So the gale was supposed to abate by 10 this morning…but at 1:00pm  it was still howling at 30+ knots. Eleanor is very maneuverable with her twin screws, but lacks a bow thruster and the winds were holding her hard against the dock. Getting off would be tough.

Looking at the chart, there are opportunities every twenty miles with marinas where we could stop, but many lacked restaurants or interesting amenities, so we ultimately came to the conclusion that it would be too much effort to get underway to go a few miles down the waterway and end up in a town with less to offer than Morehead City. Plus it is freakin’ cold! Temps in the low 30s. Wind chill with the GALE FORCE WINDs is way colder! So, we happily paid for another night and settled in.

Craig and I got caught up on a few maintenance issues. Topped off batteries, checked over the engines thoroughly, and generally made Eleanor ready to head back out tomorrow. Meanwhile the ladies went shopping, but that is their story to share with you later. We are off for another highly recommended seafood restaurant. Last night’s Red Fish Grill was really great so we head ashore soon with high expectations.