Friday, June 22, 2012

   I left Ocracoke around 7 AM, hoping to get a good start in my effort to push North. Wind predications were 10 - 15 knts SW, increasing to 15 - 20 knts SW later this afternoon, another reason that I wanted to get going earlier. The only way I would go against the wind on the Palmico Sound, and also the Albemarle Sound is if the wind is predicted to be 10 knts or less. So SW winds are good for me today. The ride was pretty descent until the winds started to pick up, then it got a little bumpy. Remember this is a shallow sound, as a result the waves are close and sharp. You have to be careful of the weather on this leg because if things get nasty there are no places to pull into. I knew that when I took off this morninng that to anchor I would have to get close to the west shore. In this way I would at least be able to decrease the fetch of the waterway. It would still be bumpy, but that would be the best that I could do.
     On the West side of Roanoke Island there are two bridges. the first is a 65 foot bridge. The second is the 45 foot fixed bridge, that I had mentioned yesterday. So I go under the tall bridge and head toward the West shore. The depths here all correspond to the chart, ie: when I was pulling into a darker blue area on my chart which indicated 6 feet depth that is exactly what my depth guage said. I mention this because it will have some importance tomorrow when I take off.
    So I arrive about 5:30 PM, and anchor. I am exausted. Still concerned about that 45 foot bridge I decide to go on the internet to see if I could look up the specs for the mast height  above water for my boat. The spec says that it is 40 feet. I am relieved. I did measure it corectly. I have the normal dinner. Then, being very tired,  I go off to sleep.