34.42.954N  076.39.925W

Thursday evening saw us back at Wilmington after 3 US Airways  flights – the 2 flight option would have seen us arriving at midnight!

‘Moonbeam’ was lifted and launched on Friday afternoon and we left at the 10.00am bridge opening on Saturday morning.

Ready for relaunch                                                                                                    A birds nest in the sailcover

We had not seen much of the town but the boatyard staff were very friendly and we were sorry not to be staying longer.

We set off down the Cape Fear River with a favourable current and after a couple of hours turned into Snow Cut and the ICW.

                                                                                                                  Our first 65’ bridge!

A holiday weekend in the USA too and the waterways were full of boats of all descriptions and as we arrived at Carolina Beach the shores were full of tents and sunshades. We headed north and anchored at Wrightsville where once again holidaymakers were out in force.

0600 Sunday morning we lifted the anchor and left Masonboro inlet heading North and debating the course- outside Cape Hatteras or Beaufort and the inshore route- both feeling under the weather from UK collected colds we headed for Beaufort where after a 65 mile run we entered the channel and once again faced an armada of boats making the best of the weather.

Entrance to Beaufort

We headed for Beaufort Docks and just as we moored we heard a shout “ Moonbeam” and we looked up to see Steve and Chris from “ Scott-Free” whom we had last seen in Puerto Calero, Lanzarotte in October! They had arrived the day before direct from the Bahamas in company with “Nimue” and “Loon”.

Celebration was called for so we had a great meal at the Beaufort Grocery Store ( which is actually a restaurant ! )

We walked around the charming and immaculate town and then visited “Piggly Wigglies” which is the equivalent of Tesco! Walking back burdened with more provisions than we had intended a gentleman in his garden took pity on us ( it was about 95 degrees F ! ), got his truck keys and drove us the mile back to the docks! This is typical of the friendliness we have experienced since arriving in the USA.

Early afternoon we departed the slip with lots of revs in the cross wind and current and anchored in the quiet of the river with houses on one side and islands on the other with wild horses and lots of birds.

Uninhabited islands one side of the river                                                        and houses the other                                                       

Pot luck dinner aboard “Nimue” was lots of fun with good food and many stories.

Wild horse on the island                                                                               wild party aboard Nimue !