Sloop Point, NC

Day 269, May 9th, 2010

Slower start today. A little business to take care via internet (Wifi connection here) and John got the fuel topped up again at the gas dock, so we didn't get away till 9:30. Unfortunately Barefoot and Cakaro will be delayed as Wayne went to do his engine checks this morning only to find out his water pump was on the fritz. Thanks goodness we all came onto St. James Marina yesterday instead of the anchorage at Calabash Creek! They will wait for repairs.

Much cooler this morning! But, the wind is all from the north, i.e. on the nose!!! Also, strong current against! However, we set off and the dear old boat putt putted along. Out into the Care Fear River, where it was pretty open and windy.

Passed lots of development again along the waterway, all with long piers out to the water across the marsh. Again, it seems as if there has been so much more building than there was 4 years ago. Loads of activity on the waterway with weekend traffic. Speed boats, fishing boats, jet skis, sports fishers - everybody whizzing by. Cruisers are kind to each other, under sail or power, and call on the radio to ask permission to pass "a slow pass". Everybody else - well, they go whizzing by and we end up slopping from side to side.

We got to Wrightsville - wow it was crazy busy and we had to wait nearly an hour in the channel, to get through the swing bridge. But the timing was good - it was only 4:00 and with a good three more hours of daylight, we decided to keep moving. We ended up in an anchorage about 20 miles north at a point called Sloop point. There was a row of houses on the ocean side and we were tucked behind them in a thin little channel. Going in we passed a motor trawler - he'd tried to put the anchor down a little too soon and ended up on the mud but joined us at the anchorage 10 minutes later with no damage.