Chesapeake Chase Days 7-8: On a mooring at Carolina Beach
June 18: Mooring, Dinghy and Beach Day
Today was an easy travel day to a mooring at Carolina Beach. We didn’t have far to go, and the weather forecast was gentle. We needed to be off the dock by 11:00 AM which gave us plenty of time for coffee and blueberry pancakes. We also needed to top off the water tank, remove all trash and empty the holding tank.
We were underway by 11:00 AM. We were quickly reminded it was the weekend with all the traffic, but it was not uncomfortable. We had a short and pleasant trip.
We found the mooring balls right away upon arriving. Fred brought us right up to the ball and with Naomi’s long arms and the boat hook fully extended, we grabbed the line on the ball first try and smoothly. It was a beautiful dance.
Once we were securely attached, the excitement of going to the beach was strong and in control. We did convince, Miriam, Naomi, and Phoebe to eat lunch on the boat rather than trying to pack a lunch and then figure out how to get everything needed on the dinghy. We also still had to get the dinghy down off the flybridge which is more than a five-minute process.
Naomi immediately started making sandwiches for everyone. Bless her!
By 3:15 PM they were loading into the dinghy all lathered with sunscreen, and carrying a bag with goggles, towels, extra sunscreen, dark glasses, life jackets, First Aid Kit, hats, water bottles, and phones. You could see, feel, touch, and absorb the happiness pouring forth from the dinghy. With Grampy at the helm, they were off! It’s difficult to explain how wonderful I felt at that moment – a peace that filled me. My family was safe and getting high on the water, creatures, and beauty of this place.
I prepared dinner in the crockpot, wrote more about our voyage, and relaxed. Fred returned so he could also relax some and catch up on a few things he had been neglecting due to our circumstances.
Just before 6:00 PM, Miriam called to let us know they were ready to come back to Betty Lou. They used the shower at the beach to rinse off as much salt and sand as they could. Fred returned with three very satisfied, hungry, tired granddaughters.
Dinner wasn’t quite ready, but they all wanted to shower first anyway. Today they opted for cockpit showers. Miriam and Phoebe remember them from last summer. It was a new experience for Naomi. The cockpit shower uses the fresh water from the tank and runs hot and cold water. This also means restricted use of water. What’s missing is privacy.
By the time showers were over, fresh clothes on, hair brushed, and that sense of well-being restored, dinner was ready. I had made chili which met with everyone’s approval. It is a well know fact that food always tastes better on Betty Lou.
Once dishes were washed, dried, and put away, we sat down to play one game of Skip-Bo. Before ending the evening, we went up to the flybridge to enjoy the sunset and the breeze.
Tonight’s forecast was for a low of 67 degrees which was a welcome break from the intense heat of the past few days. Fred opened all the hatches, portals, and windows to take advantage.
Today was wonderful and we were all ready to turn in for the night. Tomorrow promises to be another day to just enjoy!
June 19: More Beach
This morning was breezy, cool, and gorgeous! Fred and I had our coffee in the cockpit. It was so peaceful and relaxing to just sit and absorb the surroundings. There was no rush to do anything today. The only plans were for the three young ladies to return to the beach.
Naomi was the first up. She fixed herself breakfast and then Fred took her out in the dinghy for a driving lesson. The dinghy goes much faster than Betty Lou, so for young people it is exciting!
By late morning – with our help – Miriam and Phoebe were awake. They quickly ate, slathered up, gathered all their beach paraphernalia and were ready to spend the afternoon swimming, looking for more shells, and exploring. The surf was up due to winds overnight, but not dangerous. Fred planned to swim some as well before returning to Betty Lou. Once more I opted out. There was a time when I too would have been excited about going to the beach. My preferred beach time is now early morning or early evening when I can walk along and enjoy having my feet in the water.
Fred enjoyed his swim but was exhausted when he returned. He showered and then we spent the rest of the afternoon attempting to get caught up on the travel log. At least we were finally able to work on it.
Phoebe called late afternoon to have Fred come get them. They were hungry and tired and ready to be out of the sun. I stayed and worked on dinner.
I greeted them to help tie the dinghy to the boat. The first thing I noticed was the warm, pink skin! Oops! Ouch! They assured me, and I did believe them that they had put sunscreen on several more times. Getting cleaned up helped some, eating supper helped some, and putting on some lotion helped some. What helped the most was taking an evening dinghy ride – all of us – and the promise of a cooler evening. It was a wonderful way to end the day!
We all went to bed relatively early. Tomorrow we would be traveling the great distance of less than ½ mile to the Federal Point Yacht Club and Marina within eyesight of the mooring field.
Captain’s Comments:
We seldom stay at a mooring. Our out of service windlass dictated that we couldn’t anchor, and no marina slips available for Father’s Day weekend, made mooring a good option. The mooring field is operated by the city of Carolina Beach, and is in top condition. The price was right, too ($20/night through Dockwa). Dinghy docks were provided at both ends of the harbor, one with restrooms and an outdoor shower (for beachgoers). Easy access to the beach.
All these were expected. What I hadn’t expected, but thoroughly enjoyed, was the peace and quiet of being isolated on a mooring–in the middle of a busy tourist town. Cooler weather allowed us to enjoy a cool breeze all night, with the traffic noise mostly fading as the sun went down. Only the occasional sound of another mooring neighbor running their dinghy to shore broke the morning silence. Of course, as the day matured, all the other boaters started heading out and in. Mostly polite.
The younger crew members took easily to driving the dinghy, although they were frustrated that they couldn’t satisfy their need for speed in the no-wake zone that encompassed the entire harbor.
The surf on Sunday was energized by the overnight wind. Fun to play in, but, for this older crew member, tiring. I headed back long before the girls.
