We had planned to stay 2 nights here but now will stay longer. There is another front approaching Wednesday night where the winds will suddenly become 40 mph or gale force. Several reinforcing fronts will keep the winds up through friday. We thought about anchoring but we would be on the boat for 3 days with weather to bad to dinghy around and worried about anchor drag. We thought about moving to Morehead City just to have a change of pace but it was an unknown and we feel safe from a North and northwest winds here on this floating dock and they had room for us to stay.
We borrowed the courtesy car to go to the Piggly Wiggly and hardware store about a mile and a half away. We are learning about courtesy cars. They do not get much maintenance. All of their lights come on and stay on. The last one we used had the flat tire symbol on and the check engine light on. The tires seemed ok. this one was a hybrid and all the lights were on, the brakes squeaked and the shocks were shot but we made it.
While we were gone a wild looking superyacht went in the slip next to us by the bulkhead. It is owned by Mitchell, a young guy who loves to talk about the boat which is really quite cool. The whole back opens like a garage and in there is a jet ski, 3 paddle boards, some bikes. Some surf boards. Toys. His friend Bob, dove under the boat and cleaned the bottom today, there were some oysters attached. They are hoping it goes faster now.
We launched Fat Tuesday and rowed out to the Rachel Carson preserve. It is an island across from the channel where you can walk around. We saw people fishing from kayaks along the channel. We saw birds and wild ponies on the island. The horses did not bother us. We went at mid outgoing tide and got our shoes muddy but really beautiful. We picked up a bunch of trash out there. It is the kind of natural space that is accessible for everyone to enjoy and appreciate.
