Started: Town Creek, Beaufort, NC 34°43.57′N 076°40.04′W

Anchored: ICW Mile 244 Mile Hammock Bay 34°33.05′N 077°19.52′W

Log: 44.3 nm. Time 7 hr. Engine Hours 7

We received our NOAA All Hazards Weather Alert while we chugged down the ICW today. Arctic Air Mass. Cold. Gale Force Winds. Waves. Danger.

Since leaving Coinjock, every day has been warm and sunny. Beautiful.

The night at Coinjock was cold. Really cold. But the last four nights have been delightful. Crisp or maybe chilly. But not cold.

Tonight (and tomorrow) promise to be right cold.

As we chugged down the ICW, we had plenty of time for self-doubt. Was this the right decision? Should we have paid for several nights of dockage at Beaufort (with amenities like power for our heaters?) Should we have holed up in South River or some other sheltered creek?

Would Mile Hammock Bay be filled with other boats?

(Other than the USMC boats, that is. They're all over the place, but don't anchor anywhere.)

So far, we've had a great day on the water.

There are few other boats here. We think this will be good holding. There's little cover, but flat seas in gale force winds from the N or NW. Most everyone else seems to have found another place to hole up.

We're hoping that Wednesday is cold and otherwise uneventful.

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