Making A Pit Stop

Wrightsville Beach to Holden Beach |  5.3 Hours  |  35 Miles 

There was no problem this morning in rising before the sun. The full moon was putting on a spectacular show as it set across our anchorage with a bright moonsplash. At first light, I was layered up and on the bow to raise the anchor. Expecting the worst after an active few days on the hook, I was relieved when all 125-feet of chain came up clean. I did have to power wash a heavy layer of mud off the anchor, but the foredeck remained clean. That's a win! As we exited Wrightsville Beach, the sun was just peaking over the tree line. We made our way back to the ICW and met up with My Cat, who had chosen to ride out the recent blow in a marina. We headed south and watched in anxious anticipation as the moon grew larger (and the sky brighter) with every minute of descent.   

The bright sun warmed up the pilothouse. We had breakfast underway before getting to Snow's Cut. A dredging barge loomed large on the horizon and was positioned at the turn off. As we approached, we saw the nice sign erected to point the way and that there was plenty of room to pass alongside the work zone. We also got a good look at the impressive business end of the dredge. The Snow's Cut passage was uneventful. The only noteworthy event for us was passing under the NC-421 bridge. In our minds, we took this road a few hundred miles west while thinking of family in Clemmons. 

The Cape Fear River was incredibly calm in today's light winds. (It would have been a far different story had we attempted this trip over the past two gusty days.) The crossing was quick and easy. My Cat followed behind us as a north-bound car carrier passed. We turned south into the ICW at Southport and headed straight into Southport Marina. We pulled in for a pumpout and left My Cat behind to tie up for a couple of nights. It was quite possibly the best pumpout we have ever done -- ease onto the floating dock, tie bow and stern, take care of business with a powerful pump, untie, and we were off with blazing NASCAR efficiency. We continued south for another 10 miles to the Zimmerman yard, a sister-company to the one in Deltaville that takes care of Crossroads. We had made prior arrangements for them to fix several pesky issues. By the time I had the power cord moved to the bow, technicians were onboard sizing up our list of projects.

Barry and Taylor (the diesel tech) went over two projects in the engine room and came up with a plan. Since we arrived at low tide, it will be early tomorrow before we can be hauled out for the through-hull valve replacement. Our friends David and Sue (Day Dreamin') had graciously left their truck to use during our stay. We left Crossroads, scaled the ramp from the dock to parking lot, and drove back to My Cat to deliver some packages that had been sent to the yard. We visited for a while, got a call from Taylor to say his engine work was successfully completed, and departed just as the sun was setting on a pretty good day.