YACHT "WANDERING STAR": Goodbye Bock Marine....

Sunday, November 15, 2015

Goodbye Bock Marine....

Goodbye Bock Marine...until the next time

There is no longer the incessant hum of the insects that I had become so fond of, or the birdsong from the tall pine trees behind us. Nor the clomp, clomp of cars and trucks as they drive over the high rise bridge just to the north of us. There is no longer the beep, beeps of the travel lift or tractor warning people of their movements as they crawl about the yard. All I can hear is the wind and the gentle slap of waves against the hull.

Its not even 8am and its another busy day in the yard - Wandering Star in the slings.

Yes, we finally tore ourselves away from the boatyard and our home for the last 7 weeks that was Bock Marine. A quick haul out turned into an extended stay. We could have made it go faster but would you think there is something wrong with us if we said we enjoy our time there? You get that we like the place, right?

The docks at Beaufort.

But as the days have grown shorter and colder we have been keen to get back in the water. Four days ago we finally "splashed". As friendly faces waved us off, we once again headed out into the waters of the ICW (intra-coastal waterway). First stop just a mere 10 miles away was Beaufort, to get ourselves sorted, to launch the dinghy and get sails back on and to catch up with Mark from “:Sealife” before he set off on his offshore trip back to the Caribbean.

Mark and Sim enjoying a beer at The Dock House

We have opted to take the slow route back, on island time, and where it will take Mark two weeks, I doubt we will make the East Caribbean before 6 months has passed. But I am keen to hit the Bahamas one last time and enjoy travelling through the countries we pass.

Sunrise in Beaufort, NC - goodness knows why I'm up that early!

But first we wanted to visit Cape Lookout National Seashore. Cape Lookout is a 56 mile stretch of barrier islands consisting of beaches, sand dunes and marshland. I have wanted to come here for as long as I can remember – they say it’s as close to the Caribbean as you can get and while it is actually worlds apart, the water has more clarity then we have seen in a long time and the beaches are stunning. And if you like beach combing and shell collecting, as you all know that I do, Cape Lookout is second to none. The beaches are just littered with shells and not just iddy biddy ones but giant whelk and horseshoe crabs as well. We have spotted Loggerhead turtles and dolphins are swimming around the boat. Everybody raves about this spot and it really is that special. And best of all, I guess because it is so cold – we have the place to ourselves.