On Friday, May 18, my son Chip, and I rode the Cedar Island to Okracoke Island ferry as walk on passengers. Upon arrival, we boarded Respite and got situated. She had weathered the week, tied to the dock, relativiely well. However, the starboard rubrail had taken a beating after the bumper shifted off the piling in a rather windy harbor. We attended my scheduled business function and then slept aboard that night. We rose early, iced up the cooler, rigged the sails and set off by 7:00 AM. Headwinds put us off our desired course by about 20 deg. but, we were able to average about 5 knots in 10 - 15 knot winds under full main and 135.

After one tack about noon, to avoid a major shoal, the wind eased to zephyrs. As we were ghosting along we sighted a huge dead shark floating belly up. This an unusual sight in the Pamlico Sound, so we eased on over for a closer look. We decided that since it was floating, that the odor would be pretty bad and resumed course. In the light air (NOAA was wrong as usual)we were attacked by biting flies. This not unusual, although I have never figured out what they are doing out there so far from land! What was unusual, was the number and voracity of the beasts! It seemed as though we killed thousands of them. You could kill them three and four at a time as they cannabalisticaly feasted on thier fallen comrades as well as us. The cockpit was awash with their bodies before the battle was over and we had to don our seaboots. We speculated as to whether there was any relationship to this apocalyptic war and the dead shark. We reluctantly decided to motor a while, as we despise motoring and were decidedly unsure about the old 8 hp Chrysler's fuel consumption rate and our limited six gallon fuel supply. The wind picked up around 3:00 PM at the mouth of the Neuse River and we were able to average about 4 knots vmg on a favorable tack.

We decided to anchor in Oriental harbor after a great afternoon sail. The harbor anchorage was a little crowded with weekenders and transients, but we were able to find a clear spot near the channel (after only grounding once) and get secured before dark. After scrubbing the bloody cockpit (how apt a term), cleaning up and dining, we settled in with a Mick Light, sipped to the pleasent sound of a live band playing Beach Music ashore(Platters, Temptations, Chairman of the Board and Catalinas - for those not of my generation - not Jan and Dean and the Beach Boys).

Lazy rising Sunday morning, to let Chip sleep in, we set off at 8:00 AM. Zephyrs out of the West (NOAA forcasting 10 -15 out of the South) we motor-sailed up the river. It was the first time I had ever been on the Neuse in ideal waterskiing conditions! Two good things came out of this, though. I was able to properly box my compass in the flat calm water (it was 15 degrees off, bearing westerly) and to determine that I could maintain 4 knots for 20 miles while consuming less than 2 gallons with the Chrysler.

We made Fairfield Harbor near New Bern at 3:00 PM, cleaned up and secured Respite. We headed home, 75 minutes away, after one of the finest father/son experiences in my life.
Adieu, mon amis,
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