The Outer Banks, Ocracoke

We left Beaufort, NC early (6:30am)so as to catch the right tide and then ended up having to wait 15 minutes for the 8:00am bridge to open. It really didn’t cost us any time and we were quickly sailing up Adams Creek to Pamlico Sound. Once we hit Pamlico Sound it was sails up and we were on the move hitting 8.6 knots at times. The channel leading into Silver Lake at Ocracoke has been dredged since last fall when we got stuck and were pulled off a sand bar, but Gordon took it very slow just in case we should bump!! We had the Cedar Island Ferry waiting for us to clear the channel before he went on his way. (I know the captain was cursing sailboats the rest of the evening.) It was about 5:30 and we had some time before sunset so I washed down the decks and sides of the boat while Gordon checked us in. We took Schooner on what was supposed to be a long walk, but it turned out to be very short when mosquitoes attacked us all. Poor Schooner was jumping, sitting, doing circles just to get away from the biting! I can’t remember being attacked so badly in a short period of time!! So we quickly returned to the comfort of the boat and AC. I did go topside to catch some great pictures of the sunset…it was spectacular lasi night!

Neither Gordon nor I wanted to going in the morning, we didn’t sleep all that well. It seems that if I wasn’t scratching, Gordon or Schooner were!! Seems that we brought some of the mosquitoes in and they continued biting all night. Only the ones on the face and neck are itching now. It was about 10 before we ventured out (after showers in citronella soap and activating our OFF clip-on), on our bikes to see what was new and different in Ocracoke. One thing for sure is that not much changes on the Outer Banks of North Carolina. There were a few more shops and gift stores open and 2 new restaurants. We checked out the lighthouse again, they are about to start renovations on the inside and will be closed after this summer season ends. We rode out RT 12 and went to Jason’s Deli and Pizza for lunch. I had the special for the day; a fried flounder with pepper cheese sandwich and Gordon had an Uncle Buncle; a broiled chicken breast with sliced ham, provolone cheese, lettuce, tomatoes. onion and banana peppers. Both were excellent and the recommendation from a storekeeper was right on!! She had told us it was a locals place to eat and sure enough we didn’t recognize any tourists but us. After a bit more shopping we headed back to the boat and spent the rest of the evening chillin in the AC.

Gordon wants to leave early (around 7am) in the morning; we have a long sail up Pamlico Sound to Roanoke Island and Manteo.