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Docked at Atlantic Beach, getting the boat ready for the trip
We haven't seen the boat like this for a while
You can imagine that there are slightly fewer than one million things to do
Mike goes up the mast to check out all of the rigging and electronics at the top
Check out those pretty solar panels
Paul and Susan came by to watch
Sailing out to Cape Lookout - We plan to leave from there early in the morning
Now this is MUCH BETTER!!!
The Cape Lookout lighthouse in our sites
The route to Southport, NC - Offshore 67 miles to Masonboro Inlet, then 20 miles down the Cape Fear River to Southport
Taken at approximately 4am - We left Cape Lookout at about 2am and headed for Wilmington. Mike took the first watch and Kate slept in the cockpit. Notice that she's still clipped in, even while sleeping
The view
We're on the way South
Otto the Autopilot did a great job - Click here to see a video of Otto in action
The sun is just starting to rise
We stayed clipped in the whole time while offshore
The sailing sheik
The seas got really calm at dawn
2 Chill
Masonboro Inlet, here we come
Surfers paddling over to Masonboro - This brought back some fond memories for Mike. He's made this same paddle before.
Anchored behind Wrightsville Beach - It's time for a photo shoot from the dinghy
Underway the next morning, heading down the Cape Fear river for Southport, where we'll look for a weather window to sail offshore to Charleston, or further if wind/seas cooperate
Kate steered and navigated almost the whole way while Mike worked down below
Pics from Southport, NC
More work on the boat? - Thank you Sir, may I have another
Getting the dinghy properly outfitted
Container ship entering the Cape Fear River - Now, how could a container fall off of that 5 story stack???
The view of the Oak Island Lighthouse from our FREE slip in Southport
This is the RailLight - Charges all day, shines all night - See the solar panel and photo sensor on the top. This thing is pretty good for a nice light in the cockpit every night.
The Bald Head Island Ferry
This tree was supposedly an old Indian signpost - It was manually bent over into the ground as it grew to mark a trail
They say that in the early days of Southport, children could easily crawl underneath the arch that the tree makes
It is now honored with a central location in one of Southport's public parks
Historic Pilot's Tower - Used in the Civil War to pilot Blockade Runners through Frying Pan Shoals at the mouth of the Cape Fear River
Home of one of Southport's most famous Civil War Pilots - Southport was originally called Smithfield
Taken from the boat
Our neighbor - BOOGER
Tomorrow with the Oak Island Lighthouse in the background
Preparing for the next offshore leg, which is likely to be rough
Kate organizing the provisions and making notes about where things are stored
Strap everything down Click Here to move on to the next leg of the Grand Voyage
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