A Close Call with Irene

Although we had to motor most of the way, we reached the town of Oriental, NC late the next day. We quickly discovered why boaters are so high on the town. Just beyond the town dock sits the Provision Company. The clerk at the store started with an apology for not having more groceries and further went on to offer us their car to go to the store. This was all before we could explain that we didn't need to go to the store at all! But the Provision Company did have a sizable fleet of very nice loaner bikes. It was a pleasant way to see the town. (We did bike to the store, just to check it out.) But not only were they helpful in regards to bikes, cars and information, they have one of the most extensive inventory of boat parts. And not just the fluff stuff, I'm talking about stuff that traveling boaters really need. Like a replacement handle for our head. Who would of thought! The owner soon solved the mystery. He said he lives aboard his boat and he ‘knows' what you need.

It also happened to be Joyce's birthday and imagine that, there also happened to be a few good seafood restaurants in town. Thus we put budget constraints aside for the day and enjoyed a meal ashore.

From Oriental, the town of Beaufort, say ‘Bo-fert' is but a short 25 miles distant. Just below Cape Lookout, Beaufort is positioned at the cross-roads for many sailors. From Beaufort, many sailors jump offshore to the Carribean or Bahamas, or continue down the ICW as it runs just inside the coast. Beaufort is a historic town ideal for walking and reprovisioning. It's also very scenic and allowed us a view of wild horses grazing near the beach in Taylor Creek. We also saw dolphins jumping near our dinghy on the way back to our boat.

Beaufort is also the home of Joyce's friend Sally Anger who she met years ago while working at the National Agricultural Library, and had moved back home to Beaufort several years ago.

As we suspected the anchorage in Beaufort would be crowded and exposed, our intent was to go just beyond Beaufort and anchor in Spooners Creek. However, to do this, you must pass beneath the bridge connecting Beaufort and Morehead City. Well, in a gusty northwester, we sailed down passed the cut off for Beaufort and approached the bridge only to notice a the trawler Tropic Explorer that had passed us earlier anchored near the bridge. As his exposure to the wind and waves was terrible, we knew something had to be wrong. We called him on the VHF only to find out that he had anchored to await a barge was stuck between the bridge that would not be clear for at least several hours. Anchoring was not a good option for us at all so we needed a new plan. In order to keep going, we would have to backtrack several miles and take an alternate channel out near Beaufort inlet around the bridge. Or we could attempt the shoaling channel right into Beaufort. Either way would be a long trek into the teeth of the wind and waves. Much welcomed help arrived in the form of the local boat towing company called TowBoat/US. He had overheard our conversation with Tropic Explorer and came out from harbor to lead us through an unmarked channel into Beaufort. "Nobody knew about this," he says. With our knuckles white from holding the wheel as the depths shallowed, we soon arrived in Beaufort harbor and were reunited with our friends on Blue Moon.

Let us thank Sally and Jim for their hospitality making our stay in Beaufort a memorable experience. Anxious to entertain in their 100+ year old farmhouse, Sally whisked us away from the docks almost as soon as we had arrived. In addition to feeding us two wonderful meals, they lent us a car for errands, let us do laundry and generously extended the welcome mat to Walter and Christine on Blue Moon as well.

The trip south from Beaufort on the ICW takes you through the marine base of Camp LeJeune. Along one four mile stretch, the guide warns that you could be delayed or prevented from passing by practice firing from the base across the ICW. The guide expounds by saying that while they really can't stop you from proceeding, the marines are practice firing and some are not very good shots. They probably think that a sailboat would make a perfectly legitimate target! The popular anchorage along this stretch is in a dredged basin within Camp LeJeune. Not long after we anchored, a platoon launched about a dozen camouflaged inflatables and roared off right passed our boat. Each boat carried 5 or 6 marines crouched down in the inflatable. And they all were carrying guns! Later after dark, while helicopters pounded overhead, the marines returned. Sure glad we left the anchor light on.

It was at this point that we started getting a wee bit concerned about Hurricane Irene. She seemed to be acting flaky and was generally tracking our way. But we didn't get real concerned until we got to Carolina Beach. You see, the first person we met at Carolina Beach was the live- aboard missionary named David. One would think with his connections that he would be pretty safe from hurricanes. Well, obviously, he was being challenged in a most unusual way for David had been in not one but two different hurricanes just this year. A twister during Hurricane Floyd had yanked his boat from his four anchors and thrown him against the piers. He came on deck to assess the situation. But when he tried to return to the cabin, the wind was blowing so hard against the cabin door that he couldn't get it open. So now, he was stuck outside in the hurricane with his boat battering against the pilings. One look at his broken boat told the rest of the tale. David was a nice guy and all, but we didn't want to be anywhere near him during this next hurricane.

So the big question, where did we go? Well, we noticed all of the locals began taking their boats to a marina near where we were anchored. Okay, this must be the place to go. And as it turns out, it was. For only 10 dollars a night, we stayed in the marina that had survived both Floyd and Dennis completely unscathed. And we got darn lucky as in the last hours of approach right at Carolina Beach, Irene swerved out to the northeast. We didn't even see any gale force winds. And believe me, we didn't miss it at all.

So here we are at mile marker 295 waiting for the rain to end and our trip to resume. There are some things that we're already starting to love and hate about the ICW, which we intend to relate next time.

Kitty Update: The kitties have gotten used to the long days of motoring for the most part, although they don't like the rolling waves created from the large powerboats passing us by (nor do we). They have even found a new spot under the dodger enjoying the sunshine while underway!