Monday, May 18, 2015

Back Home Today

We made it back to our home port of Northwest Creek Marina early this afternoon. This ends our Bahamas Cruise of 2014/15 -- 7 months and 5 days.

We have had a great two day run these last 2 days. From Wrightsville to Mile Hammock and we had a favorable -- very favorable tide with us all the way. We did the trip in only 6 hours and were the first ones into Mile Hammock so we had total anchoring rights -- naturally I anchored right smack in the middle.. The bridges opened with little delay and we just moved along. The only rough spot was the New River Inlet. We were going to hit it about 1 hour before low tide. The charts were showing 1 foot below datu!! New moon affect. The Active captain said only 4 feet at low water. I thought we would have to anchor and wait for the tide change and a rise of 2 feet or about a 4 hour delay. There were 2 trawlers ahead of us -- both passed me earlier -- so I hailed one and asked that he mark the depths for me as he went through. He said the lowest he saw was 7 feet and we were about 20 minutes behind him. When we "crawled through" -- better to hit bottom at a slow speed -- I stayed about 60 feet away from the red marks -- favoring the green side -- and saw nothing less than 8.9 feet. We made it through. Spent a nice comfortable afternoon in Mile Hammock and only 4 other boats joined us.

Yesterday we left at 6:15 am to catch the camp Lejuene swing bridge and run Browns Inlet with its legendary "S-Curve through the marks". We made it okay but the current was tough and tried to sweep us into the shallows. After that it was another fast run to Morehead City where we decided to go to the Morehead City Yacht Basin and tie up for the day. The current was going to be against us up Adams Creek and we wanted to celebrate.

We enjoyed an Art Festival and boat show on the Morehead City Waterfront -- took luxuriating showers at the lounge, and had a fine dinner at Floyd's Restaurant.

Today we left about 6:30am to catch a favorable current up Adams Creek and boy did we. It was 6.8 - 7.2 kts all the way to the Neuse. Then we slowed down to 6.2kts because 15 kts of wind on the nose to the Ferry Crossing then 6.4 all the way to NWCM. Got in at NOON.. Nice run!

It has been a great cruise this year and I'm ready to go again.. Well after repairs are done to the boat. Nothing too major but it all takes time and I heard that neither my truck or tractor will start at home so work is cut out for me.

We will stay here at the Marina until Thursday when we can get a ride home via Matthew!! Time to start cleaning the boat and packing to leave.
NOTE -- winter clothes have been packed since DECEMBER -- eat your hearts out.