N.C. Adventure #1

I've been a sailor over 40 years. I was a racer, a cruiser, and even owned a sailboat shop.
In May of 2008, I traveled the length of the Tennessee River on a sailboat. From Knoxville to the Ohio River. On the river 22 days--sailed one day.

This is what happens when sailors go bad.

We drove to north Carolina on Sunday so we could pick up the trailer Monday morning. Having been in the boat business, I had doubts that it would be ready on time.

Unfortunately, I was right. We did get it on Monday, but late in the day and with only a few parts missing.

We drove the remaining 100 miles or so to Oriental, where the boat was.

We slept on the boat in the hoist, and ran an extension cord out so we could run the air conditioner that night.

I spent all day Tuesday modifying the trailer to fit the boat.

It rained all day Wednesday, but we launched the boat anyway.

We went to the only gas station in Oriental--the mini-mart. We discovered that the fuel gauge was not working because I thought the tank was empty, but it had about 20 gallons in it. So, it only cost $240.00 to fill it the rest of the way.

When we first got to the boat ramp, the outboards wouldn't start, but I pulled the boat back out, and hit them with the biggest hammer I had, and all was fine.

We stayed the night at Oriental Harbor marina, next to a 50' Benneteau sailboat.

On Thursday, we loaded the dinghy on the roof, and headed out.