Bellatrix

Swansboro, NC

6 October 2014

Well we stayed in Lookout Bight a few days longer than we expected. The Bight is normally a well protected anchorage except when the wind blows from the northwest, it did, all night long finally reaching about 30 knots around 2AM. Most boat captains were up checking their anchors, some pulled and had to reset. Ours held but resulted in little sleep. The next morning was breezy but we decided to head out. 

The seas were high, very high. It is a bit disconcerting to see half of a 38’, 20,000 lb boat out of the water as we crest a wave and surf down looking up at the crest of the next wave, especially if you are on the boat. We could not go quite in the direction we wanted, we had to attack the waves at an angle of about 45 degrees. After 30 minutes we decided to turn back, new problem. How to turn in 10-12 foot seas without having one hit us abeam. We realized the big ones came in sets of 3’s followed by some smaller ones. The captain timed it perfectly, (luckily, fortunately), and we headed back to the Bight. We spent the day, met Philip, a local, and waited for the winds to subside. That night was a repeat of the night before, more wind, over 30 knots and more wake less hours watching the anchor. 

Sunday the wind changed direction and subsided to about 15 knots. Robin “As we depart the hook of Cape Lookout Bight, it’s hard to believe how rough the waters were the past two nights but yet how protected the hook appeared. The winds are off shore at 15 and we’re sailing again. The seas are favorable this morning, finally. It feels pleasant to have the wind in my face… the 10-12 foot seas have subsided.”

Once back inside and on the ICW again we motored all day in Bogue Sound, a broad expanse of water similar to Assawoman Bay behind Ocean City. There is only one channel, about 10-12 foot deep and about 30 yards wide. It requires constant attention to stay in the middle. The current reminds me of one of my father’s favorite jokes about walking to school in the snow and it was uphill both ways. The tide/current was against us as we came in from the ocean and the next 30 miles in the sound. The current runs at about 2-3 knots. When your boat only goes 6-7 it is significant.

We spent the night in Swansboro, a pleasant town with many shops and restaurants. We reprovisioned at the “Piggly Wiggly”.

Off this morning to Wrightsville Beach.

The seafood festival at Morehead City. The shrimp boats all decorated.