Day 48 Wrightsville Beach

Our day started at 6:00 AM when dawn was just beginning to show. It was still cloudy and cold! (Overnight temps. down to 45'.) The boats were leaving the anchorage fast and we were sipping our coffee. Were we missing something? Jane checked the tide book and we decided that the current was with us so we pulled the anchor up and left at 7AM. We passed across 2 ocean inlets and found the currents very strong and lots of shoaling going on because the markers were all over the place. Typically there are red & green day marks on pilings but near rivers and ocean inlets there are little floating red & green markers. We were told by a good source to honor those floaties instead of the GPS. They were so right!!!! Once into the trip Jane was checking the charts and discovered we had to pass through 3 restricted opening bridges. The first was on the hour only and we made that one at 9AM with only a 10 minute wait. The second bridge was every 30 minutes and we made that opening at 12:30. The current was with us and we were moving 9-10mph. The third, Wrightsville Bridge opened every hour. We arrived with 35 minutes to wait. There were 15 sailboats and 10 motor boats also waiting. Everyone was moving as slowly as possible, turning around as necessary since we had a fast current pushing us toward the bridge. We were trying to turn back toward the bridge about 10 minutes before opening but got waylaid by 3 sailboats who were jockeying for position. Unfortunately there was a strong cross current and it pushed us onto a sand bar along the channel. Peter tried desperately to motor off but the current was pushing us further back. A local couple in a Boston Whaler came by and we threw them a line. Henry reversed his boat while Peter put our engine into a strong forward and finally we moved out of the sandbar!!!! People were cheering both boats and secretly thinking, "I'm so glad that wasn't me!". We motored away from the bridge to get a safe place to turn back South and were one of the last 4 boats in line to go through. Just as we were 2 from the bridge, the bridge tender came on the radio to tell us he had to close the bridge to let an EMS ambulance through. The bridge closed with just 500 yards to go. Well......there we were, having to wait again in close quarters with the strong currents boiling around us. Peter kept slowly motoring away from the bridge to stay away from the "bar"!!!!

It was literally a "bar". Apparently they party on this sand bar with the artificial palm and tiki umbrella. Our "bar" was further to the left and totally submerged. Of course we went through at dead low tide....extra low because of the full moon! Just our luck!

By 1:50 the bridge reopened and we finally motored our way through to our anchorage just 3 miles away. At least our anchor went down and set without a hitch!

Our saviors came by our boat at 5:30 for a promised beer from us. We had a really nice visit chatting about the incident and getting some local information about Wrightsville. Southern hospitality is alive and very welcomed by these "yankee snowbirds". Thank you doesn't cover our grateful appreciation for their help. (Henry, buy that boat and sail off into the sunset!)

A nice ending to our evening was a show by about 4-6 dolphins which were arching through the water and even jumping out and making a big splash. Today's trip was very scenic along the ICW...no shortage of money in this section of North Carolina!