From Plantation Country to Outer Banks

Since our last post from Charleston we have travelled over 400 miles and have stopped at the following locations:

• Georgetown, SC (anchorage)
• Cow House Creek, SC (anchorage)
• Carolina Beach, NC
• Moorehead City, NC
• Upper Dowry Creek, NC (anchorage)
• Manteo, NC

Our journey over the past week has taken us from the tropical low country and hot weather of South Carolina to the more temperate climate of the central east coast . The weather continues mostly sunny and warm and we have been fortunate to have only two periods of rain since leaving Stuart (both of which occurred in the evening). Our cruising days have been somewhat longer (generally 60 to 90 miles), but no less pleasant than before.

Unfortunately we lost our travelling companions John and Marsha Belford this week when John fell and badly broke his ankle while cleaning his vessel. We were able to help them get quick assistance from the Coast Guard and they have now returned to Ontario for John’s surgery and recuperation. We wish them all the best with the recovery and when they return to Kadadi to complete their Great Loop tour.

North Carolina introduced us to our first ‘open waters’ on Friday when we transited the long and wide Neuse River (part of Pamlico Sound for those of you checking your charts and maps). The winds were around 15 knots on the nose, with a 3′ moderate sea, and it was a good chance to test His Idea in less than calm conditions. To help keep it comfortable and maintain a fast cruise speed we quartered the waves by tacking back and forth up the sound. Although there was some slapping (waves on hull, not Admiral on Captain) and a bit of spray, overall we were pleased with how the vessel handled the conditions.

Friday was also notable because we were also stopped for a Coast Guard inspection shortly after we exited the Neuse River. In a narrow cut with nowhere to go the CG has a small base where they can stop virtually all boats travelling the ICW. Fortunately the Coasties were friendly (and young looking to us old folks – they all looked to be in their mid-twenties), and His Idea passed muster with flying colours.

Today we visited the Wright Brothers National Monument at Kill Devil Hills, located not far away on the Outer Banks. A fascinating place, the monument does a great job of illustrating the struggles and ultimate accomplishments of these aviation pioneers. We came away with a much greater appreciation for the challenges they faced, and the widely varied skills, innovative thinking, and detailed science they applied to achieve their dream.

As we transition from the ‘south’ to the ‘north’ we think the following pictures reflect the variety of terrain and locations we have experienced this week. More change will follow as we complete the ICW and enter the Chesapeake Bay region within the next few days.

Next stop likely somewhere on Chesapeake Bay.