May 25 - 27, Hatteras to Home
We spent two nights riding anchor at Cape Lookout North Carolina. We rested and relaxed. The crescent shaped beach provides a beautiful background, but is not tempting enough to pull us off the boat to go exploring. We've seen a lot of beaches lately, maybe next time!
Second Star has been our home for well over three months now. With the thought that this voyage will soon be over we find ourselves savoring the time on the boat & enjoying our cruising lifestyle. The daily routine feels comfortable.
Just a few miles away the Beaufort Inlet offers the last opportunity to slip into the intercoastal waterway. From here the ICW would get us to the dock at our home on the Corrotoman River in about five traveling days. But rather than join the northbound parade of boats in "the ditch", we chose to continue offshore in the Atlantic Ocean.
When the sun came up on the 25th Brent got busy checking the marine forecast. Boats all around us were busy with activity, hoisting sails, raising anchors. That was the first indication that the forecast was good. Today offers the weather every boat in Cape Lookout has been waiting for. By the time Second Star is away a dozen boats have already left, and more pour out of the basin right behind us. We'll see most of them frequently somewhere near our course over the next 200+ miles.
The offshore trip from here to the Chesapeake follows the contour of the North Carolina Outer Banks. "Rounding Hatteras" has a bit of a reputation among sailors. The waters here feature the intersection of gulfstream current, large shoals, and potentially foul winds to create a tempest that has sunk many ships and even in modern times left the survivors never willing to go to sea again. But today conditions could not be better. Off we went.
To go north we started by heading south over 15 miles straight into the offshore horizon of the Atlantic Ocean. This allowed us to clear Cape Lookout Shoal, where we then turn north. We will stay 15 or more miles offshore for the first roughly third of the journey.
Well offshore the ride was the best that sailing has to offer. The ocean swell was making waves about 5 feet tall & were well spread out. The boat rises smoothly up the crest and then accelerates ahead on the downhill side. Second Star was cruising in the happy groove and the miles rolled by.
Diamond Shoal marks 70 miles done and a turn to the north. The course was now straight for the mouth of the Cheasapeake. As night came the wind died down. There is thought that maybe we should move further offshore for better wind, but in that moment when there is internet access this far offshore, the latest wind forecast confirms the wind we have is all we should expect. With engines on we proceed into the night.
The boat was moving slower without wind in the sails but all is well. The big swell continued and sea was at peace in the dark. When the big orange moon rose there was light enough to see some distance and the boat cast a moon shadow across the water.
When the sun rose every thing looked exactly like the scene the previous day. Second Star was on the same course on an identical sea. Nearby were the same boats on the same course and in about the same relative position. The difference was we were all further north, but we are far enough offshore that the features of land off to the west are indistinguishable from the prior day.
In the late afternoon the tall buildings of Virginia Beach appear ahead, but it will be many hours before they pass to our port side and we reach the mouth the Chesapeake.
At Cape Henry Second Star turns to the west aiming for the pass over the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel.
The wind was building now, which puts power in the sails.
The instruments show 8 and 9 knots of boat speed through the water but actual progress is much slower pushing against 4 knots of outgoing tide.
The wind was building now, which puts power in the sails.
Once past the bridge tunnel the feeling on Second Star changed with awareness we were now in the home waters of the Chesapeake. To both port and starboard are places we visit on a regular basis from our home base, which lies just a few hours ride ahead.
The sun is down long ago when we turned into the Rapahannock River. Home is 15 miles straight on.
Night navigation
At midnight we rounded the corner to see our dock on the Corrotoman River, home. In a dozen minutes Second Star was tied in her slip. This voyage is complete. We're exhausted, but very happy to be back in our land based home.
This now complete adventure has for years been a life goal. The memories made will roll gently with us for the rest of our days.
Lancaster Virginia to the Bahamas
3000 miles
Feb 17 -May 27, 2021
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