North, but not to Alaska

anybody who want to follow this interesting trip may so on marine traffic. Dauntless, mmsi 367571090

I just spent an interesting day cutting across Onslow bay from Wrightsville to Beaufort Inlet. The seas were 2-4 ft from 180 degrees and my course was 60 degrees true, so was at the margin of a beam sea for this boat.
only real mistake was that i could have cut into Bogue Inlet from the due south, but I was so busy watching a warship do a semi-circle around me at about 1.5 nm, that I missed Bogue on my chart. this ended up meaning another 3 hours of being rolled, but then I thought, the boat handles it far better than I.

I feel like I should write about my travails each day, but then that sounds too much like a added burden, which my wife likes to point out, I certainly have enough already, and with a boat...

May Fair Winds and Following Seas find you.

Richard

It may have been your lucky day. If Bogue Inlet was anything like it has been when I went out and in to it, it can be horrible. Shoaling can be pretty bad. New River and Bogue are off my list.

"May Fair Winds and Following Seas find you."

Thanks for that link. It's very coincidental that you posted what you did. On the 15th of June I'm joining up with another guy to help the owner of a boat named "FOLLOWING SEA" from LaConner, WA to Stockton, CA.

I showed the link on Marinetraffic to my wife and told her how she'll be able to watch our progress.

Enjoy your cruise!

GFC said:

... On the 15th of June I'm joining up with another guy to help the owner of a boat named "FOLLOWING SEA" from LaConner, WA to Stockton, CA.

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Beware of "yahoos" throwing up large wakes without warning on the San Joaquin River.



Ships aren't usually a problem, wake-wise.



Mt. Diablo will dominate the Delta landscape.

GFC,

Understand that you should warn your wife that your boat will not show up on marinetraffic.com for much of the trip along the coast (this coast is much more remote than the east coast). You will disappear somewhere near Cape Flattery, a fair amount of Oregon and for most of Northern California (you'll show up again just south of Ft. Bragg). Don't want her to panic.

Also, tell her to use vesselfinder.com at the same time. Don't know why as there appears to be no rhyme or reason, but one will pick you up when the other one won't in certain areas.

Richard, are you anchored? If so I am just wondering why you passed up the Cedar Creek anchorage?

GFC said:

"May Fair Winds and Following Seas find you."

Thanks for that link. It's very coincidental that you posted what you did. On the 15th of June I'm joining up with another guy to help the owner of a boat named "FOLLOWING SEA" from LaConner, WA to Stockton, CA.

I showed the link on Marinetraffic to my wife and told her how she'll be able to watch our progress.

Enjoy your cruise!

Click to expand...

GFC
What kind of boat? Will you post details of your trip?
Enquiring minds would love to know

Bob

As of 8:48 PM PDT, AIS shows you anchored Richard.

Hi guys,
Yes, was anchored last night just into Neuse River.
I passed up cedar creek because I tried three times to get it (there were 3 sailboats there) and I kept touching bottom. Finally, I realized being grounded was not the way i wanted to end my day.

Yes, I will post pictures sooner or later. Even after I posted this last night (8:00 p.m.) I was exhausted and went to sleep by 9. there was a 15-20kt sw wind, but little current. boat rocked all night. At 10 p.m. decided to put my home made snubber on chain. seemed to help. checked anchor alarm (Drag Queen), moved around a lot, but less than 30ft radius.
Went back to sleep. Checked Drag Queen and My Tracks (I also start a new one at anchor because it tells me exactly what boat is doing) at midnight. Much movement, but little distance. Went back to sleep til 6:00 when alarm went off.
I must be exhausted, as even now, I feel like i have a hangover. Either the three glasses of red wine for dinner or residual sea sickness. (though I was fine yesterday).
Now as you can see, I'm travelling up the Neuse River. I miss the ocean.

Richard

I think I'll stop at a marina in Beaufort tonight.
Any suggestions?

Wxx3 said:

I think I'll stop at a marina in Beaufort tonight.
Any suggestions?

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Beaufort?

Don't know why i wrote Beaufort.

Meant to say some where around !CW 140 to 125, Pungo river or Belhaven??

Richard

Richard, if you are thinking of Belhaven I like Belhaven Waterway Marina. Very sheltered and close to town. A little farther up the Pungo is Dowry Creek Marina. A little remote, but they did have a loaner car for shopping. Good sheltered facility. Call for directions getting in there. It is a little tricky, but I found their dockmaster very knowledgeable. We went in there on a pitch dark night once.

Thoughts about the Dismal Swamp route??????

Wxx3 said:

Thoughts about the Dismal Swamp route??????

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A unique cruise. If you have the time, I would not miss it. Check the lock times. Elizabeth City has a free town dock. Very cruiser friendly.

actually I think I do now. Must be in Cape May next Saturday.

Wxx3,

After looking at your track today I'm guessing you have a handheld AIS VHF radio, or your trawler has wheels.

yes. but it was walking.
I forgot to turn it off.

See, we pay attention and the track indicated you were on foot or intoxicated driver.

Looks like Norfolk for tonight. You covered some distance.

yes and I remembered to turn off virtual ais.

Also, the wait for the bridges on the half hour or hour was ...

How come nobody warned me? at least in language that i would understand, i.e. I'm a New Yorker, west coast niceties, fly right over my head like an SR-71.

Tommorrow its the land of no bridges, no rules and no stinkin badges. OKA, the ocean.

But I'll be leaving late, just before noon, as I need to stock ujp on donuts.
when you head into danger, you should never go without donuts.

btw, the best donuts so far have been from the two cambodian places in Florida.
Sarasota and Ft. Pierce. Far better than the yuppie ny places, which charge like $12 per donut.
ANd what makes this trip even better?. Not only did I find great donuts, but I lost weight, so my wife is so happy.

Look on the bright side.

You now know where you don't want to go. I'm finding that more important than where I like to go in my new cruising area.

Have a safe trip and don't be afraid to share the location of the best donut shops

CPseudonym said:

Look on the bright side.

You now know where you don't want to go. I'm finding that more important than where I like to go in my new cruising area.

Have a safe trip and don't be afraid to share the location of the best donut shops

Click to expand...

Richard, where was the shop in Ft. Pierce?

Looks like you made a little trip to the grocery in Norfolk. I thought that I mentioned the bridges. They are a PIA. You can imagine with our 26-27 knot cruise how it drives me crazy. South Florida is just as bad. It looked like you would pick up a knot or so of speed trying to catch the next bridge.

oh, you sweet talking Californians.

at least in language that i would understand,

See I remembered that someone mentioned it, but not in a way that it would sink in, e.g. "if you go that way, you would be better off walking" or "remember that time you banged our shin two times in a row? Now multiply that by 100"

P.S.
I was passed three times by "Moonraker" and "My Marilyn" Those names give a clue as to thier size. the bridge timings are such that even at 30 kts, they can't get by the third bridge which onoy opens on the hour.
Even i felt sorry for them
But then I almost ran aground twice (actually I did, but got out) because when I'm going 4 knots to kill time, I don't pay attention very well.

But the best part was my second say out from St. Augustine. Driving wind and rain, no one else on the water all day. i call this bridge at 7:45 and he tells me he opens at 8:30. OK I say. In the meantime, the wind is blowing 30 kts and I'm wondering if I can tossa line around some pole to wait. I move back down river about a mile, as i can not hold the boat near the bridge. At 8:30, I call the bridge and ask him when he is going to open, he tells me that I did not ask in time and the next opening is at 9.

But the donuts were good