Gale winds blow

• Gknopp's Profile
• About this blog
• Entry from Belhaven

Trip Start Dec 01, 2007 Previous
Entry Trip End May 31, 2008 Next
Entry

  Belhaven, North Carolina, United States
Tuesday, December 4, 2007

North Carolina---
 
So far, so good.  All was as scheduled....including the gale force winds.  We had hoped to leave Coinjock at daybreak, but the NOAA forecast called for gale force winds on the sound.  This meant winds 25-30kts with higher gusts and 2-4 foot seas.  The sound is only an hour and a half to cross, so we could have done it.  The issue was the swing bridge on the other side which we must get under to get out of the sound and into the alligator river. It will not open if winds gust over 35.  So, almost all of the 15 odd boats docked at Coinjock called a timeout. 
 
We boaters have a way of turning lemons into lemonade, so I spent the day busy.  We had some measure of internet connection (via my laptop air card), so I worked on bookkeeping and then worked in the engine room later in the day.  I was still worried about the dirty fuel issue.  A tank of bad fuel can cause problems ranging from the nuisance changing fuel filters to show stopper issues such as a locked engine.  First Forty carries a Gulf Coast fuel polishing system, but I had never really focused on its capabilities.  I would run it for a few hours now and then, but as I never had a big problem I never really thought about it much.  Now, with some symptoms of trouble, I did.  Later today I changed the big filter element and gave a call to the manufacturer who gave me some good guidance..."run it 24 hours a day for 3-4 days and you'll b'good" the southern sounding voice said on the phone.  As I found that the polishing systems has a  pump that operates at 30 gallons per hour and we have 500 gallons on boat (half tank) I got the idea.  We have now been running solid since.  More later.
 
So with another evening  tied to the dock, we also opted to force ourselves to split another one of those monster 36 oz prime rib dinners at the dockside restaurant.  I had heard of this restaurant from other cruises so we had to try it.  Trust me, there is nothing else going on in Coinjock North Carolina.   This is it!  What a sleeper.... a superb dinner with very good service...two nights of monster prime rib.  I'll double-down on the Lipitor tonight.  And with a bottle of Liberty School Cab, it was fabulous. 
 
I failed to mention in the prior post that Sue and I looked at a bigger boat while we were in Norfolk.  It was a 48' (make undisclosed).  How much bigger is a 48' from the 40' we have.   Ohhh...I would say 4 times more space.  This was a 1998 boat that the owner had bought new and taken it from Seattle to Alaska down through the Panama Canal and up to Virginia.  They had "been there, done that" and we ready to get out of boating.  This is a really big 48.  In fact, we were told it had the same interior volume as a Nordhavn 57... it's big.  Often boats that are that voluminous for the length sacrifice eye appeal.  This was no exception.  As I told Sue, "Its like a wife, you've gotta be able to look at her for a long time".   Fundamentally the boat had more space than we would ever use and is "a face only a mother could love".   We were not inspired enough to put nearly double what we have in First Forty into this vessel.  No go.
 
Tonight it was different.  We met a couple (two ladies) who had just bought a new Selene 48 ("Celebrate") and were with a delivery captain going down to Hilton Head.  They invited us to tour their bright, new vessel.   Wow... while the other boat was like looking at an over-inflated football, this vessel was more like looking at the folks you see on "dancing with the stars" (Marie excepted).  It more than passes the looks test.  Below, it had all the space we wanted, ideal space allocation, a great engine room and some of the finest joinery work I have ever seen at this price.  We were in love.  And as we were told by one of our friends who owns a Nordhavn 50, "unless you are planning on crossing the Atlantic, a Selene will be a great boat for you".  We will see.  We plan on looking at a 3 year old one in Ft Lauderdale later this month.  Ohh...then you have to pay for it.  That pesky little detail may just keep us in the First Forty...who knows.  We all have to have a dream.
 
Now, on with the cruise.  We finally left Coinjock NC at 0630...about a half hour before sun-up.  We hit Albemarle sound two hours later.  And, while it was blowing pretty hard with 3-4 foot seas the mighty First Forty took it in stride.  We broke waves and through spray the length of the boat, but the crossing was uneventful. 
 
We were trying hard not to have to anchor-out in the expected 35 degree low temps.  While we have heat, it runs on high power and would have to run the noisy generator to stay warm.  But this is noisy so we hoped to be plugged in and tied up safely at a marina.  I ran the calculation and it looked like we were not going to make it to the next spot before running out of daylight.  So we prepared for a night on the generator.  Then, I finally woke up the that the Intercoastal Waterway (ICW) is measured in statute miles while we measure our speed in Nautical mph.  This meant we could make it to Bellhaven marina by 5pm....just at sunset.  
 
During the day, it was blowing hard.  We pass a half a dozen sail boaters making trip south in open boats.  These intrepid, square jawed individuals were dressed in "foulies" and braving 20 degree wind chills.   One fellow was in no more than a 27 foot sailboat flying jib only crossing the sound.  I wondered if he was frozen solid as he never moved or looked over was he continued to break waves of 48 degree water as we passed his beam.   We love sailing, but when it's cold, we prefer to be inside our relatively warm wheelhouse.  We complained to each other that it never got about 63 degrees inside all day.  I guess when you get older, you complain more.  J
 
By 1630, we heard "Celebrate" contact the dockmaster at the marina we planned to go to.  They were told to back into a slip...."back in", I thought"..."Its blowing 20+ out there".   My last experience of docking in 20-30 kt winds was not one I want to remember or even explain here.  About 15 minutes later, I called "Celebrate" on the radio and they described their docking experience as "harrowing".  This was not a word, I wanted use in any way to describe my end-of-day experience.   Then, the lady captain suggested we go to another marina two miles back.  "Our captain said its well protected and its easy".   This was a no brainer for me.  We doubled back two miles and soon we glided easily next to the long wharf assisted by three dockhands....easy....power off...exhale.  We had made our goal.....its time to turn on the heater and open a beer.  
 
Even better was the fact that our fuel problems seem to have vanished.  Our Raycor vacuum gauge was perfect all day.  This was great news.  First Forty was back...no problems...running great.   I fell asleep in the salon by 1830...I was beat.  We slept like logs. 
 
 
   

Print this entry Share Cambridge hotels

Previous Entry Next Entry