Mother Nature Steals The Show

Belhaven to Camden Point  |  9.3 Hours  |  67 Miles  

Restless sleep preceded our 6:00 am alarm. We were anxious to get underway and a little concerned about the water conditions we would face on the next leg of our trip north. Once more, the color of the morning was gray. Belhaven's multi-colored waterfront building provided the only color in another dreary morning. The positive points could not be seen: light winds and warmer temperatures. As expected the anchor came up with an abundance of mud caked on the chain. By the time I had everything on Crossroads washed off, Paradigm Shift had emerged from their anchorage and settled in behind us. It was sure nice to see them again. Soon, many more boats had joined our little parade. 

The first hour was a bit nerve-wracking as boats jockeyed for position. There seemed to be a constant chatter on the radio of folks either requesting a slow pass or fussing about getting waked. No matter how big and fast you think you are, there is always someone bigger or faster. -- or in the case of the large sport fisher passing Paradigm Shift, bigger and faster. Once everyone found their spot in line, the miles clicked off quickly. We went through heavy rain and had some thunder and lightning along the way. By the time we reached the Alligator River Swing Bridge, the sky had cleared and the sun was shining. The bridge tender kindly kept the span open for us, allowing for passage without slowing down.

No matter how many times we make this trip, much time is devoted to predicting the condition of Albemarle Sound. Today, there was no issue whatsoever. We all had a picture-perfect crossing of the Sound and lined up to enter the North River. The crab pots kept us alert as their dark half-floats were often difficult to see until we were upon them. We turned off into the Broad Creek anchorage for the evening. Glenda got the shot of us underway. The sun was casting long shadows as I set the anchor. A quick change of clothes followed and I relocated to the flybridge to read and enjoy the warmth of th e sun.

After dinner, the light show began. Greg sent the photo of us and the rainbow as I was watching a full arc (with a hint of a second) develop in front of us. The colors stayed bright for a long while, even as the sun was setting behind us. 

Moving to the stern, we watched as the golden hour hues built to a crescendo. After a week-long delay waiting on the Nor'Easter to pass, I guess its only fitting that Mother Nature was also the star of today's show. Not pictured is the evening's encore. A nearly full moon has risen brightly in the dark, cloud-free sky.