Position           34:42.99N 076:39.97W

Date                1845 Saturday 4 February 2012

Cape Hatteras was doubled at 0330 under motor and in very benign conditions.  The diesel heating keeps the cabin snug, thank heavens that we have it, whilst the full cockpit enclosure makes watch keeping much more bearable.

Going south there are three capes to round, Cape Hatteras, Cape Lookout and Cape Fear.  Cape Hatteras to Cape Lookout is about 75nm and this was motored as the wind was firmly up the stern and at that not much of it.  The forecast for Sunday however showed the wind going round to the south west, our general course, and blowing 20kts plus.  On the basis of ‘gentlemen do not sail to windward’, especially in winter, discretion dictated that we duck into Beaufort, North Carolina, and sit it out until the wind went back into the north east later on Sunday.

Arriving at the approach to Beaufort at last light we had an interesting if tentative trip through the many markers to the town dock where we secured at 1845.

This photograph taken the following morning from the dock looking seaward might appear to show a large amount of open water, most of it is mud under shallow water.

A very convivial evening meal of chicken casserole was had, without the thought of having to stay awake.  Brian assisted me in the educational process of sampling the three malt whiskies that I could find (Caol Ila, Glengoyne and Glenfiddich for those with an interest in this matter).  The wind rose, the rain rained and the crew slept secure and well.