Anchor NC, Stern SC

Bird Island, Little River North and/or South Carolina

We went outside! In the Atlantic ocean!! New territory and waves!!! Whoohoooo! Beautiful sun. 20 k winds for a few minutes might have caused us to pee our pants but the wind was mostly behind us. Settled down to 12 - 16 knots for the balance of the 5+ hours of travel.

Before we got to the ocean we were in the Cape Fear River trying to get out before the tide changed and the current flowed against us. Traveling with the current we were going faster than usual, as much as 9 k or about 10 mph. One of the navigational aides, aka buoy, in the river showing the current.

Water still going out the river just as we want it to. The long necked crane-looking structures in the horizon haze are long necked cranes. It is a restricted area, military I think. We noticed out in the Atlantic that there is another restricted area for "explosives." We speculate that ships carrying such must stop there for inspection before they come into the river for off-loading. Sounds James Bond-ish. Perhaps there is an underwater tunnel, too.

On the chart to the left, that little dot in the middle is us. The white is the ocean! This is our first adventure into the Atlantic past NJ, except for a little sailing around in the FL Keys. I think of this as practice for tripping to The Bahamas.

Most of the day was gentle rolling swells. We're reading out loud a book cousin Suzanne has lent us called How to Read Water by C. Gooley. I'm loving it. Reminds me of a good science teacher. We have ripples, waves and swells. Today we were in waves and swells. No ripples that I could tell, given my new and limited knowledge or vocabulary.

The water, the day, shimmered. We rolled out a little of the inner jib sail, mostly for steadying and decreasing the side to side roll of Grace. I sat out on the aft deck for maybe 1/2 hour. It was so very lovely, sun and fresh breeze and warm enough to enjoy.

We turned into Little River around 3:30 and anchored just inside the mouth of the Little River which is the border of NC/SC. On the chart there is a border line across the land and water. On Bird Island which is a barrier island there is a granite marker that I can't quite read but looks to be in the general area of state boundary.

We sat out on the aft deck after all was secure with the anchor and kitty. Just as we were settling with our glasses of wine we noticed a large passenger boat steaming into the Little River. Huge! and moving fast. It was a Casino boat. They go 3 miles out where gambling is not ruled by state laws. A gambling party boat. Who knew?
So far I've seen no birds on Bird Island but some interesting Tern-like birds that I couldn't identify in my bird book as we progressed through the ocean today. Great divers.

A few tasks before dinner. Thinking we'll go "outside" again tomorrow and avoid some white knuckle sections of the ICW that we are familiar with from past journeys...the Rock Pile! I thought it was in GA but turns out it is just down the creek in SC. The wind and weather are predicted to be calm-ish and cloudy and the trip should take less than 7 hours. Hoping to have a lay day Sunday (it is supposed to rain) and do some beauty and order on the boat...at a marina...with electricity... and the vacuum cleaner.

Today was a day of noticing opportunity and appreciating privilege.