The Calm Before the Storm

Beaufort to ... Beaufort?  |  1 Hours  |  5.5 Miles 

With the arrival of the latest megastorm less than 36 hours away, we bid farewell to our tie-up at Jarrett Bay. Conditions were the typical calm before the storm, with only a slight breeze stirring as we pulled back into the ICW and headed south. Cloud cover had increased overnight, but the sun was not totally obscured. We passed ICW mile marker 200 along the way and joked that we only had 895 more miles to Key Biscayne, FL. One hour after leaving Jarrett Bay, we arrived at Beaufort's Town Creek Marina. We eased into our slip and got the power connected. It took me a little longer than normal to deploy every fender we had on board and double up dock lines for storm prep.  

Once I had Crossroads secured and Barry had checked us in at the office, we were both ready for a walk. The marker on the Turner Street bridge over Town Creek welcomed us to Beaufort. Paperwhites bloomed in roadside gardens. Another "welcome" sign at the government building was surrounded by colorful ornamental kale. Rose bushes were still producing attractive blooms. Judging by visuals only, it would have been difficult to identify the current season of the year. Our heavy coats in front of the tourist map sign, provided a clue as to the temperature.

We walked along Front Street and marveled at the ornate features of the many historic houses. Mother Nature had a starring role as snapdragon blooms and climbing ivy brightened up the increasingly overcast and breezy day. We stopped into the no-frills Royal James Cafe for an excellent lunch. A license plate tacked to the wall in the rear of the restaurant made me laugh as I said, "you have to be this many years old to understand" the reference. Following lunch we took a quick tour of the North Carolina Maritime Museum. Blackbeard was a feature of many exhibits. The museum's use of technology to modernize their exhibits was impressive.

We zig-zagged along Ann Street and Broad Street as we worked our way back to the marina. Two finials atop driveway columns caught our attention. Pineapples have long-been known as a symbol of hospitality, but we were puzzled by the artichoke. A little post-walk Google research revealed that the artichoke represents hope, peace, and prosperity based on its characteristic tender heart protected by strong layers of leaves. Up and down the streets were markers of historical significance, houses in the Old Town area had signs touting the structure's name and build date. Many houses dated to the late 1700s. Back on the bridge, we found a whelk shell on the sidewalk. When I picked it up, I was surprised to find a little crab inside. After a quick photo, I tossed it back in the water. Back onboard, I started my first new book of the trip and Barry continued his quest to inspect under all the floor panels and bilges. As the light of day dimmed, the marina office lit up nicely.

The disappeared behind Morehead City and put on a nice show in the process. Friends Fernando and Judy (Sunset Run) arrived late this afternoon and we all got together for appys and to discuss the topic of the day -- the weather. Rain will move in tomorrow morning and the wind will begin to build. The four of us will use the marina's courtesy car to make an early grocery run and be tucked in with all the hatches battened down by lunchtime. By 6:00 tomorrow evening, we're expecting consistent 40 knot winds with higher gusts. We're prepared and are now just waiting on the weather.