Category Archives: Boating

Bear Inlet…

When we come to Emerald Isle, we often take the boat to the east end of Bear Island (Hammock’s Beach State Park) [if you follow the link, the “pinpoint” is at the mainland terminus for the passenger ferry, the park is on “Bear Island” in the center of the map]. However, today we decided to take the boat and go to Bear Inlet on the west end of the park. While I’ve walked to the west end before, it had been years. The beach at the park is beautiful, and it was nice day (note that artistically inserted dog tail in the lower right of the picture 😉 ). We went about 1.5 hours before low tide, and I was a bit concerned about the water levels in the passage to the inlet (it’s not marked nor dredged). However, as I was turning into the cut, another boat, bigger than mine, lead the way in running at a full plane. So, I revved up my motor and followed, though the depth finder was showing only about 3 feet in several areas. I followed his wake trail, and got there without any problems. We pulled up along side the “back channel” that runs on the north side of Bear Island and dropped anchor along side the 3 or 4 other boats there. Here’re Jason enjoying a swim in the current in the channel. We walked close to two miles back toward the park facilities (the only development on the island) and met my mom & sister, who’d taken the passenger ferry to the park (the only way to the park is by boat, either the park ferry or private boat). Walked back to the inlet and hung out for a while, swimming and collecting shells; mom & sister walked back to catch the 2:30PM ferry, and we left close to dead low tide, though some water was still flowing out the inlet. I took it pretty slow headed back to the ICW (Inter Coastal Waterway), fast enough to pick up the back end of the boat, but not so fast as to hurt the lower unit if I hit a sandbar. Touched bottom once, but that was it. Lessa the lab took that opportunity, though, to jump out of the boat, so we had to toss out the anchor, jump out and toss her back in. We decided that Bear Inlet was a great trip, less crowded than Bogue Inlet, and worth a return. Maybe later this week!

Ah, vacation…

So, I’m sitting on the deck of the beach house on a wonderfully cool July evening…upper 70’s, nice breeze, low humidity. Listening to Skynyrd on the iPod, piped to the speakers on the deck…Free Bird is on right now; for a southern country boy, that’s good stuff 😉

It’s been a great beach trip so far. Weather is good, crowds are less this year than a typical 4th…maybe the gas prices are having an impact? Actually seemed to be many fewer boats on the water. Have been to Hammocks Beach State Park twice so far, and may go again tomorrow. The beach there is so nice…a 3 mile long island with only the one set of park service structures, and the only way there by ferry or private boat. Took this picture of a live Atlantic Cockle on Sunday…

Great food so far. A wonderful Paella on Saturday, and a Scallop Frittata tonight. RecipeZaar gave it 5 stars and I do too. Tomorrow it’s shrimp & scallops on the grill…can’t wait! Trying to walk enough to burn off the calories!

The Harrier Jets are doing simulated carrier landings tonight over at Bogue Field. Quite a bit of noise when one goes over just a few hundred feet up, but as they say in these parts, it’s the sound of freedom. I’m a liberal, for sure, but I do think that Teddy Roosevelt had it right when he said “Walk softly and carry a big stick.” We’ve had only half of this right for the last 8 years…

Almost time for some shuteye…

Sun & sand…

Well, not at the coast, but yesterday (5/25) at Jordan Lake. Got the boat and operational for the season. Took a new battery, the old one wouldn’t keep a charge. Loaded up the boat, put the dogs in the back of the Yukon, and Jan & I headed to the Fearrington Point ramps. Started up the boat, and nosed out into the lake. Great to see water in the lake, after last year’s drought. Jordan is still about a foot over normal pool. We headed about 3 miles down the lake to our favorite little “beach”…a small area of pretty, white sand under the pine trees.

We got out the chaise lounges, the Sunday NY Times, and got set to relax. The dogs (labs) wanted anything thrown to them for retrieval…and soon! We had a frisbee, a foxtail, and a tennis ball with a Chuckit (this is one of those things that you say, why couldn’t I have developed that?). It’s impossible to wear out a 3 year old lab (Lessa), but we tried. Even the old dog, Anakin, who’s pushing 13, was swimming eagerly after the toys.

Finally, a chance to sit down in the chaise and soak up some sun. A glass of cold pinot grigio? Of course! Grabbed it from the cooler, along with two wine glasses. Ah, the life!

Oh well, back to work today (we get this day as a part of our winter holiday, so I’m actually in the office…)

At the lake again!

A great day at Jordan Lake…Jan and I took the boat (working now!), the dogs, and our oldest son and headed out. The dogs just love it. Hung out in the cove pictured (sorry about the quality of the picture, it’s taken with my phone) here for a while, then ran the boat over to the other side of the lake, and found a really great little beach we had not stopped at before. We’re going back next weekend, weather permitting, and that’s the place we’ll head first. Lots of folks on the water today, but not quite as many as Memorial Day weekend.

Right idea, wrong relay…

Well, I got the boat motor working, albeit too late to make it to the lake.  I also needed a tongue wheel for the trailer and went to a local boat dealer, though not one that works on Tohatsu outboards.  Was talking with them about my problem, and they said that even though I thought I’d replaced the bad tilt/trim relay, it still wasn’t reversing polarity to the tilt/trim motor, and I’d replaced the wrong one.  They said to put in the one that I’d taken out of the motor in the slot I thought was working, and poof, it worked…it was too late to get to the lake, but I’ll try to go next weekend.  At least my instincts were right and I saved myself a trip to the shop…

A morning at Jordan Lake…

Wanted to get out of the house and enjoy some of the nice, summer-like weather. The dogs love to go swim in the lake, so Jan and I loaded up the boat with lounge chairs, the back of the truck with the dogs and headed out this morning. Just a quick trip, since there is so much boat traffic at Jordan Lake on holiday weekends, I like to get out early and back early. This is the first time out with the boat this year, and I had to work on some problems yesterday. The steering mechanism was rusted, so had to take it apart and grease it up. The biggest problem though is that the power tilt relay to move the motor “down” has failed. It was failing last summer, but would always work after hitting the switch a few times. I was actually pretty pleased with my outboard mechanic work, figuring out that it was the relay and not the tilt motor itself. I read a bit, and swapped the relays, and then the motor went down, pretty as you please. I just have to get a new relay by next weekend when I go to the lake with the Scouts. Today, I raised the motor up for trailering, then swapped the relay at the ramp to lower the motor, and then swapped them back so I could raise it when I got back to the ramp. The skeg cleared the ramp down, so it was OK. Worked, but a bit kludgey. I just need to find a PTT relay for a 1999 Tohatsu 40Hp outboard now 😉