1992 Trip to Cape Lookout

This trip is based on Kay's logs and when directly quoted they are in (guess what) " ... ". My memories, imagined or otherwise, are in italics.

This trip was late getting started, and planned for an early end, because of the happy event of our daughter's, Dawn, wedding on August 29. We knew that we needed to return, at least, two weeks before then, but leaving on August 1 would give us plenty of time for a trip to Ocracoke (4) -> Beaufort (6) -> Cape Lookout (7) ->Beaufort -> Belhaven (8) and Back to Edenton (1). After all what could go wrong?

As an aside, I learned several things for Fathers in planning for a daughter's wedding:
  1. Don't - Your wife is much better at this
  2. It is only Monopoly money
  3. Don't even ask about that
  4. Don't get so distracted so that on the way to the wedding, you pass the airport where your parents are waiting, leaving them stranded. (Not a real good idea).
  5. Always say YES

Day 1: Edenton (1) to Pungo Canal (2)

"Left Edenton around 6:00 AM, on what promised to be a great day for a trip. The situation changed drastically as we passed under the (Albemarle Sound) bridge. Winds increased to 25 - 30 knots, sometimes on our nose. Very rough passage until we reached the Alligator River Bridge (9), and then we sailed under jib alone at about 6 knots, all the way up the Alligator River. We anchored for the night at Tuckahoe Point (2) - near the entrance to the Pungo-Alligator canal. Pleasant anchorage - slept well after being tossed around on the Albemarle."

Day 2: Alligator River (2) to Pamlico Sound (3)

We had a pleasant trip through the canal to the Pungo River, stopped at Belhaven (8) for Diesel Fuel and went on to Fistecue Point (3) at the mouth of the Pungo, where it enters Pamlico Sound.

Day 3: Pungo to Ocracoke (4)

"Left Fistecue Point under sail and headed up to Ocracoke. Winds died so we motor sailed - mostly motored. Saw the first Brown Pelican of the trip. Light winds, uneventful trip, tied up at the Anchorage Inn (4) in time for the rains to start. Did make it to the Back Porch for dinner."

Days 4&5: Ocracoke

"Learned that someone had tried to break into our house"
Hmm! I wonder if that could be what could go wrong?

"Things seem to be under control, so we will go on to Beaufort tomorrow."
Guess not!
Actually it was really pretty weird. We were on the boat when the Coast Guard came by, and told us that they had been contacted by a neighbor through the police. They told us our back door had been broken into. We contacted our Son, Chris, who at the time was in Sanford, NC, and asked him to check it out. He reported that the back door had been very carefully disassembled and there was no sign that anyone had been inside. He reassembled the door and that was the end of it. As I said - weird.

Day 6: Ocracoke (4) to Beaufort (6) via Adams Creek (5)

"Pamlico Sound threw everything at us - what a crossing. We were happy to see the Neuse (River). Sailed under jib alone all the way up the Neuse at between 6 - 7 knots. We anchored at Cedar Creek (5) (off Adams Creek), to tired to go on and sick of rain, waves, 30 knot winds, and 4 to 5 foot waves."

The Neuse River is connected to the Intracoastal waterway, running behind Shackleford Banks at Morehead City/Beaufort, via Adams Creek, then a short ditch section, and, then, the Newport River. I find the Newport River part to be on the daunting side with a twisting channel seemingly wandering through "open" waters.

Days 7&8: Beaufort (6)

We reached the Beaufort Town Docks at about Noon. Spent Friday shopping, and Saturday re-provisioning (getting LOTS of ice) for our trip to Cape Lookout the next day.

Days 9, 10 & 11: Cape Lookout (7)

"Pleasant sail to Cape Lookout, and only the second time on this trip we could pull out full sails."
The winds were 15+ knots from the NE which means from Beaufort to the Cape they are off shore. So plenty of winds - no waves - Perfect! Lucky it was not from the SW.
Now things do go wrong. NEXT
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