represented.

This stretch of houses was one of my favorites of the day. We finished up in Old Towne then took the water taxi across the river to Norfolk. We have visited here many times and wanted to hit a few of our favorite spots. By the time we got back to the dinghy, the daylight was dwindling and it had gotten cool. Our inflatable tubes were a bit softer than when we left it in the full-sun warmth of the afternoon. It was a chilly and damp ride back to the mothership.

We will pull the anchor up in the morning and scoot across the Chesapeake Bay to Cape Charles, another of our favorite spots.

"Welcome (Back) to Virginia" Signs

Day 365  | Coinjock, NC to Great Bridge, VA |  5 Hours  |  32 Miles 

All the boats in front of us along facedock left early giving us an easy exit from Coinjock Marina. We encountered quite a bit of barge traffic and led us to remembering our days on the inland rivers. When you've seen a single tug pushing 35 loaded barges on the Mississippi, a single on the Pungo River is uneventful. Most of the day was just about making miles through undisturbed wetlands. Most daymarkers were the foundations for active osprey nests.

Single trees sprouted along the transition zones. Their natural shapes have been allowed to fully develop in unobstructed light. We crossed the "state line" into Virginia and began to re-enter civilization. I think it would be nice to have the same welcome signage on the ICW as on the highways. Jets from NAS Oceana soared high overhead drowning out all the sounds of water and wildlife. We encountered two bridges that needed to open for us to pass. We were thankful that we weren't making the trip in the Laughing Place which had at least a 64-foot air draft. It would have been white-knuckle time for sure. We arrived at the free dock at Great Bridge in early afternoon and relaxed for a few hours by watching the boats go by.

The new Great Bridge Battlefield & Waterways History Center is under construction in the adjacent park. We walked around the grounds and look forward to coming back when its open. Great Bridge was the site of Virginia's first land battle of the Revolutionary War. We continued our walk across the bridge to a strip mall where we got dinner and hit Kroger for Barry's final (maybe) half-gallon of milk on our Loop adventure. While at Kroger, we spotted our first "welcome home" sign -- that for Ukrop's products. The display had all the essentials -- white house rolls, chocolate fudge pie, rainbow cookies -- but willpower won out for today. Sometimes its just nice enough to know the treats of home are readily available.    

A peaceful evening was derailed by computer issues. After a year of downloading pictures, my hard drive is now full and forced me to delete before adding. I deleted then ran out of gas and called it a night. Sorry for the late post.  

Dragon Flies and Fuzzy Bills

Day 364  | Belhaven to Coinjock |  10 Hours  |  77 Miles 

Crossroads led the parade out of Belhaven this morning. Although the water looks blue, there is no doubt that it is brown and full of tannins. Our wake looked like we were cruising through Pepsi (the Taste of the Carolinas, originated in nearby New Bern in 1898). Our long trek first took us through Pungo River, lined by stumps and thick marsh grasses.

As we entered the Alligator-Pungo Canal we approached The Middle of Nowhere and lost cell service. We heard birds singing in the trees, and saw several duck blinds and one eagle high in a pine tree. The highlight was seeing a doe and fawn walking along the water's edge. Huge flies challenged our swatting skills, but we were up to the task. Luckily by Milepost 100 (halfway to Norfolk from where we started yesterday in Morehead City) most of the flies had chosen to harass someone else.

In their place, came dragonflies. At one time I counted eight hitching a ride on the flybridge at a single time. They were fun to watch and helped pass the time.

We exited the canal into the Alligator River. We had one bridge that had to open for us today. The Alligator River Swing Bridge carries traffic on US 64 from the North Carolina mainland to the Outer Banks. Our little caravan of three boats received a quick opening from the bridge tender. I missed most of the crossing of Albemarle Sound because I took a nap on Fiberglass Beach. We caught a little beam sea as we approached North River and that sent me back inside the pilothouse. Turns out a new infestation had occurred while I was asleep. We later found out the little critters are locally called "Fuzzy Bills" or blind mosquitoes or midges. Thankfully they were only annoying and did not bite. By the time we pulled up to the long facedock at Coinjock Marina, we had them inside and out. Barry pulled out the vacuum cleaner and sucked them off of the ceiling before we headed over to the well-known onsite restaurant for dinner. Barry had been looking forward to his meal all day and enjoyed their signature prime rib. When we left, the outside was hopping with live music and tables full of people. We took the opportunity to wash some of the salt spray off of Crossroads before darkness came.

Tomorrow will be Day 365 of our Great Loop journey and we will re-enter Virginia. Wow, one year. Time has flown by.

Heading Up the ICW

Day 363  | Beaufort to Belhaven |  8.25 Hours  |  60 Miles 

To my great surprise, the anchor came up clean this morning. I was prepared for it to be covered with the same dense black mud that we walked through yesterday. We exited out of Beaufort by passing alongside fishing boats and then under the bridge connecting it to Morehead City. Derelict boats were a common sight, most likely victims of last fall's Hurricane Florence.

Yesterday, the wind whipped our in-progress Loop burgee nonstop with gusts up to 30 knots. Once underway, we noticed that it now has several large frayed spots. Good thing it only needs to last another week. Once we cross our wake, we earn a new gold burgee signifying that we've completed the Loop. We joined the parade of trawlers heading up the Intracoastal Waterway (ICW) and passed the 200 mile marker sign showing the distance to the start of the ICW in Norfolk. A slight breeze on our stern was cancelled out by our forward progress, creating a hot afternoon stretch with seemingly no breeze. A few dolphin were swimming through the Neuse River. A large dragonfly hitched a ride with us for a few minutes. We were also welcomed to the ICW by the notorious green-headed flies. Swatting those monsters kept us occupied. Otherwise, this stretch of waterway was rather boring today. Pine trees lined the shores on both sides.

A few areas of marshgrass brought a brief change of scenery. The Pamlico River, which can be rough and uncomfortable, was flat and glassy. As we neared Belhaven we encountered several sailboats giving it their best shot in a 3 knot breeze. The spinnaker helped a little, but it was very slow going.

We pulled in behind the breakwater in Belhaven and dropped the anchor. Barry grilled our last grouper filet for dinner. The sun set off our stern and the full moon rose over the bow to close out a nice, uneventful day on the water.

History and Nature Abound in Beaufort

Day 362  | Beaufort 

We were treated to another beautiful morning on the Crystal Coast. A quick walk around town loosened up our legs and gave us a glimpse of Beaufort's history. The town is the third-oldest in North Carolina, having been founded in 1709. The new courthouse seemed like a good place to start. A monument to lost Confederate soldiers stands on the grounds. We would later learn that Beaufort was actually a strong-hold for Union sympathizers. Beautiful live oaks ringed the courthouse grounds with their arms reaching low across square. Turns out these trees were where all the hangings took place through the early 1900s. There are always two sides to everything. Many historical markers line the streets to note the Whale Fishery, Salt Works, and Spanish Attack.

With just a taste of history, we were eager to learn more and waited for the 11:00 tour bus. It is an authentic 1960s-era London double-decker, complete with right hand drive. Our tour guide gave a great hour-long narration of Beaufort's history as we were taken up and down the town streets. She noted such things as the distinctively Beaufort style of fence pickets.

There are over 100 historically designated homes and many more that are just interesting. Some have Victorian-era embellishments. Another has a one and one-half story footprint (taxes once levied based on number of stories and from the front this house appears to be a single). The final house in the historic district to be restored has now cleared a 15-year probate fight and is under reconstruction. A large two-story house on the waterfront is a Sears Roebuck kit home.

Much attention was given to the Old Burying Ground. Churches sit on each of the four corners of a large city block. This town-owned cemetery lies in the middle and dates back over 300 years. The cemetery suffered major damage from last year's Hurricane Florence and was closed for continued clean-up. As expected, there are several odd and interesting stories associated with its residents. Plein air artists dotted our route, capturing the unique charm of Beaufort. After lunch we changed into our water shoes and dinghied over to the Rachel Carson Reserve. We chose the Water Loop/Outside trail, hoping it would give us a better opportunity to see some of the resident wild horses.

The hard-packed sand was dotted with sea grass. Thousands of fiddler crabs scampered out of our way. The males have on oversized claw which does little to camouflage their movement. We timed our arrival to coincide with low tide. At this time of day, Bird Shoal was easily accessible. We continued around the salt marsh and cut back across the island.

Mainly, however we walked through good ol' Carolina mudflats. After only a few hundred yards into our trek, we were both covered in thick black mud. Although we saw plenty of evidence of the wild horses' existence, we saw no horses today. As always, it is good to see the mothership still anchored where we left her.

Late afternoon showers were required to clean up. Several instances of bad news from home kept me on the phone, both talking and texting. Tomorrow we'll move out into the ICW and head a few more hours north. Thoughts will definitely be elsewhere.

We Could See for Miles and Miles

Day 361  | Beaufort 

We started our day with a visit to the North Carolina Maritime Museum which is located right on Beaufort's waterfront. Our first surprise was their was no admission fee. That led to our second surprise that the museum was pretty good. There were two main exhibits -- one on Blackbeard and one on the history of the fishing industry in NC. I did not realize how large Blackbeard's pirate ship was. The wreck of the Queen Anne's Revenge is located just outside of the Beaufort Inlet and many salvaged artifacts are on display. Barry was interested in a side exhibit devoted to the history of sextants.

We grabbed a quick lunch in town and then loaded onto a tour boat to the Cape Lookout National Seashore. On the way we passed Shackleford Banks and spotted a few of the wild horses grazing on the dune (photo taken with iPhone so I was pleased the dark spot even looks like a horse). The Cape Lookout Lighthouse is in wonderful condition and looked as if it had been freshly painted. The black and white diamond pattern popped against the blue sky. The ferry dropped us off on the dock for a two hour visit. We followed the boardwalk across the island to the Atlantic Ocean.

We then climbed the 207 steps to the gallery of the lighthouse. We laughed that this tower was as tall as our last two lighthouses combined (Old Baldy + Elbow Cay). The view from top was spectacular. On this clear day we could see for miles and miles, looking north and then south.

A unique feature of this lighthouse is that black diamonds align north/south, and the white diamonds align east/west. This makes the tower appear to change color depending on viewing direction. A few final pictures and it was time to load onto the ferry.

We came in the other end of Taylor's Creek on our trip back to the home base. We passed the new Beaufort Convention Center and many large waterfront homes. There were huge houses of brick, glass, and those that floated.

We've enjoyed our stay here and will spend one more day in Beaufort. Tomorrow we'll explore the town's history and the Rachel Carson Reserve.

A Leisurely Stroll Through Beaufort

Day 360  | Beaufort 

Several boats left the anchorage early this morning so we took the opportunity to reposition into a more favorable (deeper) spot away from the saltmarsh. Once settled, we pulled the dinghy down and headed over the public dinghy dock. We walked to the end of Front Street, passing the old town clock, several grand houses, historic buildings, and new retail. A recommendation from Melissa on Flip Flop led us to the Front Street Grill for nice lunch overlooking Taylor's Creek. A stopover at the visitor's center was next where we picked up some maps and information on several organized tours. We hope to take both a historical tour and a scenic tour before we head north. Today's mission was to get to the post office. That meant a 2.5 mile walk out of town.  

It was good to stretch our legs. Since we left the Exumas, our walking has dropped off significantly. Combine that with some long days on the water with little movement and stiff knees have become an issue. It was a gorgeous day and, as usual, the walk back seemed much quicker than the walk out. Colorful signs on light poles and plenty of wildflowers made for a very nice stroll. We returned to Crossroads and relaxed a bit before having dinner ... and a show from another beautiful sunset.

Long Day to Beaufort

Day 359  | Bald Head Island to Beaufort |  14.1 Hours  |  106 Miles

We were up early again for a planned departure from Bald Head Island. A hint of dawn and a few dock lights were enough to let us see from our window that the weather had improved. It was cold though, and we each had to dig out our sweats before facing our outdoor tasks. We followed the 6:00 a.m. ferry out of the harbor. In what we thought was a good omen, its name was Sans Souci ... "No Worries." We exited the narrow channel right down the middle. Even the swirling eddy at the juncture with the Cape Fear River proved to be a nonfactor.

I was cleaning up docklines on the stern and saw the Bald Head Island welcome sign that I had missed on the way in. The sun rose slowly over a high cloud bank and had not fully appeared until we were in the Atlantic and traveling along Frying Pan Shoal. Once we cleared the tip of the shoal and set our waypoint across Onslow Bay just outside Beaufort/Morehead City, the seas got rough. Crossroads was fine and plowed right through the waves. I can't say that the waves were any larger than we'd faced before, but the fact that I wasn't mentally prepared for them made the ride seem much more uncomfortable. Spray was flying over the pilot house giving us a fresh coating of salt and our windshield wipers were getting a workout. I went downstairs to catch a snooze and found that to be challenging. With the big pitches not only would our anchor rise from its pinned position on deck, but so would I while lying spread eagle across the bed. I was flying. It reminded me of the anti-gravity training simulators seen on TV. It was all OK though as we had plenty of ventilation so no queasiness on this trip. While I was downstairs Barry even took the clapper out of our ship's bell to keep it from continuously ringing on its own. After three hours of uncomfortable travel, the waves finally began to calm down to levels predicted. All that was left was to clean up the mess that results from not stowing your tools properly before departure. (In Barry's defense, these tools have been stored on the top bunk for 359 days and have never gone flying before. It was just a matter of time. LOL)

We finally reached the entrance the Beaufort Inlet and began to encounter a few other boats. Even the large dredge on the edge of the channel looked good in the setting sun. It is from the Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Company and we wondered if we had seen him before. No doubt that Radio Island was a sight to behold with its white sand dunes, birds, and breaking wave complete with horse's mane.

A quick turn led us into Taylor Creek and our destination anchorage. Being late to the party, we found all the prime spots were already taken. We claimed a little area for ourselves back by the saltmarsh and dropped the hook just as the final orange of the day was fading. The biggest thing we noticed while out on deck was that it was COLD. We pulled out the blanket and called it an early night.

Neither Barry nor I have been to Beaufort before, so we'll spend a couple nights here and explore. We're also hoping the temperature will rise another 10-15 degrees.