Heading south for the winter

[hanleyclifford]

Right now they are making 6.2 and just rounding Maw Point. Bayboro weather now shows 18 NE gusting to 30 (slacked a little) overcast.

[hanleyclifford]

Here's a cool site for looking at wind: http://hint.fm/wind/

[Mo]

Cool link Hanley. Looks to be holding 6.7kts for the past little while....wonder if they might even shoot past Oriental...making great time for sure. Just a matter of how chilly (I think the wind coming in off warm water helps) and how tired.

[lat 64]

at 19:00 UTC Nov. 18

I'm having fun watching Paul's progress. I'm trying to figure out—does he turn south and take that canal to Morehead?
or is there one farther inland?

And, south of Morehead, does one now sail inside the barrier islands for quite a while?

Cheers,
Russ

update:
oh now I see, He must be stopping at Oriental.

[Marian Claire]

Lat: To continue on the ICW you turn south out of the Neuse and into Adams cr and head down to Morehead City. From Morehead south to SC you are running behind the barrier islands with the exception of the Cape Fear river section. This is the chart of the area. http://www.charts.noaa.gov/OnLineViewer/11541.shtml And this is a site that has all the charts up and down the ICW http://www.charts.noaa.gov/OnLineVie...werTable.shtml
Looking forward to PT26's report. I ran that section about 10 days ago in slightly calmer conditions NE 15 to 20 gusting 25.
Dan S/V Marian Claire
Edit: If you pull up the first chart go to the middle of the lower chart for the Neuse/Adams Cr area.

[hanleyclifford]

My Guess is they are on the hook with an eye on the town dock at the end of Raccoon Creek. Only three spots there so you need to move up close and watch for a boat to leave. The dock is 48 hrs only per 30 day period.

[PT26]

Hello Oriental!

Lat 64 you must have read my mind... We almost went for it but last spring I dropped off stuff at the consignment shop and they have money for me lol so we headed in to Oriental.

What a ride it was, Hanley you were right Maw Point was unreal. Right in the middle a squal hit us poring rain and unbelievable wind gusts. Still sailing with the A4 at just over idle speed just in case. I have a whole new respect for this area I have no idea how big the swells were but big enough to launch the. Boat a couple times.

I was so happy to hit the turn and head down wind and swell. At times we had the boat on plane but no time to check speeds today, we had our hands full keeping it under control, but hey isn't that why we're out here. It's days
lIke this that make the adventure. It was a good day and I have to give so much credit to Trina for all her unbelievable efforts today... A tangled forsail, pumping out the flooded cockpit from water over the stern, taking the helm and doing it like a champion when i needed her to! Yes they were that big out there at maw point at the turn to swamp the stern.

The anchorage is full here but we have been here before so we tucked in tight and we are looking to grab the free dock!

All is well, hot coffee, chips and dip with a cold one... Life is good

[Mo]

Good show.

Hey Paul,

Post 60 you were in the area of Maw Point. Must have been a ride for sure. I don't know how many miles you and Trina have on you (your age) but figured it would turned into work being out there.

Swells or waves over the transom is not good...can't say I ever had that happen. Just a quick question...were your cockpit drains sucking it out....if not you might want to check them. I've had water in the cockpit, close-hauled and coming over the boat, more times than I can remember....but it was always literally sucked out as the boat made way over the water like a shop vac on the other end. I have never been able to record on video because every time that happens I'm alone and running the boat...but it happens.

I missed your landfall but I figure that was a couple of hours ago. I got called down to the club to accept a few awards. Won a couple of racing trophies single handed this year and the `most contribution to the club award`. ...can`t remember cause they spelled my name wrong and I gave them back to have that fixed...LOL I can`t say much about that because when I am down there making **** happen I call out a name (any name) and who ever turns their head has the job LOL.

Good to see you made it in but take care on the stuff coming in over the stern...a little bit worrisome. A great day for you and I wish I had had that ride....good for you guys!!!!!

[Marian Claire]

"I was so happy to hit the turn and head down wind and swell."
Yep. Exactly my thoughts. Sounds like you handled it well.
Dan S/V Marian Claire

[hanleyclifford]

Surfing the PT26?

Hats off to Paul and Trina for that adventurous run! Gusts and squalls at 30 kts off Maw Point are the stuff ICW nightmares are made of . Just curious; were there any other boats traveling with you? BTW, smart move to keep the A4 rolling over. Do you have any electric pumps?

[PT26]

Hi Mo

Just woke from a nice nap!

Congrats on the awards I used to single hand up and down the west coast when I was younger... Not many understand how hard it can be, awesome man!
We have about 4500 miles of sailing together in the last 3.5 years. It's funny you asked we talked about that as we rounded Maw point... Sayin it ain't no Sea of Cortez at ten to fifteen foot swells lol.
The water is coming over the stern down swell, I need to move and adjust some heavy things forward to pull the nose down and I think that will help the cockpit empty out better. It was a ride you would have enjoyed I'm sure.

[PT26]

Hanley you called it! maw point was really something at one point we had combining swells from two directions for some reason?
No boats followed us out, there was one couple that said if we leave they would follow, I cautioned them saying you might want to make your own call... We do crazy stuff they stayed behind and I am glad they did.
I thought it would be best on the A4 to keep her running and in forward gear.
I do have an extra small pump and we talked about running a wire an switch to the stern just for that issue. Hand pump in that mess was, well... A

I called it surfing because we would catch a swell and ride for a good thirty seconds or so nose down, wind just right, it's as if we had her surfing. It made it fun we kept doing it for hours trying it over and over to pass the time.

[Mo]

Just woke up myself Paul. Sounds like a ride for sure. My friend Morgan had a Grampian 26 about 10 yrs ago and he always spoke highly of the boat. I remember him buying new 4 stroke 15 hp and putting in on the stern of it. Called for a 9.9 but he wanted extra.

Should have seen the binnacle and steering system he made up for it. Morgan is what you might call a cross between a mechanic / machinist / engineer....one of those guys that can do or make-up just about anything. He used a car differential and side-axels as the steering shaft direct from the wheel. The only thing about it was that it was too direct....move that wheel 1/4 turn or so and she`s gone hard in that direction. Have to say though, the mechanical advantage was that you didn`t feel weather helm. Turns out he wasn`t happy with his steering for that reason and ended up selling the boat....oh well. She was an old boat then and he wouldn't mind taking her out in some weather.

Have friends on S/V Banyon currently just a bit ahead of you in St Augustine Fl....they are hold up in Hidden Harbor Marina on the San Sebastian River until better weather right now. They left Nova Scotia mid July and have been visiting as much as they can on the way South...really taking their time. Just a few days ago crossed the GA / FL border with hat and mitts on, motoring with the wind on the nose. Dave and Alexandra bought the boat a couple a yrs ago just for this excursion. He recently retired from the Navy and left on a "come back when they are tired of it type of cruise".

Hats off to you guys that can get it done. Love watching the progression of your trip....so cool. How long did that leg take to complete today with those winds?.

[PT26]

Hi Mo

Those are the kind of guys that make life interesting!
Fair winds and God speed to you friends.
The trip from Dowery Creek to Oriental took from 7 am, late start for us, hard to get out of the slip! And we anchored on our first pass at 2:15 pm or so.

One of the reasons we went for it was the free dock should have been cleared out this morning but in talking to Jud the boat beside us they were here when he arrived three days ago. And they are not leaving!
Oh well got a good night sleep, so getting up early, running th A4 for an hour doesn't hurt the batteries looks like a dingy day if it doesn't rain out.

[hanleyclifford]

Chat 'em up

It would do no harm to dinghy over to the dock and gently steer the conversation to the fact that you and others are waiting to get on that dock. It would be a plus if the conversation took place in the presence of the sign that shows the docking restrictions. Edit: Harbor cam shows only two big fat yuppy boats hogging that dock. Wonder if they know they are on camera?