Sailors are a unique group

I mentioned s/v Azure in a previous post.  The next day, they caught up with me again (I guess I left my anchorage before they left the marina).  We traveled together for a while.  As the day wore on I began to think about where to stay.  I was debating anchorage or a marina.  I prefer anchorage, but knew I could stand to take on fuel so I was leaning toward a marina.  About that time Azure called me on the radio and told me they had just made a reservation at Coquina Yacht Club for the night, did I want the phone number.  I figured this must be a sign that I should go ahead and stay in a marina for the night.  After we got docked I finally met the crew of Azure  Steve and Dana.  I discovered that they are from Jonesboro, AR.  They were taking their boat from Isle of Palms, were they had it for the winter, to a marina inland from Morehead City, NC.  We had a nice dinner at Clark's Chop House and got to know each other a little better.  The next day we would go out on the BIG water together.  I would not have ventured out there without a "buddy boat".  I am glad I met them.  The next day we would talk on the radio, but after they would get out of range and I would not hear from them again. They had a schedule to keep, I did not.

s/v Subtle Waves (I believe they are from Belgium)

s/v Big Bear

After I left Azure on May 21, I began traveling with three other sailboat.  Sailboats have to wait for the bridge openings, so we tend to get bunched up on the ICW.  So I am happily motoring along on a long stretch of the ICW that runs parallel to the ocean and barrier islands (near Surf City, NC)  I was second in line.  The last boat in line rolled out the head sail.  Since the wind was only about 6 knots, I figured he wasn't going to gain much.  It is said that when two sailboats see each other on the water, a race ensues, Slowly the fourth boat began to close the gap on the third boat, the third boat in line rolled out the sail.  Before long all four of had sails out,  It only gained me about 1/2 a NM, but I wasn't about to end up last in the line.

Lessons Learned:
1.  Always have your boat ready to sail.  I had to organize some lines and move some fenders before I could roll out the sail.  Thankfully it didn't cost me the race.

2.  The wind on the coast is a lot more consistent than at Barren River Lake.  We sailed on the same tack for nearly 2 hours, at Barren River you're lucky to get 20 minutes on the same tack (for you not sailors, that means I didn't have to move the sails for 2 hours).