Nov 15/16: Morehead City to Bald Head Island

I left Morehead City this morning, a couple hours later than expected. It took forever for the current to switch and the fog to lift, but once they eventually did, I wasted no time getting back out to sea. There was a healthy 10-knot breeze this morning, but it has since dropped to 5 or less. Damn it, I should have just dealt with some sloppy seas yesterday. At least I’d have some good wind now.

The autopilot, I’m sorry to report, is still acting up. It does OK for a while, but then goes through periods of rebellion. So far I’ve resisted the strong temptation to smash it to pieces with a winch handle, but I’m not sure how long I can maintain my current level of restraint. The autopilot really is a key piece of equipment, particularly when sailing alone. It probably isn’t absolutely essential, but it’s very close. I shall have to make a concerted effort to whip it into shape once I get to Bald Head Island tomorrow.

The need to stay close to the wheel has curtailed my culinary plans. There has not been sufficient time to assemble fancy sandwiches, so I enjoyed a box of the tasty soup Mom sent down with Dad for lunch and will be having leftover chicken and rice for dinner.

Monday. dawned with an escort of porpoises (dolphins?) shepherding Alana safely across Frying pan Shoals, the extensive area of shoals that extends south of Cape Fear, adding about 30 miles to an approach from the east. I drifted off the cape, awaiting slack water, then headed up the river at around 1:00 p.m., finding that the recent rains were providing plenty of flow, regardless of the state of tide. To get into Bald Island Marina, Alana had to make a 90 degree starboard turn across the current and enter a narrow cut leading to the basin. After coordinating with a ferry and a dredge, we went for it, and using 90% of available power and about a 40% crab angle, we made it. This was not a maneuver for the faint of heart, and could easily have gone wrong. Thank goodness it didn't.

Bald Island is a golf cart community. Thing are starting to slow for the winter, so I was able to get a reasonably priced slip. I got 3 loads of laundry done (the primary reason for the visit), but found no real grocery store. I got the essentials taken care of: laundry, fuel and water, so will just "rough it" food-wise for the next few days. The pan is to depart late tomorrow morning after what I hope will be successful autopilot repairs, then head down the coast as far as I can go over the next few days of favorable weather. I'll make it further if the autopilot get fixed, but barring that, I'll just look for opportunities to rest as they come along.