12/06/2007 Southport NC

Leaving Harbour Village Marina wasn't as easy as one might think since we were in a slip bow first with little room to turn in the channel. Bob walked us out of the slip with me at the helm. At the last moment he jumped onto the bow holding onto the pulpit. Wow, that worked out fine...except Bob's stuck, can't make it under the pulpit and I need to put the engine in forward. I begin wondering what kind of figurehead he'll make when he turns loose with one hand and reaches across to pull himself through. Not easy turning loose when dangling over the water!! Success, we're on our way again.

We spend the day keeping to the channel in the ICW and managing the shoaling at the inlets. Joined a parade of boats waiting for the Figure 8 Island Bridge to open and on to an anchorage at Carolina Beach. There's a real parade tomorrow (Holiday Parade) in the harbor so we see boats pass by all decked out and of all things a swimmer in wet suit crossing the channel?

The next day we go thru Snows Cut into the Cape Fear River and on to Southport, NC. We are unable to enter the marina due to dredging so we hang outside parading up and down entertaining the diners in a harbor restaurant. Oh yes, we did enjoy a seafood platter a the same restaurant that night and we watched other boaters in the harbor, nice.



The weather is doing it's Fall thing again so we've spent a couple of days here. Many interesting boaters join us making their way South even a few headed North?? They are delivering boats, going to Bahamas to refit boat for summertime day chartering at Marthas Vineyard, rushing to meet someone at another port further down the line or just making their way South like us. The thing everyone has in common is coming in from the wet cold to rest, shower, laundry and find whatever it is they need to continue their journey.

The stay is good for Christmas shopping and even mailing them out. Bought a few Christmas decorations (going to have to toss the little smile face pumpkin that has kept us company this far) including a flag that I reinforce for grommets to fly off Hakuna Matata.



Got a little stirrcrazy so we rented a car that turned out to be a big truck and went for a ride to Wilmington. Funny how fast you can get someplace on land:) Also got a state map....so that's where we have been?...are... & going to be. The weather is about to get really nice so we'll be off soon.

THE CATS TAKE THIS BREAK AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO EXPLORE.
HEY, WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?