A very early start

A very early start   ...   Tuesday 18^th June 2013

After a long hard day of sailing, it’s hard to face those things that you really don’t want to do.  For example, what could be worse than needing to shower on the deck or in the cockpit when it’s blowing 22 knots and you are anchored across from a busy town waterfront.  I hear you saying blowing 30 kts would be worse…. Well for now I’m avoiding that inevitability by writing the blog.

We had agreed to get up at 4 am and get going.  I was awakened by the sound of footsteps on the deck at 3:30 am.  Mike was already up, taking off the sail cover.  The good thing about the earlier start was that we got breakfast and made sandwiches for lunch.  It’s easier to be happy on a full stomach.  We got underway just after 4 am.  It was very dark going out of the Masonboro inlet and quite bumpy.  Once outside we turned to the northeast toward Beaufort. The waves were rolling the boat from side to side. We held off raising the sails because there didn’t seen to be enough wind and the value of having the mainsail up when you are motoring downwind is questionable.  I was glad to have taken my seasick medicine with my breakfast.  Early on we did see some flashes of lightning and later in the day heard thunder.  It might be fair to say that the weather was unsettled early on and at one point we even had our foul weather gear on in the rain. 

After 5:30 when it was getting light and the wind seemed to have strengthened we put up the main and found that we were able to move along at six knots or better on a broad reach.  Over the next few hours we had pretty good wind as we sailed through some bands of showers. Sometime after lunch (which was consumed at 10:45) the wind became lighter and the sails were banging around too much.  We motor sailed for for a couple of hours, sailing off the wind to stop the main banging round, and in the early afternoon we were able to go back to sailing for a while.   We arrived at the inlet to Beaufort at about 3 pm.  This meant we had favorable current coming in—all part of the clever plan.  Once anchored, we collapsed on the settees, drinking cold beverages and reading our books.  I think we should be pleased to have accomplished this big open water sail - including  the the sections to and from the inlets it has to be about a 70 nM trip.   Instead we are just tired. A good night’s rest should fix that.

Well, Mike has taken his “al fresco” shower.  I guess I can’t put it off any longer.

Gloria 

On  a broad reach to Beaufort - a band of showers in the distance. At one point we touched 8.2 knots - the highest through water we have recorded - but later the wind dropped right down and we were forced to motor sail

Gloria looking serious at the helm