Two Days of Contrast

No two days are exactly alike, but by the same token some days are a marked contrast, one from the other.  The last two are a great example of contrasts.  Our day from Coinjock to Pungo Creek NC started off with a decided nip in the air and frost on all the windows.  We got underway at 7:30AM as scheduled, and started down the canal and river system to the Ablemarle Sound.  About 7 miles from the sound I noticed that every time I tried to roll on the throttles the boat started pulling to port and took on a list.  Reviresco had done the same thing the night before when arriving and I started to fear that on that occasion we picked up a fishing net or dredge line or something on the port rudder.  So with a little trepidation we moved slowly forward and hoped we were just encountering a little silty mud to one side.  As we reached deeper water the situation cleared and we breathed a heavy sigh of relief - I did not want to get into that ice cold water and check our running gear!

Into the sound we went.  Now on our last run down the coast, Neil and I got "comfortable" with a little bumpy water.  This turned out to be Sue's second time with some chop and she did admirably!

The small craft advisory was clearly a misprint - it was lovely out there and Reviresco does like a challenge so we continued along knowing that the wind was scheduled to pick up at around mid day to 35 knots.  The good news is this part of the forecast was right on the money.  Like they say on the infomercials - "but wait there's more!"

Just after crossing the sound and clearing the Alligator River Swing Bridge we continued down towards the Aligator and Pungo Canal.  I had been playing with my new radar on and off throughout the day, changing settings to improve the resolution and tracking abilities of the new system.  While in the process I noticed a semi-translucent wall up ahead that was moving from the West a few miles out.  I tuned it a number of different ways trying to decrease the Gain and increase the Sea Clutter settings to thin it out, but nothing worked - It just kept coming at us.  And then I figured it out - see if you can see the clue in the next clip.  ;-)

I was particularly impressed with Sue for keeping her cool.  She asked me if there was anything she could do under the circumstances and when I responded in the negative she went back to quiet contemplation - very nice.  Needless to say this is not precisely what she was hoping for on our trip down and on our second day of open water cruising - but life has a way of throwing you a curve ball once in a while.

The rest of the day was a simple run down the canal - the sun broke back out and we made a solo landing at Pungo Creek near Bellhaven successfully.

This morning, Jan 9th, we dropped lines at 7:30AM and headed off on a lovely sunny day.  Our goal was to finish a little earlier and stop in Morehead City right beside Beaufort NC.  The day was simple and much more pleasant - at one point in the early afternoon I striped down a layer of clothes as it warmed up to about 80F in the sun and 60F in the shade of our bimini top (still had three other layers on; Sue about 5!)

Our crossing of the Pamlico Sound was a breeze even with the tail end of the small craft advisory still in effect from the day before - you just never know what you are going to find until you get out there.

Over all we had an adventuresome couple of days - I'm sure just two of many to come.  Once we get a little farther south we will slow down and take it easy for a few days and get rested up a bit more.   We think Charleston SC might be a nice place to check out for a couple of days.

Only time and weather will tell!