Mile Hammock Bay - Camp Lejeune Marine Corp Base

Monday, November 1
Distance Traveled:  45.24 nm
Total Distance:  1176.03 nm

Our alarm clock went off at 630am.  As usual, Phil got up and I tried to wake up.  I heard him make a *&^% comment after he got up on deck, but when he didn't say to come up, I stayed in bed.  Then I got up and realized what he made his *^&$ comment about.  We were up against a small sailboat ! on a mooring ball with the dinghy between us since we had tied it on the port side of Changes.  It was easy to push us off the other boat for Phil to put a fender at the bow.  Then after he started the engine, I let out the anchor chain past the rope rode as he backed up and we were able to pull away and then go forward into a clear space as I was able to pull in the anchor chair.  No damage to either boat and we dodged a bullet. Our dinghy saved us once again.  By 720am the anchor was up and we had moved into the channel leaving Beaufort, NC.  The winds were N 8-9 knots.  It was 64F inside the boat and probably in the mid 50's outside.

Today being Nov 1, the first day that many insurance companies say boat can go south of Morehead City, NC, there were many many boats on the ICW.  We were passed by 10 or so boats today.  One was a Sea Ray 33' called High Five.  This boat was going fast, at least 20 knots and bouncing all the sailboats on the ICW.  There were a few boats that were hailing him on the radio and another that called the Coast Guard letting them know he was going at a unsafe speed.  As he passed us at the G21 mark, he was talking on his cell phone.  A couple minutes later he had passed the G25 mark and we didn't hear any more about him on the radio.  We also saw Motorcat "Side by Side" pass us and they are now in the same anchorage.  We met them in Hampton, VA.   By 1045am we passed MM 220. We also saw S/V Chantebrise II who was docked across from us in Oriental, NC.  They are also anchored here.  After waiting 15 min, we passed through the Onslow Swing Bridge, which is owned by the US Marie Corp.  We passed MM 245 @ 234pm and were anchored amongst the many boats at 245pm.

I'm glad that we got here early enough.  The evening's entertainment is watching the other boats come in to anchor.  Some do it too close to others, some don't put down enough anchor rode and they drag the anchor.  Time will tell how many more boats come in to anchor.  It's 20 mi to the next anchorage, so it's getting late to move on now.  One Sabre 40' tried to anchor between us and a boat for Novia Scotia, but Phil yelled too close just as the husband was lowering the anchor chair.  The wife got the husband's attention and they moved to another area.