Sails are up, seas are down and we are sailing along at 7 knots.  We should reaching Cape Hatteras in 4 hours.  Then off to the opening of the channel of Chesapeake Bay.  We planned our rounding of Cape Hatteras was perfect.  A smooth ride, but what I didn't know is that this area in the ocean is one of the points of the Bermuda triangle.  So now we are sailing blind, no navigational gear is working properly due to magnetic disturbance.

Well got some needed rest last night.  The boat was not rocking and we took hot showers.  We had a nice breakfast, filled up with diesel, washed off the salt on the boat, and talked with other boaters that Paul and Monica knew from other port of calls.  We had a nice lunch and a better dinner.  Now it was time to plot our course to go around Cape Hatteras.  We did have a little excitement sitting on the dock at Southvillage Harbor.  Looking into the intercostal waterway Paul spots a floating tree branch, well much to our surprise it was a 6 ft alligator.  The dock master at the marina did say do not go in the water and he also mentioned that last week there was a 7 ft shark in the water.  Paul was throwing sausage links at the alligator to try to get it closer for a picture but it had a mind of its own.  Then later in the day we spotted dauphins in the same spot, pretty neat eco system in the Carolinas.

The seas are nice and calm today, winds are dying down so were motor sailing.  We are maintaining about 7 knots.  This is a heavy boat so I am told.  Moonshadow is more stable not really a racer but a cruiser.  A new report comes in, a weather front is moving in and we will have to duck in to Cape Fear for the day to wait out the storm.  Otherwise, it would be to unstable to sail around Cape Hatteras. There are only a few spots in the world that act like Cape Hatteras making it once again the real deal to sail around it.

I wake up the calm seas and I ask my self are we moving.  I put my life vest on go up on deck and clamp in.  Oh yah, we are moving 8 to 9 knots thanks to the gulf stream.  No kidding its really cool, the stream runs a current from the south to the north and is running 2 to 3 knots faster (just like in finding nemo).  Its true, its true, the sails are out and engine off.  We are in the high seas moving making good time.  The boat is splashing through the seas, mists are spraying, sun is shining, life is good!  Wait a minute feeling a little fatague, lay down, close my eyes and all is better.  As long as someone is plotting the course and keeping watch.  Captain Paul and Monica have a very high tech set up for navagating.  Trimming the sails and keeping those eyes out its not a bad feeling till of coarse night hits.

Anchors aweigh.   It is 7 am will catch the 7:30 toll bridge out of Ft. Lauderdale.  Moonshadow has a 63 ft mast and the bridge is 62 ft, so we have to call ahead to arrange the opening, pretty cool!  As we pull out Captain Paul has a friend waiting on us.  A marine police officer, Quintin.  Way too cool we have a police excourt out of the bay.

So here i sit waiting to board my flight to Ft. Lauderdale and then to board a 42 ft sailboat that my buddy and wife own.  They spend every winter in the BVI and summer in Annapolis, Md.  I am catching them on there 2nd part of there trip.  The first part was a 7 day voyage from BVI to Ft. Lauderdale.  One crew member gets off and I get on for a 950 nautical mile trip to Annapolis,MD.  The ship never stops so someone is required to be at the helm all the time.  I have done some exciting things before but this one is at the top.  I will write a little bit about my adventure each day, hope you enjoy.