I Have Pulled the Trigger !

[Vasco]

Don,

Lots of anchorages on the route. You missed two just before you enter the AP canal, also there's one just at the other end of the canal. Marinas will take all your money. Better get used to anchoring. Even in Bellhaven, just go in past the breakwater and lots of room to anchor.

[Don1500]

We had gale winds for the past two days (Well, yesterday, but they said two days so I paid for two days.) We depart tomorrow AM. I say WE because I have met up again with Tim & Family on Dominion out of Nahant, Mass. I will be going to either Oriental City Dock or Back River to anchor. This time I have the anchorages plotted.

Tim came over today and helped me get my HVAC unit working, it would not pump water. We found a blockage in the water line from the pump to the unit. Cleaned it out and now it works great. It's good to be warm! But if I anchor I have no heat. My inverter will only handle 800 watts. I could run the Honda all night and use the heat pump, but I don't think I will. River Dunes Marina is $1.00 a foot so I may stay there.

[Vasco]

Buy a small coleman propane heater. works great. about $30

[malbert73]

Don, is there a website for your blog so I can follow? I am landlocked for winter in MD and wish I was heading south, and enjoy living vicariously through your travels....

[Don1500]

Originally Posted by malbert73

Don, is there a website for your blog so I can follow? I am landlocked for winter in MD and wish I was heading south, and enjoy living vicariously through your travels....

It's in my signature. ( http://theroamingnomad.com/RoamingBlog )

I am now in Beaufort, Jarrett Bay Marina. Just a tie up at the long dock beside the ICW, No protection but it was a quiet night anyway. They claim a ships store, don't believe them, nothing there.

The trip yesterday from River Dunes was fun, for a while, then the wind came up. It shifted from SSW to S and then SSE and started to blow at 20-25 knts. All this as I am starting thru the channels to the Adams Creek Canal. Fought those winds till I entered the canal proper. It was easy from there. I got a late start so it was just sunset when I got to Jarrett Bay.

[Don1500]

From Swansboro I was to meet some friends in Sneeds Ferry. I got there only to learn that they would meet me in Wrightsville, it was a free night (The marina didn’t charge me!) so I stayed. It wasn’t much of a marina and I was tied to the Fuel dock right on the ICW. All night I was worried because the depth was rather iffy. But I got away easily in the morning.

I got away early the next morning and had a pleasant day down to Writesville Beach. I met my friends, fellow high school grads. We had dinner and talked until the restaurant was ready to close. (This is North Carolina so that was 8PM). The slip here was also on the fuel dock but the area is a no wake zone, it was deeper and a much more comfortable night.

I am in St. James Plantation Marina, about 10 miles past Southport, NC, just South (west?) of Cape Fear. To get here I had to pass from the Ocean Bays to the Cape Fear River. You do that through a pass cut in a large hill. The full 3 knots of river current runs right in your face going through the cut, and it’s narrow. Lucky the channel is most of the width of the cut and it’s deep (>24′). Once out of the cut and into the river that three knots of current is now with you, I hit 9.5 knots over the ground (6.4 over the water) Then you make a turn out of the river and back into the barrier water, and the current is once again against you. It’s like I’m going up hill almost all the time. Rain today so I’m staying here.

[Hudson Force]

You keep coming closer to those of us here in North Florida! We're heading south to the Keys from Jacksonville on the 23rd. Maybe we'll see you on the water.

[JayCall]

Don-am enjoying your trip out here in the PNW. You are now in my old stomping grounds, Brunswick County, NC. I lived down there for about 15 years. Great place. When you get to Little River, SC, just over the state line, some really good seafood restaurants. Once you get into SC, you won't find many anchorages until you get all the way down the the Waccamaw River. Then, plenty all the way to Charleston. Beautiful trip down the Waccamaw. In North Myrtle Beach, Lightkeeper's Marina is a pretty decent place to stay.

Good lcuk on the rest of the trip!

[Don1500]

Getting a bit windy here, SCW are out for 25-30 mph winds. I am waiting for the tide since it is only about 1 hour away. The wind is worrisome, If it is still blowing then I may stay another day. I know I'm chicken but I don't need extra problems since I am alone.

This marina (St. James Plantation) is a nice, clean, well maintained marina, good amenities, and good people, but it is in the middle of NOWHERE! I need a new VHF radio to mount in the cockpit and the nearest place to get what I want (West Marine VHF580) is in Wilmington, 40 miles away! And, unlike River Dunes, this place couldn't care less that I can't get there, they said they could call a taxi for me. I guess I'll have to wait till Myrtle Beach.

[Sailor g]

Originally Posted by Don1500

Getting a bit windy here, SCW are out for 25-30 mph winds. I am waiting for the tide since it is only about 1 hour away. The wind is worrisome, If it is still blowing then I may stay another day. I know I'm chicken but I don't need extra problems since I am alone.

This marina (St. James Plantation) is a nice, clean, well maintained marina, good amenities, and good people, but it is in the middle of NOWHERE! I need a new VHF radio to mount in the cockpit and the nearest place to get what I want (West
Marine VHF580) is in Wilmington, 40 miles away! And, unlike River Dunes, this place couldn't care less that I can't get there, they said they could call a taxi for me. I guess I'll have to wait till Myrtle Beach.

What you are in my book is SMART! There is no reason to go in winds like that-especially when you are alone. I've never done the ICW but I imagine you need to stay on your toes. No sense taking chances & getting your boat damaged, you hurt or at minimum, exhausted & frazzled. And you can't even make a VHF call from cockpit. Instead- have a good sleep, tomorrow another day!

[River Cruiser]

I would order the VHF & have it shipped to the next marina I plan on staying at allowing for shipping time or over night it. Enjoying reading your post as I freeze away in the Midwest, a couple more months & back to the river.

[Don1500]

My next stop has a West Marine within a mile so no problem.

[tropicalescape]

Originally Posted by Don1500

My next stop has a West Marine within a mile so no problem.

Try the oysters before you get farther south..Stumpy Point, they are the best in the world a bit muddy but just popum open and suckum down..yum...now I want some...good luck DVC

[Don1500]

Finally got the wifi extender working! And I have found a hot spot that works well. The marina hot spot is barely visible even with the extender. They say there is nothing wrong, but there is.

[Don1500]

Sittin', waitin', low tide, 0.9 feet below my keel, I will wait for the tide to come in before I leave today.