ICW
Northbound: Wrightsville Beach, NC to Cape Lookout, NC
Up at first light (5:30!!) to ready the boat and head out Masonboro Inlet. This is the best inlet so far, close to the anchorage, easy to navigate and it puts you straight into the ocean. No hours spent dawdling in a channel.
We’re headed 70 miles to Cape Lookout, a few miles east of the Beaufort Inlet. Cape Lookout, a National Seashore, is the south/western point of the Outer Banks and is accessible only by private boat or National Park Service ferry.
The ocean route allows us to skip a number of bridges that only open once an hour (we’d be guaranteed to wait 55 minutes at each one) as well as a number of shallow areas. It’s also going to get us to an anchorage that claims beaches, a lighthouse, dolphins, sea turtles and wild horses. Sounds pretty good, right?
The ocean route allows us to skip a number of bridges that only open once an hour (we’d be guaranteed to wait 55 minutes at each one) as well as a number of shallow areas. It’s also going to get us to an anchorage that claims beaches, a lighthouse, dolphins, sea turtles and wild horses. Sounds pretty good, right?
 |
| Hastings is not a morning dog, nor is he good at his "keeping the lines tidy" job! |
We started off motor-sailing with 3 knot winds and ended up taking down the jib and reefing the main in 26 knots. We had a good day sailing and it was nice to be back in the ocean with our dolphin friends who never fail us.
We joined one other cruising boat in the anchorage and walked the beach. Heaven! It was low tide, sunset, with tidal pools and 100,000 shells. Perfect! It’s lovely to be in blue water as opposed to the brown water we have had since leaving Miami. We’re going to stay for a few days to explore the beaches and lighthouse. What larks!
 |
| Sailboats have sails tucked away! Who knew - I thought we were just a power boat with a lightning rod! |
 |
| Cape Lookout Beach |
 |
| Shells! Lots of shells! |
 |
| Quiet anchorage at Cape Lookout |
4 comments
I love that picture of Hastings :-)
ReplyDeleteHe's so cute.... and he is not a morning dog!
DeleteIt looks very pretty there. A much better beach and nicer place than the previous experience. No one said Hastings was a sailor, right? He is probably wondering why he is getting covered with lines...
ReplyDeleteHe says - first they get me up at 5:30AM, then they throw lines on my head while I try and sleep! What's wrong with them!
Delete