We are moving again. It’s nice.

Left DC on a chilly breezy Sunday morning after driving TULLY and the Tahoe we were using back to Wilmington and hopping a quick flight back. (Note: DC to Wilmington:  6 hrs by car, 1.25 via plane and 6 days by boat!)

I knew the weather called for NW winds but did not expect the 30 mph gusts within the first hour back on the water! We ended up basically sleigh riding before a strong northerly all the way out the Potomac day one and day two. Then the third morning was motoring calm around Smith Point Light and out into the Chesapeake.

After an overnight stop in Deltaville, Va we pulled in for fuel the day before Thanksgiving as we were headed for the Dismal Swamp Canal and there is no fuel for a day or two. It’s nice to be full in those conditions. But plans change.

We were waiting at the last bridge coming out of Norfolk for a tug and barge to allow us through during restricted hours. (Some of these bridges will not open at all during the two hours of morning and afternoon rush hour.)

As we were going round in circles waiting, we heard the all too familiar sound of the damper plate springs being thrown around by the flywheel. Uh-oh.

It was not too hard to baby Yume through the bridge and a just a mile further to a marina dock just after dark. We decided to splurge on dinner at the nice restaurant, and in the morning verified that the damper plate had indeed failed for the third time in two years. I am getting very good at fixing these.

Of course it had to happen on Thanksgiving weekend right?

Short version is I found something locally on Friday but it did not work and we had to stay (and pay) on the dock until Monday. So we rented a car and drove up to visit Williamsburg on Saturday and the movies Sunday. Got the part Mon morning, installed it by noon and we were off and running.

The first day in the rain and cold saw us only just past the Great Bridge lock and bridge as it was already too late to make the next anchorage before dark.

Up and underway at 530 after walking Goose, it took me an hour to realize I had screwed up and not looked ahead to the next bridge which was restricted (no openings) between 630 and 830. We pulled up to the bridge at 635 had to anchor right there for two hours! That messed up the whole days planning!

Next day we made it past Coinjock Va and at anchorage in a wide open area in the North River in calm weather. Next morning we left at 445 praying not to pick up a crab float in the prop as visibility was 0, and motored down Albemarle Sound, into and down the Alligator River, and through the canal to the Pungo River and on into Bellhaven NC. 12 long hours – 75 miles!

Bellhaven is a really small old lumber town that we like a lot. During the night, an anticipated cold front blew in hard and we bounced, rattled and rolled but felt safe with the new anchor from last year.

In the morning the wind was blowing fairly hard but Goose and I got the dinghy down and went in for morning business. The dinghy was back on board and sails set leaving the harbor as the sun peeked up on a cold windy ride to to Bock Marina in Beaufort NC. Emphasize cold and windy.

We will hang out there a day or two then move onto Beaufort Sc by next week. There is much to do in a short time in preparation for the May 16 p4p golf fundraiser…

Then we rush down to Savannah, leave the boat for a week and drive up to Asheville for Christmas with the boys and Grammy. Ian is coming back with us for a week of sailing before he has to be back in loadmaster school in Albuquerque.

We seem to be breaking all the rules of sailing which is promise to be somewhere or meet on a certain day but never ever do both at the same time! And paying for it by having to hurry and worry. The antithesis of boat life.

Looking forward to some sun and slow time in the keys.

We will try to get a post up before the 25th but if not from our family to yours we wish you a very happy Christmas season!