We left Beaufort, NC after a slightly rough time getting out of our slip. No damage anywhere but W/s still learning to handle the boat and I’m still learning when to go back and start over. We ended up a little cattywampus as we backed out of our slip and should have gone back in and started over. But; no, not us. We had to keep going and that we did as we slid too close to the stern of another boat and barely made it around the turn. There was a slight current and slight wind. The current was the gotcha.
As we motored (yes I said motored) out of Beaufort we went right by the port. Our boat looks much smaller the closer we get to the big ones. And as we were motoring towards Oriental we had an awful current. All the rain from the wetlands was draining off and of course it was traveling down the channel. But so what; we were moving again and good it was. In Beaufort the Marina considers themselves “upscale” and charges $2.25/ foot plus $5 electric / night. That’s a 100 bucks to tie up. Showers were so….so, and they gave us two free beers or wine. So if you end up in Beufort and tie up to Beaufort docks; be sure to tell them you have a couple of extra crew. 🙂 You’ll be glad you did. Aside from the cost of the marina the community was pleasant.
We ate at the famous Clawsons (although it was good it will not stand out as an exceptional eatery-IMHO) and walked the main drag where this house with all daisies in front of it really stood out. The oldest restored home we came across was in the early 1800’s. Maybe earlier, W/s brain is so addled that her memory on the dates is as bad as mine. We also visited the Maritime Museum which is a standout. If we had more time I would have liked to build the wooden dinghy I always wanted to build.
We arrived in Oriental around noonish and called the marina for a slip. They were full! Amazing! They could have side tied us to an outerwall – for full price- so we chose instead to anchor. As energy returned to us we launched the dinghy and rowed ashore to briefly walk around. W/ rowed us back to the boat as the sky looked too ominous and we spent a relaxing evening watching yet more boats come in; some to anchor and some to side tie at the Marina.
While walking in Oriental we spoke to one boat at the town dock (two complimentary nights stay) and arranged w/ them to call us on the VHF when they were getting ready to leave. We now have a primo spot on the dock and you can view us on the left side of the town webcam. We’ve walked the town, visited the grocery, the marine consignment store, and ate at the famous M&M’s. W/ had Crab Quesadeillas, mine was the bland Prime Rib sandwich. Hers was much better. Damn!
Oriental is considered to be the “Sailing Capital” of North Carolina. My guess is this to be a tongue in cheek comment; however we find all the people we meet friendly (like Iowa) and willing to help. At the Marine Store about a block away they’ll loan you bikes to travel the town for the enormous sum of -nothing. One individual who we talked boats with this morning saw us walking while he was getting his exercise on his bicycle and asked if we wanted to; he would get his car and give us a ride. This attitude harkens back to the olden days of sailing by boat and how the communities treat you. After living and cruising in Fl this community is a really refreshing place to visit. Too bad we can’t stay longer but one or two days is it and we have to then move on.