Last night's sail went smoothly enough. The winds were a little fresher than expected, requiring a 1:00 a.m. reef, but given the good progress, I wasn't complaining. Alana sailed 136 miles in 28 hours, averaging 4.8 knots. That number would have been better had yesterday morning not been glassy, but I'll take it.
I arrived at Breakwater Harbor, DE, a part of Harbor of Refuge around 11:00 this morning and discovered that there really is nothing here except a nice big anchorage and a ferry terminal. This harbor falls within a small gap between Cruising Guides, so I didn't really feel too stupid to discover this. I landed the dingy MacArthur-style on a local beach and waded ashore to get gasoline, buy ice and dispose of a bag of trash. Luckily, I found a gas station not too far away which sold block ice, so Alana's refrigerator is happy again. I'm finding that the vagabond lifestyle involves a lot of trudging.
Last night's sleep, which came in 15 minute increments regulated by a kitchen timer, really wasn't very restful. I tried taking a nap this afternoon with no success, so am banking on a good night's rest tonight. Tomorrow's sail will again call for an overnighter, there being no good stopping points between here and the Chesapeake Bay. Friday's weather is forecast to take a turn for the worse, so I need to make sure I can get to some place within Chess Bay by Thursday evening at the latest.
My decision to avoid stopping anywhere on the Jersey coast was validated last night. I got to listen to a 54-foot sail boat go aground in Barnegat Inlet, a place I had been assured could work for me if necessary, and hear a Coast Guard report of a 40-footer sinking in Little Egg Inlet. Staying awake most of the night stinks, but is far preferable to losing one's boat.
Alana is largely squared away for tomorrow's adventure. I'm going to go look at some charts and plan a route south before dinner.
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