Sunday, December 5, 2010

Day Four-Dec 5-Morehead City to Pawleys Island, SC

The days run yesterday was great.   We covered a lot of ground outside (in the Atlantic Ocean) which avoided a lot of the timed bridge openings along the way.  The boat and crew handled the 5 to 6 foot seas well.  We pulled into the Wacca Wache Marina about 4:15pm and secured the boat.   We plan to sit here until Monday morning as the weather forecast is for very breezy conditions and I do not want to venture out and risk crew safety or overtax the boat systems.   We have covered a lot of ground in the last three days more than I had anticipated.   So we are about a day ahead of my projected schedule.   All the more reason to take a lay day and rest up and clean the boat thoroughly.  

I will let the crew post their comments below.

Captain David


We departed Morehead City, NC (Point Lookout) at 7:30AM heading out to sea.  All weather forecasts were good.  We always check multiple sources:  NOAA buoys, Intellicast and Ocean Prediction Center.  Managed a 25kt speed as we set our course for Cape Fear, 90 miles SE of Pt. Lookout as the NC Coast curves away from the sea between those 2 points.  GORGEOUS day in the ocean!!  We were approximately 20-30nm (nautical miles) offshore with waves around 4-5' to start but then leveling out to 1-2' swells.  All the fishermen in the area out there with us were yakking on the VHF about what a beautiful day it was.  It really doesn't get any better than the conditions we had out there.

We arrived off Cape Fear around 11:30 and then set our course towards Little River Inlet at Calabash, NC (40nm).  The clouds started to thicken overhead and since we were only about 5-10nm offshore at Cape Fear, we were able to use our smart phones and check the forecast again.  Winds had been NNW and were expected to shift SW 15 late afternoon.  We would be tucked safe inside in the ICW before those winds and waves perked up.  Entered Little River around 12:30PM and made our way down "the ditch" towards Wacca Wache Marina.
TOYS' "Rooster Tailing" it Down "The Ditch"

Weather is expected to be perky tomorrow -- winds 15-20 -- so the Capt has decided to take a lay day (rest day) here.  I will depart the boat on Sunday afternoon for my return flight to BWI and back to the "daily grind".  It's been a fantastic trip on a fantastic boat!  I have full confidence that Capt Dave and Kelly will have a great finish to reach FLL.

First(& Last) Mate Beth

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