USA Arrival

Hi everyone,

We arrived in Morehead City, North Carolina yesterday evening at dusk.  The tide was ebbing (of course) and we stemmed up to 2 knots entering Beaufort Inlet.  Once in it was an easy motor to the anchorage S of Sugar Loaf Island.  We anchored at 34 42.9N 076 42.6W in 2.5m over sand.

Under first ICW bridge, still flying Q flag

Here are the usual plots...

Track

Arrival Track

Graphs

Here are the vital statistics...

• Distances/Speeds
• Route Distance = 500nm
• Log Distance = 547nm
• Track Distance = 529nm
• Duration = 5 days 10 hours (130 hours)
• Average boat speed = 4.2kt
• Average ground speed = 4.0kt
• Average day's run = 125nm (through the water)
• Best day's run = 131nm
• Minimum boat speed = 3 kt
• Maximum boat speed = 7 kt
• Weather
• Minimum wind speed = 0kt
• Average wind speed = 7kt
• Maximum wind speed = 20kt (gusts to 27kt)
• Apparent wind angle range = 0 to 180
• Seas up to 1.5m
• Swell up to 1.0m
• Mostly scattered small cumulus, occasional rain squalls
• Engine
• Total = 61 hours (47%)
• Failures
• Two autopilot rams (both old)
• Stars
• The engine (including its new mounts)
• Autopilot (Raymarine SPX5)
• Starlink for accessing Weather Radar, GRIB files and email
• the cook!

Overall it was an OK passage.  We had some nice sailing but a lot of motoring too.  And it was hot and humid.  The thunderstorms coming off Georgia were very scary on the weather radar but happily didn't reach us well offshore.

Motoring across a calm sea

Cloud-watching

The entry into Beaufort Inlet was well buoyed since Morehead City is a commercial port.  The ebb tide was fairly strong in places and setup some choppy seas.  Once inside the sea was calm and we easily stemmed the tidal current up to our anchorage.  There was about half a knot of tide at anchor.

Stemming the ebbing tide entering Beaufort Inlet

Up the channel towards Morehead City

Anchored off Sugar Loaf Island

This morning we weighed anchor (still heavy) and motored the mile or so around to the Morehead City Yacht Basin.  Going under bridges is always 'fun'.  All fixed bridges on the ICW are at least 66' high so we fit under them easily.  We'll have to watch the depth carefully with our 6'6" draft.

Our first ICW bridge

Channel towards Yacht Basin

Transient boats berth at the end of the MCYB jetty hammerheads.  Once tied up there we used the CBProam app to clear in to the US.  Amazingly the app gave us our clearance and cruising permit within minutes.  No need to visit an office or be visited by officials.  We are officially in the US.  Awesome!

At Morehead City Yacht Basin

Trust all's well where you are!