Casting Off

 Casting Off  

 November 5th - November 10th 2025

 We cast off from Herrington Harbor North in Chesapeake Bay at 2100 on the 5th of November after weeks of upgrades to our electrical system including lithium batteries and a new solar array.  We took respites in Baltimore while the interior cabin was in disarray.The hospitality provided by our Baltimore shore crew was almost enough to tether us to the familial and cultural riches of Charm City, but the sea was calling.

We have a long list of wants and to do's for Noëpe but left additional upgrades for another day to take advantage of a weather window for our passage South. Solo circumnavigator and sailing coach Jerome Rand arrived the afternoon of the 5th and we began safety checks and stowage while we waited on the last minute installation of dinghy davit. Quentin the metal fabricator was true to his word and delivered the unit around 1830 and then worked in the dark to get the davits installed. The davits will allow us easy stowage for our dingy and usage to explore the skinny waters of the Bahamas.

By 2100 we were out of the channel and into Chesapeake bay with a following wind of 15 to 20 knots pushing us down the bay toward Norfolk. This was our first time sailing at night and despite the confines of the Chesapeake and the occasional container ship the night was magnificent. The ride was a rolly one with the seas building down the long fetch of the Chesapeake testing our stowing skills and challenging everyone's ability to sleep in a washing machine. 

We rotated through three hour watches for our first leg but with shifting gear and four foot waves on our stern the motion was not very conducive to sleep. The Super Beaver Moon was just past full and provided excellent visibility as we rolled along down Chesapeake Bay averaging around 6.5 knots under a reefed main.

As dawn broke on the 6th the wind and sea state began to subside as we approached the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay and the Atlantic Ocean. Cape Hatteras, graveyard of the Atlantic lay just over 100 nautical miles to the Southeast and as the day progressed the winds subsided and we switched on our diesel engine to the sound of "wap, wap, wap". Apparently we had picked up a crab pot in the Chesapeake. Fortunately the cutters on our prop shaft made quick work of the tangle and the prop spun freely. We mototred on and made our way around the #2 buoy at diamond shoals. After clearing Cape hatteras we changed course for Cape Lookout as the winds clocked to the Southeast and began to build. By 2000 we had 20 knot winds with some gusts exceeding 25 knots and on a close reach the motion was not ideal for sleep.

The Southeasterly wind direction brought on a series of squalls generated from the warm waters of the Gulf Stream off to our east that came and went over the course a few hours. We reefed down the main and genoa a bit further and let out the main sail as Noëpe shrugged off the challenge. We experienced gusts in the 35 to 37 knot range and had the occasional bucket of water thrown over the port side to keep us on our toes. Sometime before the squalls hit our autopilot went on the blink and we began hand steering. This added to our fatigue as we sailed through the night but provided a good lesson in boat handling and allowed me to gain understanding and confidence in Noëpe's abilities. 

During the second squall Jerome observed that the rare earth magnets used to attach our semi-flexible solar panels to the bimini had let loose in a couple of spots and were occasionally lifting. If one let loose altogether it might seriously damage our mainsail. With the boat heeling twenty degrees and the seas rolling, Jerome and I snipped our way through the cabling zip ties and wrestled the three panels below. Despite their distance from the instruments the rare earth magnets, which are incredibly strong, were the root cause of our autopilot failure. We left the magnets ashore and we will be rethinking our bimini solar array.

Shortly after midnight on the 7th Jerome took the helm as the winds began to subside and a couple of hours later we began motoring toward Beaufort North Carolina. The Intracoastal Waterway(ICW) runs adjacent to Beaufort and we called ahead for a slip at the Beaufort Town Dock. The tidal currents were running fast with the waning full moon as we entered the channel, and we were advised to wait for slack tide before attempting entry to the marina. We anchored just East of the town to wait out the tide and I took the opportunity to dive on the prop and rudder to ensure that we were fully clear of the crab pot line. The water was brisk but refreshing after a couple of days without showering and it was reassuring to know that all was well below the waterline.

 We made a stellar docking into the marina and checked in with the dockmaster who was a very salty character. We cleaned up and organized the mess that was our cabin and met some fellow Hallberg Rassy cruisers who hail from Cape Cod. Beaufort pronounced "bo-fort" is a lovely town with gorgeous homes in the historical district near the marina and great brick oven pizza at the Blacksheep Restaurant.

The morning of November 8th we headed down the ICW given the opposing winds and a forecast that included high winds and cold weather offshore. We had heard that the ICW was akin to white knuckle driving on the highway this time of year, but our experience was fairly pleasant and we enjoyed some accompanying dolphins and beautiful vistas of the barrier islands along the way. We anchored out just off the ICW the evening of the 8th but ran aground briefly as we made our way into a narrow channel. The forecast was for the wind to do a 180, following thunderstorms during the night and the prediction was accurate. We made several safety checks through the night to make sure we did not end up on the nearby shoal or drag anchor but the Carolina silt held fast.

Following a hearty breakfast of potatoes, eggs, and ham, we made our way toward Wrightsville / Wilmington ( depending on which side of the bridge you are on). We called about six different marinas but had not planned ahead and there was a fishing tournament in town. We pulled in at the Dockside Restaurant which was the only available slip in town. We wanted to be tethered to a dock for the anticipated highwinds and cold snap into the low thirties. Did I mention that our Webasto heater is on the blink?!?

The cold snap found us bundled with multiple layers in the morning as we set off for Southport near the entrance to Cape Fear. Jerome has quite a few connections in the sailing world and got us a complimentary slip at Deep Water Marina in Southport. We met his lovely friend, Ben, who is the dock manager for Deep Water, Indigo Plantation, and Bald Head Island Marinas. Ben visited us on Noepe and offered some excellent advice for our journey South. 

This was our last evening with Jerome and we were all a bit tired, so we ordered out for some local ribs and they were excellent! Ben provided Jerome with a ride to the airport this morning and we said our farewells. Having Jerome's expertise aboard has given us the confidence to continue on and keep learning the ropes.

 Jessica and I have spent the day cleaning and passage planning for our next leg to Charleston, South Carolina which we hope to make Friday morning. The winds will be 10 to 15 knots tomorrow morning and favorable for a broad reach on our departure and the current forecast looks like they will hold on longer than was expected earlier which means we should be able to sail most of the passage. It will take us about 25 hours to make the trip including nearly four hours to navigate the channel to  Charleston. This will be our first overnight passage with just the two of us but we are ready to go and the safety checks are completed.

We will spend one night in Charleston before sailing on to Beaufort, SC. ( Pronounced bew-fort, go figure)? We will be there for about a week before flying home for Thanksgiving.

To anyone reading this drivel I will work to get more photos in the mix next time.

Cheers!

Jessica & Scott