Today's trek along the ICW is a section one likes to avoid, but the offshore weather wasn't accommodating. Between Swansboro and Wrightsville you first have to pass through the Camp Lejeune Firing Range. Normally it is not active and no problem but this morning the yellow lights were flashing. Fortunately the firing hadn't started yet and the Navy patrol boat told us to pass through "transit only - no stopping." Fine with us.
The next challenge is 4 bridges to pass through which are on restricted schedules, meaning they only open on the hour (or hour and half hour for two of them) which forces you to set your speed to arrive at opening times and basically slows you down one hour along the day's transit. That means you can't get to Carolina Beach Park where we would like to stop.
Since we couldn't reach Carolina Beach Park, we are anchored in the anchorage area around the corner in Wrightsville Beach area. Its a nice protected anchorage area. Normally a very busy anchorage during transit times (April and October) but pretty empty in Jan. There was one boat already anchored and one more sailboat followed us in, so there are 3 of us for the night. Tomorrow we'll head out early and should make it to Myrtle Beach area. Still looks like Friday before we can get out to sea.
Overcast and a few showers throughout the day today, and forecasted for tonight/tomorrow, but the temperature is in mid 50s so not too bad. Better than the snow showers in Wash DC!
