10/16/08 - Leaving the Dock. Destination - Bahamas

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Finally!  The work is mostly done.  The boat is packed up, fueled and we're more than ready to slip the dock lines and start heading down the waterway...

Deb and I have been working our proverbial butts off over the last few weeks trying to get both the boat and our personal lives prepared for leaving.  Finances, doctors, boat projects, friends and family....it takes quite a bit of work, planning and organizing your life in order for everything to run smoothly while being away.  We've enlisted people at home to assist with the on-going day-to-day stuff  and we appreciate their help. Hopefully, our preparations will prevent them from being run too ragged.  Thanks Chris and Susie!  Ooops... I almost forgot Andy (GUC) and his lovely wife who have been helping make this a reality for me since 1984!  Love you both and thanks!

We slipped the dock lines early on Thursday morning and were treated to a perfect first day out on the water.  Calm winds, 78 degrees and sunny.  We motored down to Oriental and met up with some cruising friends from the Bahamas.  Toby and Donna, on "Cariba", talked us into cruising in tandem with them for the next few days, for short hops visiting old and new cruising friends each night along the way.

The first stop was in Swansboro where we stayed at Dudley's Marina ($ .75/ ft) for the night.  We visited our friend from the Bahamas, Linda and her 2 pound dog "Maggie".  She picked us up at the marina, took us shopping and then to her house for dinner.  There we caught up on our life changes since seeing each other last.  It was a fun and mellow evening of talking boats, relationships, cruising etc.  Nice evening, thanks Linda.

The next day was another short hop to Hampstead, NC where we docked at Dan and Ann's new house.  A beautiful piece of property with GREAT protection for their boat "Borrowed Horse".  Just after we arrived, Dan got a call from Oliver and Pam.  They were on their way to Florida to pick up their boat, "Dejarlo",  and wanted to stop by for a visit.  So, we ordered pizza and it arrived just as Oliver and Pam did.  The evening was spent telling cruising stories and diving lies.  We've all cruised the Bahamas together in years past and have gone spear fishing together.  Ahhh... good fun!  Nothing like pizza, beer and trying to out do each others lies.  Toby and Donna cruised Crooked and Acklins Islands last year and regaled us with tales of people met and adventures had.  In the morning Donna, now a certified Yoga teacher, taught a Yoga class to the rest of the gang while Toby and I prepared the boats for departure.

So off we go for another short day on the water as we were only traveling to Carolina Beach to meet up with Rick and Teri.  Toby and Donna met Rick and Teri in the Bahamas last year.  Rick and Teri were cruising aboard their Gemini "Tell Tales" with their dog "Astro" and two cats at the time.   After we arrived in Carolina Beach, we found that Rick had arranged dockage for us at a friends place.  Rick got us situated and told us he'd be back to pick us up after he took home the bushel of oysters, hundred clams and 10lbs of shrimp he had picked up for that dinner that night.  "Oh, the beef tenderloin is already at home but hasn't yet been cut into steaks."  That night we enjoyed a wonderful dinner at Ricks house.  Dave, whose slips we were docked at, was there, as was another of Rick's friends, Dan.  While good music was playing, copious amounts of scrumptious food was prepared in Rick and Teri's kitchen (a magnificent kitchen for preparing food!).  A slide show of pictures from last years Bahamas cruise playing on a nearby computer.  Much talking and laughter.  We went back to the boats late, stuffed and quite happy.  Next morning,  we walked from the boats to Rick's place for breakfast.  Another fabulous array of food...coffee, home made waffles, Lox and cream cheese omelets, fresh raspberries, bacon, sausage and english muffins rounded out the menu.  After breakfast, we headed out via Rick's car for a few hours of shopping at Costco's and Boaters World.  Rick also took us on a tour of the area.  Afterwards, we dropped off the gals at the house, while the guys headed for the boat to stow our shopping goods.  This took longer than it should because, after all, there wasn't that much to take back to the boats.  This was because Rick told us about a great beer pub.  Knowing that Toby brewed his own beer and was quite the aficionado, Rick knew that this particular pub would be a hit with him.  The moment that we walked into the "Fat Pelican" Rick's phone rang and Teri on the other end says "you guys wouldn't be at the Fat Pelican would you?"  Caught, but not defeated, Rick said something to the effect that we were checking it out and would really love to have them join us.  What a great place, the Fat Pelican.  Next to the bar, there's a walk-in cooler where you go in and select your beer from over 350 choices.  The walls are decorated with... well, I'm not sure what you call it but it's colorful, comfortable and very funky.  We had a great afternoon (there's a quick 360 video of the Fat Pelican on the home page.) before heading back to the house for another meal (what, more food...) of shrimp, beef tenderloin steaks, grill baked potatoes and grilled veggies.  All was cooked to perfection and enjoyed by all.  It supplied Donna with the necessary energy to do a spectacular live air guitar tribute to ZZ Top.  I have the video but need to get Donna's permission before posting it.  Stay tuned...  We bid Rick and Teri a fond farewell and plan on seeing them in the Bahamas later on this year.  No doubt, we'll have some more sordid food stories to post then.  Thanks for all of the fun, food and hospitality guys! 

The last four nights, spent with different cruisers, exemplifies the cruising community and the bonds formed with people you meet along the way.

The next morning, we got up before light to catch the outgoing tide down the Cape Fear River.  Before we left the dock, I hear #/?**! coming from Toby.  Somehow the dinghy got away from Cariba, while Toby and Donna were stowing it away on the foredeck in preparation for heading offshore.  With boathooks in hand, we run down the dock trying to snag the floating dinghy but it gets beyond reach... hmmm... do we dive in and swim after it?... hell no, too cold!  So we jump on Felix, whose engine is warmed up and chase down the errant dinghy.  Captured, we drag her back to Cariba for her unceremonious lifting up onto the foredeck and her lashes... errr... I mean lashing down.   All went smoothly thereafter as we glided down the Cape Fear River at 8.5 to 9 kts.  At Southport, we radioed our goodbyes to Cariba, as we headed to Southport's basin and Cariba headed for the mouth of the river to do a fast offshore to Jekyll Island.  We're planning on spending a couple days at Southport, so that we can update the Web Page, take care of some business, etc. 

We'll be picking up my nephew in Charleston the first week in November. Therefore we still have plenty of time to kill and so will be slowly meandering down the waterway and not heading offshore till later in the trip.

Enjoy!

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We left Washington Thursday morning with calm winds and a beautiful red sky.

Cruising down the Pamlico River with no boat traffic and the autopilot doing most of the work.

This is the view from Dan and Ann's new place.  Check out the worlds largest bonsai tree in their back yard!

Cruisers from Borrowed Horse, DeJarlo, Cariba and Felix tell lies over pizza and beverages.  Thanks for your wonderful hospitality Dan!

Why are those people smiling so much?  The Fat Pelican... need I say more?

Doing the Fat Pelican tour.

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We were told that the preacher of this church (near the Fat Pelican) committed suicide... probably after he saw what they turned the church into...

Food friends and fun!

Making more food in Rick and Teri'e beautiful kitchen.  I've never eaten so much food in two very short days.  Thanks guys!

And again... food!  A nice beef tenderloin waiting to be carved into thick steaks for the grill.  Along with fresh garlic shrimp, Cajun shrimp, baked potatoes and grilled fresh veggies... yummy!