Carolina Beach, NC - Day 9

Sideways.

A morning heavy rain greeted us in Swansboro. We had decided the night before to lay over, but the forecast for the following day Thursday was even less encouraging. The radar looked like much of the heavy weather would fall slightly inland. We decided to head south inside the beaches of NC.

The first hour did not reinforce our decision. Rains so heavy we could not see ahead required that we navigate electronically. Our enclosure (thanks Vicky) kept us dry until the weather broke. The rest of the day was bright and blustery.

So many people were enjoying the waterway. Picnicking on the beaches, many fishing and running the waters. Some of the homes are too much and of course you always have to take a pix of the giraffe at Wrightsville Beach.

Much of the run involved staging the bridge openings that operated fixed schedules. Mint Julep's speed was a great benefit in making the openings. The currents change frequently as you pass from one inlet to the next. The inlets provide the most risk in grounding by pushing the boat to the side of the channel. You have to pay attention to your actual track and not just where you are heading.

We cleared the Wrightsville Beach bridge at 16:00 and made the last 11 miles to Carolina Beach by 17:20. The Carolina Beach Inlet is always a grounding risk. A dredge barge was stationed there to clear the intersection with the AICW. Temporary markers helped navigate the narrow opening between the shoals.

We arrived at Oceana Marina, a favorite stopover right above the Carolina Beach Bridge, our old nemesis, but more about that tomorrow. The Marina had been sold over the summer, as the past owner was hurt by contractor delays in getting it ready for the summer season. This is a very pretty marina with hardwood docks. It is a pitty that so few boats are using it.

Dinner aboard and a brief walk around the neighborhood before retiring.

Somewhere around 01:30 in the morning, Ruth awoke and said the boat is sideways. I figured we had swung off the dock. No, sideways means leaning sideways. She checks the depth finder and sees 4.9 ft. Great, the Julep is setting on the bottom. We check outside and sure enough she is leaning against the floating dock. Plenty of fenders were attached so she was cushioned. We had asked the dockhand when calling ahead about the depth at dockside and she said it was 7 ft. Big screw up by the marina.

Data: 08:30 to 17:20. Engine hours 953.