Travel Day 7 ~ Belhaven to River Dunes, NC

The predicted path of
T.S. Nestor

Saturday, October 19, 2019 ~    After a good night's sleep, Pete was up at 8:15 and underway by 9.  The trip to River Dunes should be about 5 hours.  Thank heavens that Pete already had his reservations in.  Many cruisers are scrambling for dockage that is no longer available.  That low down in the Gulf a few days ago did become Hurricane Nestor for a few hours before downgrading to a tropical storm.  It is predicted to hit this area later this afternoon and evening, bringing heavy rains and strong winds.
     The winds remained calm for most of the trip to the Neuse River. They began to increase slowly out of the south while on the Neuse before turning into Broad Creek.

View of the Marina from
the Community center

   When he arrived at River Dunes he was third in line for the fuel dock to clear so he could fill up. Scott, the harbor master, had his hands full with so many boats arriving at once as well as all the slips reserved.
    When Pete checked in, he was also able to pick up our "wandering" freezer.  We sent it to the factory for expedited repairs under the warranty.  It was supposed to be returned prior to Pete's departure from Mears, our home marina in MD.  Instead it was redirected here after being delivered to Stock Island Marina in Key West.  Since Pete had already started the cruise south, Pete requested that it be shipped here, where they know us and have the ability to accept and store such a large delivery. (It is also why we had our reservations in so far in advance of the storm.)
     As the afternoon progressed, so did the winds. NOAA is predicting 50 mph winds. Many on the VHF are asking for suggestions for safe anchorages as there are no slips available.  Our friend, Tim has reported that Tidewater and other marinas in the Norfolk area are also maxed. He is hoping that there is no problem with his reservation at Coinjock for this evening.
     While Pete was preparing for the storm, Carolyn and I joined Linda and her granddaughter, Ruthie, to enjoy the beautiful fall day at the Morris Arboretum in North Philadelphia.  What a treat! The air was crisp, but mild, with gentle breezes, hints of fall in the leaves, some hardy flowers showing off their beauty, a variety of scarecrows waiting for votes, and swans showing off their gracefulness. A wonderful way to spend the afternoon!  Of course that storm is also due to affect this area also tomorrow.  It will give Carolyn and I time to enjoy each others company.
   

        

       

       

       

         

             


     As for Pete, once the freezer was up and working, he transferred all the frozen foods from the on board freezer.  When it returned to room temperature, he repacked that area with the snack foods that it usually holds. Then it was dinner, reading, shower and our catching up today's events and saying our good nights. He also mentioned the rocking of the boat due to the increasing winds.
     Tomorrow should be interesting. . . .

Sunday, October 20, 2019 ~ Starting around midnight, the winds became intense as did the rains.  They continued to rock PEKABU in the slip through the night.  Pete estimates that the winds were steady in the 30's with gust easily topping 50 mph.  Around 10:30 the skies began to clear, but the boats continued to rock in the slips as the winds were in the low 20's. It became a beautiful clear but windy day.  There was very little chatter on the VHF as everyone remained hunkered down.

Current conditions at River Dunes

     Pete used the time to tackle some work today.  Tomorrow, he and George have a big project that will probably take all day.  Since the WiFi is so much better than in the past, he will work from here tomorrow.
     I was not so lucky with the weather. The winds and rains arrived last night but were not as intense as Pete experienced.  Carolyn and I enjoyed our tea and leisurely breakfast with lots of conversation. We also worked on her costume for Halloween.  She will be taking Ruthie trick-or-treating this Thursday and will be a jellyfish.  We used bubble wrap attached to a white umbrella and pleated it to fit the shape of the umbrella.  In the process it also gave dimension to the hood, which was pretty cool. Carolyn also highlighted the ridges with paint.  Then it was covered with turquoise, blue and lavender netting.  She also plans to make tentacles that hang down.  This will not only be a costume, but will be used as a teaching tool when she teaches preschoolers about marine animals the following week.
     After saying our good-byes, I left Carolyn's around 3, but didn't avoid the rains. It rained or heavy drizzled for mot of the 2 hours.  The fog didn't make things any better.
    After dinner and some TV, Pete and I said our good nights.

 ~ ~ ~ /) ~ ~ P & K