Ships log Day 6, November 19, 2013

November 19, 2013

Mile 202- 6:55 am- Taking off from Beaufort, NC.

Today  I held the rope while Steve got out the Marina slip- he did a fabulous job even tho the current was pushing him back to the docks. Very smooth. We are following the “Live Wire” who has done this route many times. This stretch is very tricky as it has “shoals” (high areas of shifting sand and sand bars) everywhere. That is way it is so important to stay right on the ICW path that has been laid out- it is really easy to run aground if you get even a few feet off.

At 9:50 we all stopped –thought someone had run aground- everyone turned with their sides facing across the ICW and put the boats in neutral or very slow so you can still control your position and not run into any of the marshes and shoals.

It turned out there was a live firing range at the Marine Base at Camp Lejeune and traffic had to be stopped so they could keep practicing.  We have to wait here for an hour. Then we have a bridge to go under that opens on the hour and the half hour. We’ll see if we make it!!

It was good to have this break because while we wait for the gunfire to stop and Steve keeps the boat from going aground on the shoals, I get to use the hand pump to get the water out of the toilet that keeps filling up and soaking the carpet…..oh the glamour of the yachting life!!!!!

10:49- we are finally going on!! The Marines have stopped shooting so they gave us the go ahead- now we are hoping to get through the bridge before it closes!!! (Opens and closes on the hour and half hour.)

 Had to leave the group because Steve wanted to check something on the transmission. He even had to put on a wetsuit and jump overboard to look and see if anything caught on the propellers! The water here was freezing!!!! It took his breath away!!!!!!!!!!!!! Nothing caught so he went down to the hole and investigated and analyzed it looked like he just needed to change out the fluid- which he would at the next stop tomorrow at Wrightsville Beach. All those years operating heavy equipment paid off!

Even when you have an unexpected stop, life on a boat is beautiful!!