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Disappointment

I have a few reasons to feel disappointed today. For the purposes of this blog, though, I will limit my discussion to reasons related to Breeze On and our trip.  We left Homer Smith Docks and Marina at 5:45 this morning with a plan to go to Brunswick, GA. About an hour after leaving the dock we had enough wind to raise the mainsail. As the sail was going up the engine alarm went off. That was the first time that had ever happened and we weren’t initially sure what it was. When we checked the display on the engine controls it said the temperature was too high. We turned the engine off and sailed at a very low speed in light wind for a time while we discussed a plan. A short time later we turned around toward Beaufort and George called Tow Boat US. We are now back at Homer Smith, but in a different slip. We are very grateful to Dan, the dockmaster, for finding a slip for us at this very busy time of year. We had tried other marinas that have mechanics on site but they did not have room f
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Recent posts

Oops

The other day I was attempting to clean a mildewed bottle brush with a little bit of bleach. I must have splashed a little on a new shirt that I had recently made. I happen to like this top so I was disappointed to see a few tiny white spots a little while later.  George suggested I paint the shirt, so today—while we were out running errands in the courtesy car—we bought some fabric paint at the dollar store. I painted a swoop of tiny white dots that I hope will look like they belong there.  We are planning to leave here on Wednesday and go to Brunswick, GA. The forecast for the Bahamas area is too uncertain (potential tropical storms) for our tastes so we aren’t even considering going directly there from here.  My shirt with its new design.  Shrimp boats across the creek.  Tonight’s sunset. 
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Tourists

Our day started with a visit to the farmers market where we purchased vegetables and a basket made from cotton clothesline. Next we walked to the Beaufort Historic Site where we purchased tickets for a tour on an authentic double decker bus (built in England in 1967.)  Although the weather was cool and blustery we thoroughly enjoyed the informative tour.  Our bus. It recently had a “new” (old) transmission installed. Nevertheless, whenever the driver had to back up to turn around, he had to turn the engine off and restart it to go in forward again. He did an amazing job driving around the narrow, crowded streets of Beaufort.  Our guide, Fritzy, starting the tour. She was a font of information.  The Old Burying Ground—it is actually a cemetery since it was not limited to just members of the nearby church. There decorated grave is that of the young daughter of a captain Sloos. He had sailed with her to England for a visit and promised his wife he would bring her back. After she died on t
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Not Yet

Our plan was to leave Beaufort for Brunswick tomorrow morning but, after checking the forecast this morning, we decided it was better to wait until next week.  George finished the through hull job yesterday by re-connecting the hoses to the through hulls. We used the courtesy car to visit the marine store once again and buy more through hulls. The plan is to eventually replace the remaining above-the-water-line through hulls.  This evening we had dinner at the Black Sheep restaurant with Marla and Tommy, a couple we met here at the marina. After dinner we visited Beaufort’s Day of the Dead celebration. It was interesting and fun. As we entered we saw people in costume and several decorated tables filled with photographs of loved ones who had passed. A large band was playing while some couples danced to the music.  Photos from the Day of the Dead celebration
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Silver Lining

Our reservation to stay at Homer Smith Docks and Marina in Beaufort, NC was for seven days. Prior to leaving Cape Charles we had checked the forecast and it appeared that we would have unfavorable winds and seas for at least a week. Since we wanted to secure a spot in the marina we made the reservation for a week. When Dan, the dock master, confirmed that our non-refundable reservation was for seven days I thought, “Seven days—that’s a long time!” When we are living on the boat we like to move on after about four days. Even though we love Beaufort we would likely get antsy before the week was over. I started making plans for activities we could do to entertain ourselves—a boat tour to one of the barrier islands, a ride on a double decker bus. Well, as it turns out I needn’t have worried. When George was looking for the source of the salt water in the bilge yesterday he found a through hull that was loose. As he checked other through hulls one cracked as he was attempting to tighten it
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Cape Charles to Beaufort, NC

We left Cape Charles just after 5:30 Sunday morning with a goal of reaching the Homer Smith Docks—in Beaufort, NC—before they closed today (Monday) afternoon. We motored down the bay for about 45 minutes, waiting for there to be enough light in the sky to see what we were doing when raising the mainsail. We passed over the bridge tunnel, leaving the Bay, at 8:00 am and had a pleasant sail with just the mainsail, averaging over seven knots with wind of 15-18 knots. In the afternoon the wind dropped to below 15 knots so we unfurled the jib and sailed with both the jib and main.  As we approached Cape Hatteras shortly before midnight the wind increased to over 20 knots and the boat rounded up. It was time to furl the jib. It happened not long before we were scheduled to change watches. George was in the cabin but heard the commotion when we rounded up and came into the cockpit to help. We sorted everything out and I went to bed. After George rounded Cape Hatteras we were sailing dead down
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Cape Charles

We started the day by focusing on boat chores—securing the dinghy for offshore sailing, tightening the boom brake line, buying fuel, and reattaching an enclosure zipper. Once most of the chores were finished we walked into town for coffee and a stroll up and down the shopping district. Since I went a bit overboard preparing food before we left home, we decided to eat dinner on the boat rather than in town.  Cape Charles is a lovely, thriving small town. We visited the here on our “around the Chesapeake Bay driving tour” before we moved to the Eastern shore. We might have moved here if it wasn’t so far removed from things such as health care. Today the town was having a Halloween trick or treat event. We saw numerous families with children in costume and even some adults in costume.  We plan to leave here early tomorrow morning and head toward Beaufort, NC.  The town’s “Love” sign overlooking the Chesapeake Bay.  Some of the many children in costume.  Securing the dinghy for offshore sa
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