Cape Fear River: actually a bit scary

Here's what things looked like before we left.

Having gotten our recent boat issues resolved, we left the City Docks in Wilmington (thanks for all your help R.T.) and headed down the Cape Fear River. We just threw the fenders on the trampoline and left the dock lines on deck to dry because we were just going down the river. We even considered leaving some of the hatches open.

 

Holy smokes, did we get that wrong.

Wilmington, NC

As we were walking around Wilmington the other night, the Coast Guard vessel Diligence that had been at sea for three months came up the river. Their families were waiting for them at the dock. It was fun to see the kids so happy to see their dads (we only happened to see the dads).

To hell and back (or just from Charleston to Wilmington)

A local Charleston fishermen gave us
some blue crabs as thanks for watching his pots
 to see if we could spot whoever is poaching his traps.

We picked up our friends (Pete and his teens Emma and Liam) in Charleston. Pete had wanted to help sail the boat back from Freeport when we first bought it, but got shut out when we couldn't get things fixed quickly enough.  This time he signed up to help us sail the boat up to Wilmington, North Carolina. After delaying a day to see if the winds would improve, we left Charleston with continued light winds.  If it had been just us, we might have stayed put, but we had to get to Wilmington in time for their flight home.

Fishing, forts, and family

Lots of luggage for the night on the boat.



When we arrived to pick up the kids after two days and one night of grandparents, TV, e-games and pool-time, we were greeted by whiny wails of, "Why do we have to leave?!" complete with the whole exorcism-worthy writhing body on the couch.

 

Hmmm, good question.

 

Oh yeah, mainly because Grandma and Grandpa are not insane and won't keep you forever.

Grandparents rock

When my (Jen's) parents found out we were going to be in Charleston, they decided with less than two week's notice to drive from Chicago to meet us here and bring us various supplies that we had shipped to them (and that they bought for us as well).

Charleston

Charleston is a very nice and tourist-friendly city. A free trolley gets you all around downtown and there is free city-provided Wi-Fi in certain locations.

Stormy storm

Last days in the Bahamas

We made it to Charleston after two and a half days and two nights at sea. There was no barfing, contrary to Mark's predictions, despite some rough seas. We spent the last night trying to skirt around pretty intense thunderstorms that had so much lightning you could almost read by it. We were mostly successful but it was exhausting.

Goodbye Bahamas

We met a family that has been out cruising for a year. It was heartening to meet a real live family of liveaboards that have not killed each other over the course of a year and seem to have relished the experience, lumps and all.

It's funny how things work out (sort of)

The band at Snappa's in Marsh Harbour

It's funny how things work out sometimes.