Sunday, May 9, 2010

Cape Fear, Not

Beaufort, NC - We left Charleston May 5 after a day of rain. The weather called for south wind 10-15k so we thought we'd have a good shot at the place they call Cape Fear. And we did, but we motored for all but an hour of the overnighter to Beaufort, NC. As we rounded Cape Fear around 3 a.m., the sea was as calm as a mill pond and we even crossed the Frying Pan shoal off the cape.

Bo-fort, NC

At sunrise on the second day, Steve took this picture of a big thunderpooper that included lightening. He said he thought he'd have to call me up on deck to reef the mainsail, but thankfully, the cloud moved away from us.
Off Cape Fear

As we entered the channel to Beaufort, I saw a couple very large fish, like killer whale types, and one that could've been a large shark. But maybe it was a dolphin. Fishing is big here and fish boats were powering past us in the narrow entrance channel. Lots of pictures fishtales in the bars and restaurants in town.

We've been following the Intracoastal Waterway (ICW) but Litha's mast is a little too tall to pass beneath some of the bridges, so it's out of bounds for us. However, there are lots of boats around that seem to be going that way.

History
Beaufort is a historic town with a nice boardwalk, small folksy marinas, and barrier islands where wild ponies roam. There are concessions for deep-sea fishing and adventure sails. When we were on our way here with the waves just six feet away, I never thought of our trip in those terms.
Beaufort's Ponies
Litha travels the same water, but every port we enter has a different flavor. Now, on the U.S. east coast, we're seeing lots of historical buildings proudly displaying plaques saying "Built in 1817," etc. We are spending several days here waiting for a cold front to pass before rounding Cape Hatteras. Grits are on the menu at the cafe ashore.
Death among the live oaks in Beaufort, NC
A smooth sea will never teach us how best to sail the boat.