The Adventure Begins....

After almost two weeks of working on the boat and loading provisions (I think Katy was trying to sink the boat), we finally push away from the dock at Sneads Ferry and head down the New River to our next adventure.  Although a partly overcast day, the temperature was comfortable and the rain held off until we were ready to dock (as usual).  Fortunately only a sprinkle or two and Katy didn't get too wet out tending the lines.

For the second time, we start our trip with getting acquanted with a sandbar.  Just adjacent to the Masonboro Inlet at Wrightsville Beach we encounter a sailboat that appeared to be in the middle of the channel.  Since sailboats usually take the center of the channel anyway, I didn't think too much about it.  Unfortunately this poor chap was aground and, in trying to go around him, I found myself similarly situated.  I could tell that this was a popular spot because the TowboatUS boat was standing by.  In five minutes or less he had us back in the channel and on our way.

The rest of the trip to Southport was uneventful and the Cape Fear River was beautiful as always.  A picture of the sunset over the Southport Marina:

Tomorrow, we have scheduled a Caterpillar technician to come by and install a new raw water pump on the port engine.  I have already gone through that engine and replaced all hoses, the thermostat and coolant.  I also had the transmission cooler cleaned at a radiator shop.  Hopefully, with a new pump we'll be good to go for a few years.

If he finishes before noon, we'll probably move on down the waterway, if not we'll spend another night in Southport.  We had dinner tonight at the Provision Company, one of my favorites for seafood, and enjoyed a cool evening breeze overlooking the yacht basin.