Wrightsville Beach
Today was all the weather forecasters predicted it would be, with heavy rain and gusty winds. Barry was up a few times overnight checking our anchor track and, of more concern, the boats around us. We have ultimate faith in our Rocna anchor, but not so much in those of unoccupied boats. Through rain-covered windows, we watched the day go by. Our favorite reference points were the North Carolina flag on a nearby dock and that unoccupied sailboat sharing the anchorage. From first light we knew the sails would not be sufficiently secured for the anticipated blow. The wind and rain built and were most intense in the early afternoon. We saw a few drops make their way inside, but our leak-guard paper towel never became wet. Whew. We were able to pick up 49 over-the-air TV stations, but not one of them carried the early football game -- or any other sporting event. I got a good workout in, followed by a nap, while Barry was happy binge-watching NCIS reruns.
The wind continued to tug on the sails of Ultra Time and the headsail began to flog. By sunset, the weather was not too bad. The wind was down to a steady 15kts and the temperature had actually risen to a balmy 62 degrees.
We watched the sunset from the bow and marveled at the little bits of blue sky that were peeking through the cloud cover. All in all, it wasn't a bad day ... especially when we checked in at our house and saw the snow covering the back yard. A rainy day on the boat is definitely better than a snowy day at home.
The rain has moved out, but the wind will continue to mount through the night with gusts up to 40 knots. Tomorrow looks like more of the same with 15-25 mph sustained and gusts to 35 mph. We are definitely anxious to get moving again, but will most likely be here another day before the weather breaks. We'll then head across the Cape Fear River toward Holden Beach.
No comments:
Post a Comment