So we were looking for adventure . . .

And we got it. .

Today after resting up last night from our ocean passage we headed toward the Cape Fear river and inlet. It was tricky navigation as marker 182A in Snows Cut had drifted onto the shore and it was a key marker to enter the river.

We had a four-knot current behind us as well as a north wind. We were flying along at about 7 to 8 knots and planned to turn to starboard back onto the Intracoastal Waterway at Southport. It is also possible to head out to the Atlantic via the Cape Fear Inlet. Frying Pan Shoal stretches out 30 miles to sea offering protection from Cape Fear down to Charleston. But it was cold and we were weary from our travels so we decided to stay in.

About five miles from Southport I was at the helm when I felt a wrench on the engine. Something was on the prop. I threw the boat into neutral and Scott came running up from down below. We tried throwing it in reverse a couple of times but no luck. Scott had noticed a sign for a marina we had just passed. I hailed the marina, also the landing spot for a ferry to Bald Island. The ferry heard us and kindly offered to guide us in as there was severe shoaling at the entrance. We limped in, going only one knot against the current. We docked at the gas dock. Scott dug out his wetsuit and snorkel gear and with knife in hand, Crocodile Dundee style, he dove on the prop and got his prize - a bit piece of black netted burlap. We fueled up and headed back out.

The tricky thing about this passage however is the few available deep water marinas or anchorages for about 50 miles. We had to go slowly threw several inlets but were racing to get to the Sunset Bridge pontoon bridge (another fixed bridge to replace it is slated to open in a week or so) and low and behold there was B&G and a catamaran waiting there. The bridge was closed due to mechanical failures. We threw out our anchors in the channel. It grew dark and the prospect of trying to find a safe anchorage in the blackness. The bridge tender has indicated that he opens all night for commercial traffic but we think we're going to try and hold tight here.