Stumbling into a front

Nothing unusual. As we are making our way south, a weather system (low plus a front) are making their way up north and the front is supposed to go through the Southport area on Wednesday. So, I decided to take a day off and spend the day in Southport. This allowed us to clean Papy Jovial outside as we are still carrying some of the dust collected in Portsmouth boat yard. The front went through during the night Tuesday to Wednesday, with lots of rain and very fresh winds. However, on Thursday the weather was a lot milder than I anticipated. But no regrets. Karen and I enjoyed a good dinner at the Cape Fear restaurant, we both enjoyed being safely in the dryness of the cabin as the wind and the rain pelted the boat. And we had time to work on the boat on Wednesday.
Most people know about Southport, but let me say that the downtown area is very very nice, with most houses dating back to the civil war era, but with new homes being built in the same style, which is unfortunately seldom the case here. On the waterway, between Morehead City and Carolina Beach, it would be difficult to name a winner on the ugliest house contest as there are too many challengers.
Tomorrow friday, it is still supposed to be windy and from the SW, but I am expecting to make Barefoot Landing, leave next morning late to exit the Waterway in Georgetown and head directly for Saint Augustine, arriving there sometimes on the Sunday the 23rd. This will be for Karen her first experience of being at sea overnight.

Cruising

Although Belhaven does not have a lot to offer (three eating places, one Food Lion and two marinas), I really enjoyed spending a day and a half there. On Friday, Karen and I had a great country lunch at the one place that only opens for breakfast and lunch. We strolled a little bit around the few blocks of the downtown Belhaven and retired to the boat for dinner (juicy steak and green beans) and a quiet night. Saturday morning, Tom and Barbara arrived loaded with stuff (snacks, cookies, french litterature about Granville) , driving all the way from Wilmington to spend the day with us. We had lunch aboard Papy Jovial, then Tom drove us to Bath and Washington as I was curious to see those two places that I had never visited but that I intend to be part of my itinerary when sailing back up north. I liked both places very much, for different reasons. In Bath, there is not much in terms of shops or restaurant, but wonderful houses, some dating back three hundred years. Washington is a bigger places, with restaurants and shops and a city dock where you can stay one week for free.
We then drove back to Belhaven and had dinner at the other eating place, this time a full size restaurant with good seafood, after a short visit at Food Lion for wine and other stuff.
Tom and Barbara left us on Sunday morning and we cast off at 7:00 a.m., headed for Morehead City. Again, clear skies and nice weather although again with the wind in our face. We arrived in Morehead City to find the anchorage full and made the wrong decision to tie up at Port Side marina. Never do that with a SouthWesterly wind. We tossed around all night and very happy to leave early. However, we had on Sunday night an excellent dinner at the Ruddy Duck, next to the infamous Sanitary.
Monday was very much of the same, clear skies, stiff winds at times from the SW, and two bridges to deal with before coming into Harbour Village marina, my preferred stop when I can't sail from Morehead City to Wrightsville Beach on the outside.
The forecast for the weather ahead of us does not feel very good. We may have to spend a couple of days in Southport, and then go out and head directly for Saint Augustine.

Heading South

Finally, Papy Jovial is moving again. This time, for a short trip in the neighborhood (Fort Lauderdale). Extracting ourselves from Norfolk was like pulling teeth. At the infamous Gilmerton bridge, the railroad bridge got stuck in the close position for almost 90 minutes. Then we missed the Great bridge bridge by 4 minutes. We tied up at the Atlantic Yacht basin for an early departure the next day. Which we did at 5:45 a.m. in the fog and in pitch darkness but we were able to make the Centerville Parkway bridge before it got restricted at 6:30 (we crossed at 6:15) and were able to make the 7:00 a.m. opening of the North Landing bridge. I then pushed hard and despite an increasingly strong headwind, we managed to reached Deep Point (mile marker 102) right at sunset. Next day, still with headwind up to 28 knots, we went to Belhaven marina where we arrived in time to get lunch there.
We are going to spend Saturday there and welcome my dear friends Tom and Barbara who will drive all the way from Wilmington to meet me.
Then, the weather looks like headwind all the way to Charleston and I will probably have to stay inside. The deadline is October 31 at Fort Lauderdale and we should be able to make it. (We is me and Karen).

Here and there

Since my return on May 1st, there has been quite a few parties, a few trips both by car and by boat, but of course never something worth keeping a blog.
On May 24th, Philippa with my brothers L'Amusette, skipper owner and Civadiere with his wife Pepette sailed into Savannah from France. I drove to Savannah to meet them and the table there organized a wonderful boucan at the home of Mike and Karen.
On the Brotherhood front, we had the now world famous Raftarrancho held this year in Kilmarnock in conjunction with the Solomons table. I had some hiccups trying to get there, with my alternator almost falling into the bilges after loosing the main bolt that secures it to the engine bloc. So, instead of sailing all the way to Annapolis to pick up my crew Brenda who was joining me for the event, I had to stop in Solomons and do the repairs. It was just as well since Brenda was stuck in Boston with flights cancelled due to storms and had to take a train back home. She drove to Solomons to join me there.
The raftarrancho was one of the largest so far. Twelve boats in the river, but several others in the marina on Thursday night.
Friday night, everybody went to the marina to enjoy the party. And Saturday, everybody sailed away, some back home, some for a short cruise on the way.
I did not have a lot of time to spend on the boat as I drove on the 29th to Savannah and meet Philippe again to sort out some admin matters and have a look with him at his itinerary to Norfolk from Savannah.
Then on July 1st, I drove to Asheville in North Carolina to participate in the 4th of July reunion of the group of brothers who live close to Black Mountains. I was delighted to meet again with so many old friends that I had not seen for a long time. A very enjoyable extended week-end.
Back in Portsmouth, it was back to work on the boat. This time, I had my new wind generator installed just in time to return to Rebel Marina on July 10th. Time now to get back on the bike and loose those unwanted pounds that I am carrying with me since I returned.

It's over, for now !

Very emotional finish ! I spent a quiet night at Tidewater marina while Gary joined the party in Norfolk. But I am not supposed to be in Norfolk until May 1st.
The next day, I had decided to leave at 11:15 in time to be at Lambert's point at noon, but I could not wait that long and as a result, we had to idle all the way to the coal pier. We then first met Orza, and then all the boats from the brotherhood that could make it, Bamboo, Cat Nap, Tardis, Blue Moon, and a little bit further away Talisman. Many cannon shots were fired, many shots of rum were fired too . . . .
Aboard those boats, there were brothers not only from the Chesapeake Bay, but our national captain from San Antonio, and brothers from Texas, Florida and Georgia. Such a warm and festive welcome was a little bit overwhelming for me, since in my mind, I had just completed a round trip to Sydney, Australia. A bigger deal if you called it circumnavigation !
At Rebel Marina, a slip decorated with yellow ribbons was waiting for me, together with a bigger crowd. And the party went on until late in the day. It feels so good to be back at a place that I now call home.
Next day, my table Captain, brother Cruz, offered to take us on a boat ride and lunch at Lynnhaven River. At 26 knots, it did not take as long as it would have Papy Jovial and in no time, we were sitting at a wonderful restaurant, over the Lynnhaven river for drinks and lunch, (which always includes desert for me !).
Tuesday was devoted to finding a set of wheels, and after an unsuccessful trip to Petersburg where I was hoping to buy a used Ford Focus Wagon, same as the one I had before my trip, I ended up buying a Jeep Patriot in Virginia Beach.
So, I am now mobile and independant, and settling down will be my next job. Moving all the stuff that I left in Portsmouth down here and start the long Wishlist to get Papy Jovial ready for her next trip.
I am very much aware that many people have followed my trip on this blog. I want all to know that it has remained throughout very comforting to know that I was not alone. There won't be as many entries in the few coming months, but I will keep the blog going sporadically until I am ready to make a decision regarding the next voyage.
A few numbers,
In a little less than two years (one year and 350 days), I covered 36,775 miles over the ground and 32,841 through the water (thanks to a generally favourable current). I used the engine 1,285 hours, many of those hours to get down from Norfolk to Jamaica and then through the Panama canal, and then, on the return trip, to sail up from the Bahamas to Norfolk.
I used my electric diesel generator 251 hours, and we used altogether, including in marinas, 5,337 gallons of water, which is an overall average of 7.46 gallons per day.

The penultimate leg

The wind, unfortunately, continued to be almost nonexistent for our last passage in open seas from Wrigthsville Beach to Morehead City and we motored all the way to the anchorage opposite de infamous "Sanitary" restaurant. We had dinner on Papy Jovial anyway for a quiet Easter Evening.
Monday morning, we left leisurely at 9 a.m. to avoid adverse current and we arrived in Oriental around 1 in the afternoon. Having put the boat in order, we went for a walk to look for the local supermarket, around a mile away. Having done the provisioning, we had drinks with local people at the Tiki Bar before a simple dinner at the marina's restaurant.
Next day, I was intended on walking and we made a first attempt to go south of the marina. We did not go even one block before an intense rain chased us back to the boat. We waited a little bit, and having decided that the sky had definitely cleared, we went north this time, and it did not even last half a block before a heavy downpour made us run back to Papy Jovial. The rest of the day, we kept busy doing nothing and reading a little.
I had been told that Thursday was going to be very windy and rainy, so I left on Wednesday trying to move as much as I could towards Norfolk, as time was becoming to be tighter and tighter. Luckily, I was able to use motor and sail to log what is probably my best run ever on the waterway, with 99 statute miles for the day. And we were very fortunate to be able to get an opening of the Alligator River bridge, knowing that it probably won't open on Thursday. We anchored in the Little Alligator River, thinking that we were going to be able to make a run for Columbia the next morning. Unfortunately, the wind kept blowing harder and harder, and we spent Thursday hunkered down with the wind gusting at 40 knots.
No more tourism ! Now the goal is to make sure that the elements won't prevent me from arriving in Norfolk on time. So on Friday, we left directly for Coinjock where we arrived early in the afternoon. My friend Mike (my riding buddy) joined us for dinner and to sail the last leg to Norfolk with me, as he had sailed the first leg to Coinjock with me on May 16th, 2009.
The bridges did their very best to try and scare me and make me think that we could still get stuck. A 400 cars coal train did its best to keep the Gilmerton bridge closed. But all that to no avail. We got to Tidewater Marina around 5, and I will spend the night INCOGNITO there, being now certain that nothing could make me be late for my own home welcoming party. Although, I still have 2.65 miles to go !

Wrightsville Beach

Another stop which will not be forgotten anytime soon. As it would be extremely difficult to find people as generous and hospitable as Tom and Barbara.
Tom was there, waiting for us as we arrived at Dockside, and helped us with the lines and with finding a diver to check on the shaft and especially the cutlass bearing after the crab pot incident.
We had lunch at the dockside bar and restaurant, which is a very lively place. In the afternoon, Tom drove us to Wilmington downtown and gave us a tour of the place. I must say, I had never seen Wilmington from that angle and it feels like I would like to return there with Papy Jovial.
Barbara joined us that evening and we had dinner at a fish house near Dockside. Generously, Tom left one of his cars with us so that we would be able to go shopping whenever we needed to.
On Friday, I wanted to do some work on the boat, just regular maintenance but that had to be done, like topping up the batteries with distilled water, changing the belt on the main engine as it shows signs of beginning to disintegrate, and other small chores.
Friday night, Barbara had cooked a wonderful dinner which we enjoyed at their place.
Saturday morning, Tom went with David to get his boat at Carolina Beach and was back mid-morning to show us Bradley Creek and then back to Dockside through Shinn Creek and the Motts Channel. We had lunch at Dockside, or to be more precise, on Tom's boat (Floundering around) with food provided by the Dockside restaurant. After lunch, little tour of the waterway up the Figure Eight bridge and some funny houses with a giraffe or a King Neptune in their front yard.
We then went back to Papy Jovial, gave some time to Tom and Barbara to go home and get ready for another great evening, this time a cookout in their yard.
Sunday morning, David got up at 5, drove himself to Tom's and then was driven to the airport to fly back home in Miami where he will be cooking the most part of a full turkey dinner. Tom and Barbara where by Papy Jovial at 6:30, and we left at 6:45 for Morehead city, going outside, Tom and Barb escorting us and taking some great pictures of Papy Jovial under sail against the rising sun.
This was a great conclusion of a great Easter Week-End with more than great friends.