Anyone sailing should see Robert Redford's  new movie "All is Lost."  I've never seen Drew more involved in a movie, speaking aloud agreeing and disagreeing as the skipper, Robert Redford, decided how to handle his dire situation.  After the movie we probably talked for an hour about each step of the situation and what we would have done the same or differently or what we hadn't thought of.  I love survival movies.  It made me get 

Adrift: Seventy-six Days Lost at Sea: Steven Callahan ... - Amazon

Callahan has lots of references and survival things to talk about.  He was a consultant on "Life of Pi."  We are going to put together an emergency check list.  When an emergency occurs sometimes judgment is clouded or reasoning is not clear from an injury.  I'd like to have a list of things to do or get before abandoning ship that I simply react to rather than having to remember everything to do.

We have check lists for starting up the boat and shutting her down.  Hospitals, airline pilots and other places use checklists with great success.  Some of the items on our check shutdown list are: close all hatches, turn off frig, take in flag, turn all off, check auto on bilge, turn off wind generator.  We have the lists taped on the inside of a door next to the Nav station below.  It really helps and reminds us of the obvious.
"White Squall" is another great sailing movie to see.  Anyone have other good movie or book recommendations?

Saturday, November 16, 2013 Jessup, MD  47 degrees, raining
So not exactly sailing but driving back is a part of it.  We left sleepy Southport Friday at 10 am.
 Picture of Mazu at sundown Friday over the Cape Fear River inlet and the ICW.   Way in the background is Bald Head Island.

  We left Shawnee to be fixed and checked out.

As we drove north there were numerous crops.  Most people from the north haven't seen cotton harvested or even growing on its prickly sticks.  Here's a harvested field with a "bale of cotton."

Last night we were in a Red Roof Inn, a national chain. Super cheap, mostly we're here because they are pet friendly. This one has not been reported to the Bed Bug Registry.  Something I highly recommend if you are going anywhere.  Check it before you book it.
  We miss the sailing and just the boat life already as we hit the 5 -8 traffic rush out of DC on a Friday evening, back to the work-a-day world.  We are running into every chain store/ big box you've ever heard of.  But we ate at Madeleine's Bistro, country French Cafe that was pretty good.  Off to New York where maybe you'll see a picture or two of the grandkids.  We are going to a benefit auction at Tate's school Saturday night with Dillon and AJ, Violet's first birthday Sunday, back to Exeter Monday.

  View from the fore cabin bed where I stayed because we awoke to 31 degrees.  It snowed in North Carolina last night; the earliest in the season in history.  Of course we are here for this record breaker, unfortunately.  Thank goodness for our Esbar heater - so reliable and keeps us toasty.
   Today was our day to take a cab to Wilmington, east coast film capital, who knew?  We picked up a rental car, Ford Fusion, and returned items beyond the one month return policy but still got store credit.  We bought at Best Buy more computer cords to connect items to the cockpit and we went to West Marine.  Boat wise, Mazu held guard there for the day.
   Tomorrow we have to move tons of stuff so they can work on areas of the boat, fill the car to take things back to New England including Violet's, (granddaughter) birthday present for Sunday's party in Brooklyn.  Leaving clothes for warm weather and taking what we use for the cold.

View from the deck of our boat at a slip, Southport Marina, NC.

If truth be told, it's our toilet that needs the serious repair.  Can't really continue on our southward trip without it.  So we have had to walk to the building every time we need to use the bathroom - that has been a pain especially in the howling wind last night and the cold today.  So it goes.

Walking in the south on November 12, 2013 

  It’s different.  Belhaven, NC was the first view.  The porched houses with grand staircases are the signature architectural elements there. Here, in Southport, NC a bit bigger town, the houses smaller, a few more stores, art and clothes boutiques, a giant toy store, Bull Frog Corner, and jewelry stores line N. Howe Street

  I felt like I was on the set of “To Kill A Mockingbird” on historic W. West Street that crosses Howe and then becomes E. West Street.  This historic street is lined by dated homes with names on them:  Jacob Brinkman1839, the only pre-Civil War home, Jones Burriss 1875, T. Dosher 1890, Phillips Aldrich 1905, Robert T. Woodside House 1903, Will Davis River Pilot 1891.  Still no swimming pools are in the yards.  Near the shore everyone goes to the beach I guess.  It is not the historic district designation because none of the homes we walk by have pools even a mile away.

   Without the oppressive summer heat that was the setting in the movie, the live oaks are still here arching over the sidewalks and streets providing a shady tunnel.  No change for fall color or dropping of leaves.  They are here perfect for climbers and ready for animal nests, yet I only see three squirrel nests high up.   I know at10 I would have climbed every one with their sprawling branches that spread out 50 feet over the street with the trunk planted in the yard. The camera can’t capture it. Perfect for a tree fort, but none here.  The streets are quieted and blanketed by the tent of live oak branches shading the way.  They were made for southern weather as a natural air conditioner.  No Spanish moss.  Maybe my South Carolina walk will have that added air plant as I get to more humid weather. 

  “Can you believe it’s supposed to get down to 30 here tonight?” Drew says.  And just now the wind picks up howling to bring in the new cool air.  We pass one of the dock hands as he leaves in the 5:00 dark.  Friendly as always he says, “We jes as soon skip these cole fall days.  I like fall but not this. Night now.”  

  At the boat helm I turn on the wind instruments to see how the wind has gone from 0 at the beginning of our evening walk at 4:30 to 25 howling knots now in the dark.  The boat is rolling in the slip and Drew puts on extra fenders and lines.  One lone boat rigging is clanging against its mast.   This is nothing, I think, compared to what a nor’easter can bring up the coast.

   Tomorrow we pack up to go back to New England and the cold north where snow has fallen already, and the temperature is about 32 rather than the 70 we feel here today.  We’ll be back.

NOTIFICATION AND ADJUSTMENT:  Just quickly.  Anna Guth helped me to set my blog so that it is easier to make comments and you can get the blog on your email each time I post if you'd like.  Just go down to the comment section and you won't have to do the scribbly writing or anything.  You can just type in the comment section. 
Click on the email on the top right if you'd like to receive it directly to your email.

Tuesday,  November 12, 2013

 Getting ready to pack up and drive north after we set up dock rental, repair schedule,  car rental.  Reading about snow and cold in the north, YUCK.  It's been 66 degrees every day here and sunny though gale warnings 20 miles off shore.  A lot of boats left yesterday to head south because of a nice weather window.  It's cleared out so the WIFI is free and clear.  Most motored down the ICW and that is many more miles than going outside and straight to Florida.  Hopefully I'll talk a lot more about sailing, watching weather and improved boat operations.  Drew just noticed that the water temperature is 73 degrees 5 to 10 miles off shore, 10 degrees warmer than here.  We're surprised to see such a difference. 
 

Monday, Nov. 11, 2013  It's Veteran's Day.  I've been listening to Sousa Marches which I love.  Hurray NPR honoring the Vets!  Since we have now decided to stay in Southport, NC and have some repairs done by Zimmerman Marine, we met with the manager, Steve.  We have a long list, but we are winnowing down to the essentials.  New head (toilet and hoses), check engine transmission fluid and hoses,  scuppers checked, and maybe cabinetry in the fore cabin for more storage holds.  We have so many bins that are taken up by systems (A/C, water maker, heater duct work) it limits how much storage we have for parts and personal stuff.  We'll rent a slip here for a month and have the work done then come back and sail to FLA.  in December - that's the plan - but you never know.  I'll still blog even if I am not on the boat because this is all part of our efforts to get south and sometimes plans take detours for sure.  This is where the journey is the point not the destination.  So today Mazu got her run, and I got to play with her.
Other pictures of the area.

 View over the stove; i.e. kitchen window view here.

 Sunset/dusk

Walking out to our dockside tie-up on R dock (R for remote I guess).  We were at the end.  That advantage is privacy and quiet.

Sunday, November 10, 2013  Southport Marina
Last night was fun at Fishy Fishy where we had dinner with our new friends, Cathy and Mike Moorehead who are sailing south.  We keep stopping at the same marinas and having a good time together.  Last night there was a band for dancing and good food.

The restaurant provides blankets for people who have to wait outside for a table to free up.


Drew is replacing the water maker pump today and deciding the options for how to proceed.  He has really relaxed on the boat and we've had a super time.  The schedule is relaxed with no plans and no destination but south.  We have to decide when to leave, who should do the repairs, how long to rent space for our boat to stay here at the marina.  It costs $245 each to fly roundtrip and about $800 to rent the car and drive one way to New England.  Maybe we'll reconsider crating Mazu on the plane in the cargo hold.  She'd have to take a tranquillizer, and I think that the experience would be very traumatic - not sure how she'd fair.  
  Since Violet, #1 granddaughter's birthday is next Sunday that is pretty much a priority for us to attend in Brooklyn.  So we'll be there one way or another.

Saturday, November 9, 2013:  Video At Southport, NC  Looks like the boat may have to stay here and get fixed by Zimmerman Marine.  Did you notice how I did not take many/any pictures of the boat below deck?  It is quite a mess from working on this problem.  Many lockers are open to get tools or access areas that have this hose we are trying to get out. We need to replace a long piece of hose.  We ordered the new piece that came immediately from Defender, a great supplier.  But it's a bear getting the hose out!! Grrrrr.
    We are thinking about me driving back with Mazu and Drew flying back.  Hmmm

Friday,  November 8, 2013  Yesterday we sailed from Carolina Beach to Southport, NC.  Here is what we saw.

 Snow's Cut on our way to Cape Fear River shows lots of erosion, logs floating in the water.  We had to go slow to avoid debris.

 Colorful waterfront of Southport, NC

 Entrance to the Southport Marina.

 Giraffe cranes again.  There is a huge army installation here.

 A little crayfish in a dockside trap.  We saw an otter and rat eating out of these traps.  They went away pretty quickly when we walked up to the traps.

 Live Oak park at the marina.

An eco boat we guess.

Happy at the helm with earphones to my Audible book.  We zipped in the back vinyl on the boat because it got cold, and we found it also keeps out the diesel fumes : ).  Mazu takes the back part of the seat.

This is the auto pilot that allows the boat to steer at a compass heading, above shows Shawnee going 204 degrees on a 360 degree circle.  The little black dots underneath show exactly where the rudder is, above it is a bit to the left.  If I push standby then I will be steering the boat.  -1 or +1 means if I push those buttons in the auto mode the boat will turn 1 degree left or right, or 10 degrees as shown below the 1.  It allows you not to have to hold the wheel all the time.

 Here you can see the depth 14.3'  Our speed is 5.2 knots and the sea temperature is 61.5 degrees.  It hasn't changed a whole lot since we left Marblehead almost a month ago.

This shows the wind speed 13.7 knts, and it is coming from the starboard (right) side of the boat at 80 degrees.

When we are sailing here are the instruments we use to give us information.

We've been in Southport, NC for a day and were planning to leave for Florida on Saturday, but

It seems that Mazu is getting a following on the blog such that we should rename it DrewDebMazusailing.  Her role on the boat is to listen to me when I talk to myself, keep me warm on cold days and to snuggle.  Here are some videos of Mazu around the boat.  Sometimes we are amazed at her confidence on deck.  First of all you should know that Wheatens are known for jumping, and she can reach 4' from a stand.  Here she is down the companionway and dock to deck. They may take a while to download.  I'll try to get some better ones later.

Wednesday afternoon: Carolina Beach, NC After resting on the boat all day,  Mazu is happy, happy, tearing around.  The video may take a while to download.
I want to show you Mazu up and down the companionway (stair/ladder from salon to cockpit, and also give you a video tour of the boat.

 There was this one dock, after seeing dock after dock empty, this one dock with all the pelicans!  There are many long docks because most of the ICW is very, very shallow 1' or 2'before you get to a depth for a boat.  We draw 5' so whenever we get to 8' we sort of panic. With auto pilot my sister, Chris, described our sailing as "push button sailing."  Well, this is white knuckle, push button sailing.  The constant watch of the depth sounder elevates our anxiety.  It will be 18' and then shoot down to 10' because of shoaling randomly from currents, tides, and wave action.  The good news is today we didn't go aground.

 This is the view much of the time.  These are the posts that mark the channel.

 This is Joyner Marina where we are tonight.  We went about 25 miles from 7:30am to 1:30.

Getting into this slip was a bear!  As we came in sideways between rocks with a 2k current against us, Drew was giving instructions from the deck.  I was at the helm screaming, "I hate this!!"  (He said he didn't hear me.  We almost hit the rocks, the docks, the pilings, other boats.  Just inches away to back into this spot.  THAT would be a good video.  Now that we got in and everyone said we did a good job, I feel I met the challenge.

 Nov 6  nice place with palm trees...Hurray for the south - palm trees

We stayed here the evening of Nov. 5  No place for Mazu to run. Nice to be dockside. Harbor Village Marina

Nov. 6 A few of the houses we sailed by

 This video gives you a good idea of the daily scenery.

 Want a mermaid in your front yard?  All silver.

Wednesday,  November 6, 2013  Just before we start the motor each day we check the engine (under the companionway steps)  and check the oil.

MONDAY NIGHT NOV. 4 Casper's Marina, Swansboro, North Carolina
  Oops sorry no pix.  My stupid phone won't send pix right now so I need to use Drew's phone and send them to me.
  Whittaker Creek Marina gave us a cheap deal $50 for 2 nights, but it wasn't the best place.  We hit ground going in and powered off.  We hit ground going out too. There is a Russian family living in the clubhouse where all the services are -- showers, laundry, mail.  They bought a new router for Knute, the owner of the place, and then wouldn't give anyone the password.  Once again no WIFI except Drew's Verizon router.
    Sunday, we walked 1.8 miles into Oriental - great place, and we'll stay there on our way back -- Tiki Bar with really interesting people, a judge, a lawyer., etc.  I saw the woman whose dog I helped save the night before in Belhaven.  Her standard poodle fell in the water between the dock and her boat.  We heard her cries for help.  As she held the dog,  I lay down on the dock, reached down as far as I could, pushed his head out from between the boards of the dock and then hauled him up. 
  At The Bean in Oriental we talked boats, when is the best time to go south this week and other boat stuff.
   Today we set out by 8:30 am after we redid some of the docking lines with new ropes we got at 40% off at a local Oriental chandlery.  We sailed in 35k winds, but since we were going to be in  Adams Creek and the Canal all day we figured crossing the Neuse River would be all the rough water we'd feel.  As we crossed I asked Drew if he would put down one of the side curtains -- it was so cold.  Just after he did we had a wave come up over the deck.  We stayed dry. It stayed at 20+ k all day.  In the Creek it wasn't rolly, but the winds were strong and cold.  During the day we took turns at the helm looking at the depth sounder every minute.  We saw 2 huge 90+ foot power yachts get grounded.  They got themselves off or had Tow Boat help them off.
  Every time the depth sounder said 10 or less feet we slowed down until we could find the center of the channel at 13'   (We draw 5') Not especially fun and raised adrenalin and anxiety all day.  The channel is only 20' wide and then goes from 10' to 1' quickly.
  We arrived in Casper's Marina (4:30pm) and motored into a slip that was about 15' wide with another boat, and we are 13' wide.  Surprisingly we didn't hit anything, but my heart was in my throat.   We are terrible at docking our boat in these finger pier slips with tall pilings and winds pushing the boat.  Thank goodness for the bow thruster.  It controls the bow if the wind or current takes hold of it and swings us in the wrong direction.  Thanks to the 4 dock hands too.  We got to tour The Valiant out of Boston (www.cruiseBostonharbor.com), one of the 96' boats we saw along the way. 
   We had a really good dinner at the ICE BOX, probably the best meal we've had so far:  seared tuna with ginger for me, and Drew had pecan encrusted grouper topped off with chocolate lava cake.  Mazu stays in the boat if we go out at night.  She has been great the whole trip.  PIX tomorrow.

CORRECTIONS:  In the Cape Cod Canal it was the Railroad Bridge not the Sagamore.  The movies Forest Gump and The Big Chill were not filmed in Belhaven, NC.  They were filmed in Beaufort (pronounced BUFERT), SC.

 Our friends, Cathy and Mike Moorehead's boat a Catalina named Rhythm  going to Oriental, cloudy morning.

 Large Fishing trawlers at the Mayo Co. on the ICW.  There is some fishing business left.  There was a large sign FUEL and SEAFOOD.

Stove is gimbled or looks slanted because it is on a swivel.  As the boat heels the stove stays straight to cook.

Mazu and me resting after a long day motoring and sailing on the boat.  I swear she sleeps with her eyes open.  For some reason just being in the open air is tiring, but Drew never stops moving.  I got Audible to work today and started listening to The Heart is a Lonely Hunter.
  Today motoring into Whitaker Creek near Oriental, NC we got stuck again in the shoaling bottom, but were able to plow through it and get into our finger pier slip. Now doing laundry and plotting our course after Beaufort, (pronounced BOFORT), NC.

   Friday, Nov. 1:  Walking down Water Street, Belhaven, North Carolina, walking my little dog, Mazu, I feel the the tall southern pine with 8” long pine needles just starting to shed and smell the smell of the south: musty humidity, green, warmth. This is the southern lowlands with the Pungo River lapping at ground level across the street, a wall of rippling dark blue meeting the tree lined shore on the other side, and then a cloudy sky spotted with blue fills in the picture.

   The yards have beautiful tall, shiny, dark, green leaved magnolias one with a two-person swing on a low branch or live oaks with Spanish moss hanging down in places.   The homes are old style south, no swimming pools, just 2 stories with porches all around on each floor, brick-a-brack at the corners leading up to the porch with grand staircases and classic clapboard homes; one in white with yellow shutters and turquoise porch chairs. 

   They are surrounded by berry bushes of all kinds, leafless rose shrubs in all colors, and holly trees laden with red berries.  It’s slow and easy with few cars, and one school bus flashes its red lights to let off a student.  A baby is in a swing hanging from the sky blue ceiling on a porch, giggling, parents cooing.

  As dusk comes night the warmth still allows the calls of Katydids and crickets. 

  Everyone I pass says, “afternoon,”  People look me in the eye begging contact and connection one way or the other.  So do I.

We had an easy day down the 150,000 acre alligator preserve where we saw 10 hawks and nothing else.  We needed Dillon's eyes who sees everything in nature that no one else does.  As we came into Belle Haven, NC a small town famous for filming "Forest Gump" and "The Big Chill" we got stuck on a sandy shoal.  A friendly dockmaster was guiding us in "follow my track exactly" and thunk, we were stuck on sand.  He shot back out in his little whaler and pulled us off, we followed him in and tied up port side to the dock with 20 knot winds blowing us off.  Immediately Ms. Diana was there as official greeter offering a ride to the market and giving us a brief overview of the small town's services.  Yeah we are in the friendly south.  3 other people offered their cars for us to do errands.  We went to the town hall and paid, $1 per foot per night; i.e. $40 a night plus $5 for electricity. 
  We walked back and plugged in and soon the cord wasn't working-- so we were using our batteries instead of the electricity we had paid for.  Friday Drew spent the day finding parts and fixing this one. 
    We also have the choice to  anchor out for free and use the dinghy to come in, but it's usually a little rockier, less sheltered when it's very windy.  Today it's 72 degrees as it is on the entire east coast.
   Last night we have been coming down the ICW with the same folks so we all had dinner together at a 5 star restaurant - shrimp and grits, a beautiful cheese board.  Folks from Ohio, and another couple from Pennsylvania.  Everyone is pretty loose with where they are going - "south."

Here is a short video on the Navionics GPS electronic chart we use to see where we are.  We are the red arrow and it shows the track direction we are on.  Sometimes it shows we are out of the channel or on land. We follow what we see and not always the electronics.  It's fun to see where we are on the map just like GPS with your car.  We always have the paper charts out too.

There is a lot of engine noise so you can't hear me explain this device that tells us the water temp and the speed the boat is going.  Right now the water temp is 63 and the speed is 7 mph. The device is put into a hole in the bottom of the boat, screwed down and spins to give us the information.  Yes, when I get it out of the hole water sprays into the boat and goes into the bilge (bottom of the boat) where it is pumped out by the bilge pump.   I think videos are better than pix.