2023: Carolina Beach NC

 11 April 2023

Depart: Southport dock at Provision Company Restaurant 11:10

Arrive: Yacht Club in Carolina Beach, NC (Private Dock) 12:45

Distance: ~ 12 nm

Conditions: Continued cold; in 40s during the night; 50s during the day

We waited until after 11:00 to leave Southport to get favorable current on the Cape Fear River. The looper boat "Rambling Rosie" had the same plan but left the restaurant docks about 30 minutes before we did as they travel at a slower speed than we do. We eventually caught up to them and passed them on the river.

Pictures taken while traveling Cape Fear River ...

Floyd J. Lupton - Ferry to Bald Head Island 

Sandy shores

Smoke in the distance

US Coast Guard boat

I took a few pictures after we exited Cape Fear River to  traverse Snow's Cut ...

People along the edge of Snow's Cut

I like this turquoise house because it is turquoise!

Clark talked to our Marlin Bay friends who keep their boat at the yacht club in Carolina Beach, and they invited us to use their slip since they have not arrived back from Florida yet. Our original plan was to take them up on the offer and stay one night. However, when another boater that keeps his boat at this yacht club (he was our neighbor in Marlin Bay last season -- not this one) heard we would be there, he told us to stay until the weekend so we could get together. With permission from the slip owner, we planned to do just that and settle in for a few nights. 

The trip from Southport was not even two hours long, so we arrived at Carolina Beach early in the afternoon. Folks at the marina came right over and grabbed our lines to help us dock and welcome us in. Everyone at the yacht club is extremely friendly. 

Views of the marina from land ...

 

After securing our lines and eating lunch, we decided to take our bicycles and go to Food Lion to pick up some supplies. We thought we would take the Carolina Beach Greenway to the store to avoid busy streets; however, the section we needed to travel was not paved, and after having my teeth practically jarred out of my mouth biking over rocks, I asked that we get off the trail and find a road. 

The yacht club is a relatively short bike ride to town and to stores for provisioning. There are no "big box" stores here. The West Marine that used to be here shows "Permanently Closed" on Google Maps. Besides Food Lion, they do have a Publix here as well as CVS and Walgreens.

12 April 2023

no boat travel

I decided to take advantage of the reprieve from daily travel and spend today relaxing. 

When we were in Vero Beach, I went to a gardening center with my friend Cathy and on a whim bought a jigsaw puzzle. I had no idea when I would find the time to do it, but I could not resist. I do love dogs, and when I saw close proximities of my friend Whatley and my old friend Callie depicted on the box, I had to buy it. As a child I had a mutt that was part beagle, so that helped motivate me as well. Only a collie was missing to make it perfect (a dog I had in my teens).

While Clark busied himself with cleaning the outside of the boat, I worked on my jigsaw puzzle. I had managed to find a bit of time previously to get started, but then had to package it all up to continue working on it another day. Today was that day. 

Finished puzzle

Clark got a late dinner because I finished around 7:00, but I got it done and then disassembled it immediately after taking the picture before starting to cook.

13 April 2023

no boat travel

I decided that since I accomplished only the jigsaw puzzle yesterday that today I should do some chores starting with a load of laundry. No sooner did I start the washer going than Becca from "Offshore Toy" stopped by to say she was going to Publix and asked if I wanted to come. I was disappointed on a number of items at Food Lion and immediately said yes to her invite and off we went. I knew the laundry would be waiting for me when I got back.

Well, of course, since I did not have to carry the groceries back to the boat on a bicycle, I bought way more than intended including rolls of paper towels, a package of napkins, and some canned goods that weigh down a backpack in a hurry. Publix frequently has special offers. On a bicycle I sometimes have to pass up on these because we can't carry them back. No such issue today, so I took advantage where it made sense. I staggered back to the boat with my arms full and aching!

Clark has a reputation of knowing a lot about boat wiring, batteries, and ground fault issues on boats. A member of MTOA posted on a forum that he had a ground fault issue with his boat, so Clark reached out to him to offer assistance diagnosing the issue. Clark spent most of the afternoon talking to this boater on the phone.

While he was occupied with this task, I pulled out my art supplies and a book that gives techniques for working with colored pencils. I decided to try reproducing some of the pictures in the book. The picture on the left is from the book. The one on the right is my rendition.

Woodpecker

Pear

Glass bird

My attempts at art kept me busy for the afternoon until just before sunset when I walked the garbage up to the dumpsters. On the way back to the boat, I grabbed a couple of sunset pictures.

14 April 2023

no boat travel

We had rain overnight, and we woke to dark clouds in the sky.

I decided to take advantage of being at dock to dye my hair. While I did that, Clark pulled out his guitar and played some tunes. 

The couple that graciously offered us the use of their slip at the yacht club recommended that we try the Nauti Dog for lunch, so we pulled out our bicycles after the sun came out from behind the clouds and rode there.

The menu consisted of more ways to prepare a hot dog than I ever could have imagined. Clark ordered the Chicago Dog, but I, ironically, went for the chicken salad sandwich. Clark's conversation with the MTOA member from yesterday continued on to today. Even though I told Clark that he needed to focus his attention on me, he just could not do it. 

After ordering our food, he kept sneaking peaks at his cellphone text messages. At one point I threatened to take his phone away like an errant teenager. He ignored me. Just as the food was being brought out of the kitchen, he took a phone call from the boater and disappeared out the door to somewhere quieter where he could hear and talk. After eating half my lunch without him, I went out to look for him and signaled him that he should come in to eat. As soon as he had eaten, he left to go outside again telling me to pay the check as he went!

After lunch, we walked along the boardwalk where I grabbed a few pictures of the beach and surf.

I spied a place and decided that I would get a gelato for dessert and left Clark still talking on the phone.

While I ate my gelato, we sat on a swing together to observe the scenery. All the while Clark had his phone to his ear. 

This fellow came and sat with me while I had 
my dessert.

After I enjoyed my treat, I walked around and got some more pictures along the boardwalk.

Changing a lightbulb

Besides lunch, our objective for our outing was to go to a store to buy Clark boat shoes. The soles of his current pair have turned hard and slippery which is extremely dangerous on a boat. We left the boardwalk and headed to a store recommended by Becca to look for boat shoes. Along the way we passed by Publix. Clark asked me if I needed anything, and even though I loaded myself down yesterday, I did have one thing I wanted to pick up. 

I only had one thing to get, so I was in the store and out again in a flash. Instead of finding Clark ready to move on to the shoe store, I found him yet again on the phone.

Clark outside Publix

Having rushed in and out of Publix in such a rush, I was dismayed to find myself standing around outside the store watching Clark talk on  the phone. As I wondered just how long I would have to stand there, I spied a sign in the distance advertising the entrance to a Civil War park.  I told Clark that I was going exploring and left him at Publix.

Preserved earthworks

As I walked my bike through the park reading the signs describing the earthworks used by the Confederate troops to defend the Wilmington area, I got a text from Clark saying he was "done". I told him to come find me in the park, so I could finish my sightseeing.

Finally, we were on our way to the store that we hoped would sell boat shoes.

We were in luck, and although it took him forever to make a decision, Clark found not one but two pairs of boat shoes to bring home. He wanted Dr. Scholl's inserts for them, so we crossed the street to CVS. As he did at Publix, he waited with the bikes while I ran in to get the inserts. Once again, I was in and out in a flash. Once again, I came out to find Clark texting on the phone. 

While I waited, he got a text from the MTOA boater saying that Clark is incredible because he had diagnosed and talked the boater through fixing his ground fault problem remotely. I thought that would be the end of it, but the next thing I knew Clark was back talking on the phone with some follow-up input.

I managed to get him off the phone long enough to bike back to the boat where he resumed his discussion. Eventually, I heard him say "pay it forward" to the thankful recipient of his full attention for the past two days.

15 April 2023

Depart: Yacht Club in Carolina Beach, NC 6:55 p.m.

Arrive: anchorage at Masonboro Inlet 8:20 p.m.

Distance: ~ 9 nm

Conditions: Sunny, 70s, Perfect weather

We had heavy rain about 5:00 a.m. this morning. It woke me as it sounded like a torrential downpour. I wandered the boat checking windows, port holes, and hatches to be sure they were all closed. Although he said he heard the rain, Clark's heavy breathing indicated that he was sleeping through the racket when I did my walkabout.

Tres, the boater we stayed at Carolina Beach to see, arrived at the marina late yesterday. We walked over to his boat this morning to say hello and chat. Unfortunately his wife, Mary, could not come as well due to family obligations. As we talked, it was decided that we would go out for dinner together this evening before we left Carolina Beach for our next destination.

Once back on our boat, we decided we would prepare for departure this afternoon, so we could make a quick getaway after dinner. Clark disconnected the power, took off unnecessary lines, and did trip planning - checking the weather, tides, etc. I gathered up the garbage, vacuumed the boat, and did other miscellaneous chores. 

At 5:00 we walked over to "Cuda" to collect Tres, his son, and his son's friends to go for dinner. Tres selected a restaurant called "Stoked" as our destination and drove us there in his truck. Clark ordered Mahi mahi and I ordered grouper for dinner.

We had hoped to throw off our lines around 6:00, but we did not leave the restaurant until well after 6:00. We finally said goodbye to Tres and the yacht club at almost 7:00. Our trip to tonight's anchorage turned into a sunset cruise. Fortunately, we had a short distance to travel and the current with us.

We had enough light to find a spot to drop our anchor. However, as we dropped anchor, I needed a flashlight to see the anchor line length markings. We are well positioned for quick access to the ocean in the morning for our next destination - Beaufort, NC.