That horrible jolting feeing

That horrible jolting feeing   …   Saturday 4th April 2013

Well it wasn't the greatest nights sleep. The boat was creaking and groaning in the wind and current, and we couldn't help but worry about getting out of the shallow waters of Calabash Creek. We got up at 5.30 am, put on the coffee and prepared for an early departure to make use of the remaining tide. With our thermos cups full and daylight upon us we started the engine, raised the anchor and motored out of Calabash creek. Apparently it does make a difference if you go the correct side of the marker - we never saw less than 11ft on the depth sounder -  it couldn't have been easier. Not so our trip up the ICW. There are several notorious sections between the Calabash anchorage and our destination, Southport, NC. The first of these, Shalotte Inlet, went just fine, but as we approached Lockwood's Folly inlet we felt a lurch and jolt, and that sickening "WTF" feeling - we've run aground … again. We had just passed a channel marker and were well within the channel, but apparently not close enough to the middle. We seemed to have skipp over one sand bar and then stop on the next. We quickly slowed the engine and put it in neutral while we figured out our situation. The wind, which was blowing strongly from the north east, turned the bow towards the center of the channel, so we fired up the engine and motored off the bank with a great sense of relief. We then navigated across the inlet itself and then some other shallow sections further on. I have to say that by this point we were well and truly sick of the ICW and its shallow, stressful and poorly marked channel. We arrived at the South Harbor Village Marina around 11 am. The wind was gusting to 30 mph and it took the strong arms of the dock master and some fellow sailors to take our lines and keep us on the dock. To say that the weather these past few days has been less than ideal is an understatement - fleece and full foul weather gear including wooly hat in May and we're only in the ICW - you've got be kidding me! It was warmer when we passed through here in November. My mother in law was sitting outside in the sun today and she lives up in Maine! Anyway, after we arrived we did get a bunch of jobs done - pumped out both heads, filled diesel, filled water, changed oil and oil filter, cleaned below the cabin sole, washed out bilge and cleaned shower. After that we were exhausted and starving and headed to the local Italian restaurant for what turned out to be an excellent meal. Now we are back on the boat and looking forward to an early night  .. oops too late for that!

Mike

33 55.240 N, 78 03.661 W

Gloria at the helm, full foul weather gear - North Carolina in May