Ships log- Day 4 at sea- November 17, 2013

Ships log Day 5, November 18, 2013

Mile 187.0 Leaving the Oriental Marina.

Steve backed the boat out of the slip like a pro. It’s all coming back to him! Even got a “Good job” out of Capt Eric! Today Eric taught me how use to the Garmin Plotter to navigate; it will take a while before I really have it down, but I can do the basics. On the Intracoastal Waterway the plotter shows the route that you have to keep your boat in (white) and there is a little boat on the screen (us) and a magenta line in the middle. You have to keep it on that path. There are little red and green markers on the map and little warning dots that say “submerged piling” and such. It isn’t 100% accurate, so the most important tool is your vision- there was a time when the white line would have put us onshore! The ICW is a lane that is marked by red signs on posts (“Red Right Return”) that are on the right or starboard side and green on the left or Port side. That is unless you are at an inlet going to the ocean or an opening going into a river- in that case it is the opposite. You have to keep between the red and the green signs.

This is the “test” day for Steve with Eric only observing. Steve has been driving the boat with Eric stepping in and navigating, teaching Steve a refresher course on the rules of boating, navigation and electronics. He has been invaluable. Steve has driven boats before- from the time he was 11 he had a boat that he took fishing all by himself- out to Newport Harbor and then he would follow the chum line of the party boats as they went fishing along the coast to Dana Point- of course he wouldn’t tell his mom he went out on the ocean!!!

In the late 70’s and early 80’s we were members of the Lido Boat Club, took boating safety classes and used the boats there- sailing and power. The largest was 42’. This one is 53’ and a lot beefier. 

Beaufort Docks

Mile 202. We made it to Beaufort, NC (pronounced Bofort as opposed to the one in South Carolina, pronounce Bewfurt- can’t get them mixed up or the locals WILL correct you!

Beaufort NC is a darling town- apparently one of the biggest boating/sailing towns in the country. When we checked in the Beaufort Docks they help you dock, fill up the fuel (only 38 gallons!!) and buy you a beer!

I was really nervous for Steve- there was a strong current pushing him to the docks and they wanted him to BACK IN between two pilings that looked too small to fit between!!!! He had to figure out how to move the boat SIDEWAYS- and he did it perfectly...... what a guy!!!!!!!! Capt Eric was blown away!!!!!!!!!!!

Narrow dock- is calm now!!! Choppy before!

Send off to our wonderful Captain Eric- we can never thank you enough!!

  We will be following another couple to Wrightsville, NC tomorrow.   In a few days if the weather is good we will then run outside to bypass ICW in Georgia as we heard it was a mess...you travel 5 miles to make 1 mile of progress.  From Charleston, SC we will be able to make Amelia Island, Florida (120 miles).    Today we gave Eric a send off befitting a good captain as he headed to Idaho to see his father, who had a stroke- here's praying for a quick and complete recovery. 

So now the adventure begins...if we get lost we'll do like Captain Ron did "just pull over a ask for directions."