Sunday, October 17, 2010

Oh what a glorious morning! The sun rose to gently re-toast the nippy air, the wind gusts of Saturday had blown away, the fish were jumping beside us and birds calling and diving all around. We had a quick breakfast and hauled anchor to start our way across to Pamlico Sound.




As we turned toward our first mark, there was a virtual conga-line of boats leaving Belhaven Marina and running like ducks in a row toward Pungo River. My captain promised me a “surprise” Saturday evening, and that was a charted course not to follow the ICW but to ‘bear eastward’ toward the Outer Banks and Ocracoke Inlet, specifically to Silver Lake Basin. We came to the mouth of the Pungo, and one boat turned left (that would be us), every other boat followed the line to continue on toward Oriental through another very protected passage.



We were in heaven for solitude and radio silence. The seas were flat (an easy motor, no sails); the air was perfect. We had an easy 7 hours ahead, and a few chores to do. After Capt repaired the companionway slide and the shower sump, First mate taped and sanded the ‘eyebrow’ to complete the outer woodwork spiff-up. After a quick lunch of steak fajitas, we were approaching Ocracoke and the traffic of Sunday afternoon. Fishing boats of all sizes, ferries (maybe 4?) and a few transiting sailboats moving in and out along the ‘skinny water’ channel. This was a GREAT thing to do on a perfectly clear, calm day. I would not want our first time here to be under duress of weather or urgency.



We entered the bulkheaded opening to Silver Lake Basin to find a large, welcoming protected anchorage waiting us. We dropped the dinghy and strolled along the main drag to our first visit to the Cape Hatteras National Seashore Park. Too cool for school!