Wednesday, November 26, 2008

Mile Hammock Anchorage


This was one of my companions for my morning coffee in the Mile Hammock anchorage today.
Yesterday, I left Beaufort just in time to catch the 8:30 opening of the Beaufort swing bridge. It was another cold day but I motored about 40 miles to this anchorage that the marines have dug out at Camp LeJuene. I got there a little late as I was stopped at one point by the Navy due to a live fire exercise going on in the ICW. I had to execute an emergency anchoring in a very narrow channel and waited about 45 minutes before everything cleared up and they let me through. Then I had to wait a bit for the Onslow Beach Bridge. But it was all worth it, Mile Hammock is a beautiful, quiet spot and there were 4 or 5 other boats there to keep me company. It was a very cold night but it was clear and calm and the stars were radiant!
After my breakfast with the doplphins I weighed anchor and headed out again. I was hoping to make it to Wrightsville Beach but due to a slight detour due to a wrong turn into the New River (I was in the channel, just not the right one), bouncing along the bottom at one point (I was just slightly out of the channel that time) and waiting for yet another bridge opening, I decided to duck into Harbor Village Marina as I still had two more opening bridges and it was doubtful I could make Wrightsville Beach before dark. For those tracking my progress, I am at Mile 267 on the ICW at 34 deg 23.175' N, 77 deg 38.26' W.
Happy Thanksgiving to all!

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