Jan-Mar

Jan 1
0930 Engine Hours 2152.6. Trip 308.50 nm, Wind 13.8 kts, Cloudy and 38°
Left Beaufort City Docks. Beaufort City Bridge now opens on the hour and half hour rather than every 20 minutes as before. Had to anchor and wait on the bridge.

1000 Passed through Beaufort City Bridge.

1038 Alternator belt was slipping as we passed through the bridge, stopped to tighten it, but it was to the end of it's adjustment. I had to replace the belt.

1050 Read the channel markers wrong and ran aground just before G35 - called TowBoat US to be pulled off.

1115 Under way again. The wind had just pushed us off the bottom when TowBoat US showed up. Still had to do the paper work and Boat US still got charged for $150.

1201 N 34º 49.513' W076º 41.477' SOG 7.8 kts, COG 002ºT, wind 13.0 kts N , Trip 321.50 nm

1208 Mile Marker 195. Trip 322.40 nm. SOG 8.0 kts.

1239 Mile Marker 190. Trip 327.70 nm. SOG 7.9 kts.

1304 N 34º 56.732' W076º 39.888' SOG 7.5 kts, COG 309ºT, 3000 RPM, wind 6.7 kts W , Trip 332.00 nm

1400 Back at Pecan Grove Marina. Engine Hours 2152.6. Trip 340.00 nm Log 522.2 nm NOTE THE ENGINE HOUR METER HAS NOT CHANGED. Estimated Engine Hours 2157

January 7

1255 Started the engine and cast off to go down to the pump out station. Had barely gotten out of the slip when the engine died. The wind was favorable and pushed me down to the pump out station. I decided to replace all the old fuel tubing and fix the fuel/water separator. Three hours later and I was ready to purge the fuel system. An hour later I had not been able to purge the fuel system - seems I was out of fuel! Talk about feeling stupid.

March 8
1153 Engine hours 2157.1 SOG 6.9 Kts Trip 0 Wind 12 Kts SE
The cats and I are headed for an overnight trip to Cape Lookout

1300 N34º 55.530' W076º 39.389', SOG 7.0 Kts, COG 206ºT, Wind 10 Kts SE, Trip 9.7 NM, 2500 RPM
Cruising down Adams Creek

1400 N34º47.921' W076º41.208', SOG 7.5 Kts, COG 174ºT, 2700 RPM, Wind 10.0 Kts SE
Just exiting the "ditch" into Core Creek

1600 N34º 40.511' W076º 39.321'. SOG 6.3 Kts, COG 111ºT, 2600 RPM, Trip 34.0 NM, Partly Cloudy, Wind 9.2 Kts E
I stopped in Morehead City at Dockside Marina and walked to Sanitary Fish Market to get some shrimp and squid as bait for fishing. I am currently in the ocean headed for Cape Lookout. Waves are ~4 feet and 8 seconds apart I saw a broad bright rainbow going to the ground past Cape Lookout.

1707 N34º 37.579' W076º 32.910', Trip 42.7 NM, LOG 1236.5 NM Engine Hours 2162.85
Arrived at Cape Lookout.

March 9
1032 I am getting ready to raise the anchors and head back to Oriental. Trip 0.0 NM

1300 N34º 41.703' W076º 40.198', SOG 7.1 Kts, COG 340ºT, Wind 9.5 Kts W, Trip 10.90 NM
I sailed from Cape Lookout to the channel to Morehead City. Wind started 15 Kts and faded to 9 Kts at the channel. The swells have built to about 10 feet as I entered the channel, so I started motoring. I trolled most of the way with squid and a silver spoon - no luck however. Clouds have been slowly forming as the progressed.

1405 N34º 48.181' W076º 41.183', SOG 6.5 Kts, COG 004ºT, Wind 14.3 Kts N, Trip 20.00 NM, 2500 RPM
Just passing Jarrett Bay Boat Works. Light sprinkle.

1500 N34º 53.549' W076º 41.172', SOG 6.7 Kts, COG 004ºT, 2500 RPM, Wind 7.5 Kts N, Trip 28.00
Just entering Adams Creek. Sunny & Warm.

1605 N34º 59.655' W076º 41.506', SOG 7.6 Kts, COG 002ºT, 3000 RPM, Wind 13.1 Kts N, Trip 38.30 NM
Crossing the Neuse River for Oriental channel.

1630 Arrived Pecan Grove Marina. Trip 41.30 NM, LOG 1299.3 NM, Engine Hours 2168.85
Engine Hour meter has died - replaced with a new one. Need to add the 2168.85 hours to get total known hours.

March 15
0940 Engine Hours 0.1 (new meter), Trip 0.0, Log 1299.3 NM, Wind 1.8 Kts W
Beautiful day, slight fog, upper 60's. Justin and I are headed to Ocracoke.

1100 N35º03.736' W076º33.816', SOG 7.1 Kts, COG 062ºT, Wind 3.00 Kts E, Engine Hours 1.4, Trip 9.63 NM, Engine 2500 RPM

1142 Passing Neuse River entrance, Trip 16.00 NM

1202 N35º07.041' W076º25.827', SOG 7.2 Kts, COG 081ºT, Wind 2.0 Kts E, 2500 RPM, Trip 19.23 NM

1238 Wind picked up to 8-10 Kts so we raised all sails. SOG 5.0 Kts

1304 N35º07.642' W076º19.012', SOG 6.3 Kts, COG 083ºT, Wind 14.3 Kts SE, Trip 26.33 NM
Cruising nicely with all sails up - closed hauled

1405 N35º09.312' W076º11.479', SOG 6.8 Kts, COG 074ºT, Wind 15.5 Kts SE, Trip 34.43 NM
Still under full sail

1500 N35º10.088' W076º04.305', SOG 7.2 Kts, COG 097ºT, Wind 13.7 Kts S, Trip 42.03 NM
Under 3 NM to Big Foot Slough Channel

1600 Docked at Anchorage Marina. Trip 49.83 NM, Log 1349.9 NM, Engine Hours 3.4 N35º06.866' W 076º59.084'

March 17
0825 SOG 6.7 Kts, COG 339ºT, Wind 25.2 Kts N, Engine 2500 RPM
The wind switched from the SE to the NE overnight. Steady at 20-25 Kts. We blew right off the end of B Dock as we left and are headed out Big Foot Slough.

0910 N35º09.662' W076º02.592, SOG 7.0 Kts, COG 277ºT, Wind 22.1 Kts N, 2500 RPM
We are rolling with waves coming at us from the starboard side. Made contact with Aussie Cat looking for a 27' mono hull :Sea Dog. A few minutes after out contact, Sea Dog was raised and was doing OK.

1000 N35º09.992' W076º08.872', SOG 7.2 Kts, COG 252ºT, Wind 19..6 Kts N, Trip 63.23 NM
We unfurled about 50% of the Genoa shortly after the last entry - it helped to ease the rocking of the boat in the swells. After turning at the mark we extended the Genoa to 100%. The waves are now off our starboard stern causing some rolling - mostly just wallowing as the waves pass us.

1110 N35º07.756' W076º17.768' SOG 5.0 Kts, COG 259ºT, Wind 17.1 Kts N, Trip 73.23 NM
Just turned at Branti Shoals. We have been catching up with Sea Dog, which apparently is taking a course inside the Neuse River Entrance marker. Justin has gone below to take a nap.

1209 N35º07.116' W076º25.052' SOG 5.5 Kts, COG 261ºT, Wind 13.2 Kts N, Trip 81.13 NM
3 NM from the entrance marker to the Neuse River. Sea Dog took a more southerly route that seemed aimed for Cedar Island.

1309 N35º06.032' W076º29.908', SOG 3.8 Kts, COG 229ºT, Trip 86.83 NM
We have entered the Neuse River and are sailing wing & wing with main and Genoa.

1400 N35º03.952' W076º33.518', SOG 6.3 Kts, COG 233ºT, Wind 9.4 Kts W Trip 92.73 NM, Engine 2500 RPM
We are .42 NM from Gum Thicket Shoal. We sailed for about 10 minutes before firing up the engine. Boat speed was down to ~2.5 Kts. It has just started raining.

1519 Arrived at Pecan Grove Marina. Engine Hours 6.4, Trip 104.03 NM, Log 732.5 + 627.7 = 1360.2 NM

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