Weather bound

11/16/06

Weather bound

We are hunkered in for the day due to a tornado watch in affect in our area. Hal found out that there actually was a tornado elsewhere in NC last night. We woke to pancakes and the howling wind outside. I set about webbing the luff-attachments to the mainsail while the others continued their consumerism. After returning we continued our fixing spree. We had bought a new bilge pump at Wal-Mart, but upon returning to the boat we found that it was missing a part…good ol’ Wal-Mart. Dan returned later to Wal-Mart (primarily intending to utilize their bathroom facilities), but needing the bilge part, we convinced him via phone to buy the same pump and a screw driver. On the curb outside he removed the necessary part and immediately returned the pump as “incomplete.” He returned to the boat with the necessary part and more importantly, some necessary pizza, so we ate, installed the pump and passed out.

11/15/06

Dolphins

We rose around 6, like always, and motored in 70 degree weather. The wind was slack and we entertained ourselves by fishing, fixing the grill, and caulking the mast. We entered the Morehead City area around 12 and were greeted by two giant sport fishing boats who came from astern with wakes large enough to surf on. They were stopped by an army barge who scolded them for their wakes. Thus, they slowed down to pass the barge but returned to optimal wake-producing speed just in time to pass us and a large marina. The marina residents came sprinting out of their cabins as they were thrown by the surge. Not everyone was so infuriated; it was the dolphins (porpoises?) that found humor in the situation. They arose from the depths to play in the surf right off our port stern. We sited two other pods during the course of the day, each eluding my camera lens. We arrived at our destination 6 miles past Morehead City at mile 210 on the ICW. We chose the location due to its reported proximity to Wal-Mart and Lowes. After dropping both anchors we headed in to do some shopping. Purchasing everything we could carry back to the boat we spent a few hours in the clutches of the materialistic playground only pausing to eat at the McDonalds contained with in its walls. Retreating back to our own self-contained civilization we did some reorganizing and watching of The Office.