Marker 61A Bah Humbug!

Boy we couldn't get much of a break today on the current. It seemed to slow us down most of the morning.

We just plodded along until we got to Swansboro and then a familiar voice came over the radio hailing Temptation. It was JilliQ. We had met them in Hopetown Abacos back in the winter of 2015. They had remembered us.

They are heading back there again this year. Said they were there last year and it was busy.

It was another fine day for weather and we just enjoyed the bright sunny, light wind, ride until we got to the famous S curve at marker 61A. On the ICW the red 62 and Green 61A are in a straight line -- almost. In the past 61A is up very near the shore and you pass between the marker and the shore. Active Captain's comments said this marker is off station and too near the shore. JilliQ went by earlier and radioed back that they thought it was still off station and passed it as a red marker and off by 20feet and found a minimum of 9' water.

I looked at it and sure enough it looked to be only 20 feet from the shore. No way we can travel between it and the shore so I treated it as a red marker and found a minimum of 9.9 feet. Whew -- made it through.

We made Mile Hammock bay around 1pm and only one boat -- a trawler -- in fact the one "Cozy Kady" that left Spooners Creek at first light was there. We anchored and relaxed. Later more Trawlers came in and anchored. What I noticed about them is that after they anchor the go inside and never come out! They have these beautiful sun roofs, and back porches and they don't use them. Probably inside surfing the internet.

This afternoon we heard 3 boats had called towing services because they had run aground near that marker 61A. Oh what a pity. I feel for them. Fortunately Active captains comments and JilliQ's tip saved us from a similar grounding. I hate running aground.

Nice breeze here in Mile Hammock this afternoon and my wind generator that replaced the bearings in this summer is running great. In the past it would not start in 10kts of wind -- needed 12 or better.

Nice to see things turning out nicely.

Tomorrow it's Wrightsville Beach for the night and some world famous Robert's Grocery Chicken salad. I'm drooling already.