Tuesday
1940 – Belhaven, oh beautiful Belhaven, population 1400 and nestled up Pantego Creek just off the Pungo River. Freaking shallow water everywhere!!!!! After attempting to land on a dock, running aground and then getting pinned against pilons thus followed by banging the zodiac motor on the river bed as the food got soaked motoring out to the Audax only to find her a bit high and dry again we finally set sail and left feeling good despite it all. Why? I think mostly because of the niceness of people in this town. Sandy the local librarian out of the kindness of her heart drove us from the Food Lion simply because we needed help. Add to this friendly smiles everywhere and it just felt really good to see how kind and helpful the human race can still be despite the fast paced, no time for anything lifestyle so many of us live.

Wednesday
0945 – Beam reaching down the Neuse River, Steve at the helm, Jordi reading in the aft cabin, myself calling marinas in Oriental, the self proclaimed sailing capital of North Carolina, population 850 where “cordial barroom banter can quickly escalate to calls to rid the area of those damn Yankees”. We weighed anchor under cloudy skies and crystal still seas to yet another brilliant red sky…sailors take warn?….

Thursday
0719 – Wow, I may have found a new home! This town really rocks!! Motoring in with shrimp boats to the left and right, unfortunately and sadly many are for sale with the current state of the fisheries, we pulled into the Oriental Marina, Tiki Bar included. A sweet Shrimp Quesadilla at M and M’s where we met the only person under 60 in the town, Sarah, who just moved here a week ago herself.

A trip to the local boating/everything provision shop down the street, despite the small size of the town there are over 3000 registered boats. We had our sails and dodger picked up for needed repairs by Oriental Sailmaker’s, Jordi and I went for the standard run around town, (Jordi giving back some of the kindness of the South ended up helping out a women we met in the provision store clean her roof although I do hear financial compensation was included!)

I currently sit looking out at the Audax typing from “the Bean,” the local coffee shop with an atmosphere I have not seen since the West Point General Store. The community simply hanging out, drinking coffee and laughing. I just hope the friendly banter does not turn to animosity directed at “those damn Yankees” ! A work day, see list here and some weather watching as we prepare for our next jump ideally to Charleston, SC.