ICW
3 Days in the Outer Banks
November 5
Remember, remember the 5th of November, gunpowder, treason, and plot. I see no reason why gunpowder treason should ever be forgot!
I totally meant to do something for Guy Fawkes Day, but I thought today was November 4th, so a little bit of a problem there! (Guy Fawke's Day is a celebration observed in England which involves burning a "guy" and setting off fireworks while you freeze and get ash in your eyes. This serves as a reminder not to try to blow up Parliament like Guy Fawkes did. We burned him alive.)
We got up at 7:30AM to find everyone outside the river had already left. Sailors are very early risers and leave at dawn. When you are traveling at 5 knots and the days are short, you want to maximize mileage. We’re lazy bums first, people that live on a boat second, and people that will sail if conditions are perfect on 3 days a year.
We rejoined the ICW at 8:30AM and joined a slow moving retired Dothraki hoard of boaters headed south. The sailors stay on one side, while the power boaters roar past us, making radio calls and wakes. The sailors are angry about the wakes and point out their deep consternation on the radio. After all, we are on the ICW because we can’t handle wind and waves. Then the Coast Guard tells everyone “Shift your traffic. Channel 16 is for hailing and distress only.” We’re really just angry that the power boaters, who undoubtedly have heaters and all the toys will be in Miami tomorrow, and we’ll still be freezing after making good about 10 miles.
Most of the AIS dots headed on the ICW towards the Alligator River; whereas we headed towards Manteo, an Outer Banks town. We had great sailing all day and made it to the free dock at Manteo just in time for a delicious pulled pork sandwich. We walked to the Hardware Store, because we are addicted to walking to Hardware Stores. Matt is not on a sailing journey, but rather a trip to compare and contrast coastal hardware stores. A few other rebellious sailors rejected the ICW route and joined us in Manteo for the night. We were thrilled to meet Pura Vida, Instagram friends who we have been hopscotching with since MM0.
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| Independence at Manteo's free dock |
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| Manteo Lighthouse and anchorage |
November 6
We were up and out at first light in order to make 77 miles to our next anchorage on the south end of Pamlico Sound.
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| Heading out the Manteo channel |
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| Roanoke Sound |
After exiting the Roanoke Sound channel and getting back in Pamlico Sound, we cut the engines and raised the sails. We then realized we wouldn’t make our anchorage, so we changed course for a mid-Pamlico Sound anchorage. This would be 2 hours off our course and Ocracoke is only 1 hour off our course, so why not go to Ocracoke and have delicious Daijos pizza for dinner?
We took down the sails and motored to Ocracoke, making it in time to anchor before sunset and discover the sad news: Daijos is closed for the season. We nursed our deep sorrows over sundowners with Pura Vida and Hastings awarded himself their bean bag chair. I’m surprised he got back in the dinghy with us; obviously they wouldn’t be a continuous disappointment like we are!
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| Racing Pura Vida |
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| Is there anything more depressing than a "Good Food. Closed." sign? |
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| Sunset on Ocracoke |
November 7
A cold front passed through all night and high winds prevailed so we stayed put for a day, wandering around the town and whittling away the hours. In an act of extreme optimism, I bought a pair of sale shorts from the surf shop, which is still open because surfers are insane enough to surf in cold weather. I can barely sit on the toilet in cold weather.
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| Zillie's is such a welcoming place - and note the bikes the Ocracokers use to get around. |
Zillie's was still open and we enjoyed a local beer while downloading books and weather. At this point, we are still hopeful for an passage from Beaufort to Miami, hence the books, weather, and shorts.
What overly optimistic things do you to get through the dark cold winter?
7 comments
Another hysterical post. I can always count on your for a good chuckle over my morning coffee. Of course, when you're too funny, like the part about the hardware store, I end up snorting my coffee out of my nose. That's kind of gross and messy.
ReplyDeleteHaha! Thank you for the kind words. At least your nose gets warm! But since you're already in Florida, you probably don't need a warm nose.
DeleteI pretty much do the same thing (buy shorts on sale) but then wonder what I was thinking when July rolls around and I'm still wearing layers . . . but the scenery's good!
ReplyDeleteStephanie @ SV CAMBRIA
Hope springs eternal!
DeleteBeautiful skies! 77 miles in one day is very optimistic, especially in winter. Well, theoretically, it is still fall and I hope you make Florida by winter. :-) I hate short, cold days. They were awful on the ICW, way back when. Now, we try to avoid them. The best way to get through winter is to spend it in the tropics. The alternative? Wool blankets and fur slippers. And, lots of computer time. Or, trying California. :-)
ReplyDeleteFur slippers are my friends. I lived in Alaska way back when and for unknown reasons kept my thermals and fur slippers - and I'm glad! Honestly, the temps arent that bad - 40s and 50s, but it's the wind that really feels chilly! California sounds like a great plan!
DeleteGreetings from a fellow Brit and a Texan. We just found your blog and hope to bump into you someday.
ReplyDeleteMark and Cindy
sv Cream Puff