Hunkered Down in Southport- Nov 14th 2014

Hunkered Down in Southport

Our Gemini catamaran, Yacht A Fun, made the trip Friday through Snow’s Cut and across the Cape Fear River with no problems. However, the close to town anchorages, that I thought possible locations, didn’t afford the amount of scope / swing room with which I’m comfortable. So we spent Friday evening on the fuel dock at Southport Marina.

Our Gemini catamaran is small by our neighbor boat’s standards

Friday morning it was cold. So cold, that I didn’t want to be hit with the chill factor for six plus hours. The ICW runs south. The wind was blowing perpendicular and so we would have had zero protection from our hardtop (dog house) dodger. Why be miserable to make a day’s trip toward Miami? I had no doubt we’d pay $60 to get warm if we were four hours into the trip- so I paid that much for us to stay relatively warm and enjoy a lay-day.

Hunkered down is good.   I ran into a former Oakwood Homes executive (Mike Stidham) who I worked with back in the early 1990s. He now runs a boat brokerage business for Marine Max at the marina. We got to reminisce some and learn of each other’s lifetime passion for boating.

Diann and I both had boater’s legs when we showered last night. She still senses the room to be moving as she does bookkeeping entries for A&D Rooker Coastal Services. Hunkered down is good- she has time to do bookkeeping.

The wind is hitting Yacht a Fun broadside at the dock. As a result, the fenders are taking a bit of a load. I added two extra so that five fenders are now taking the pressure from wind gusts.

Extra fenders to protect our Gemini catamaran hull

Southport Marina is a nice facility.

Freshly cleaned showers

Showers are clean.

Lavatories and countertops in are great shape.

Clean Southport Marina bath room

Just before the above photos were taken, one of the staff had literally hosed down the tile floor and squeegee’d it clean!

It will soon be lunch  time. A can of hot Progresso soup will be on target for our conditions.

Hunkered down is good.

Yacht A Fun awaiting Saturday departure