November 10, 2009.

Today the weather was starting to deteriorate so we decided to make another quick trip to the stores. We hit the drugstore and the hardware store.

At the hardware store we picked up a few odds and ends including a new “Boat Pole of Speed”. I bought this 10 foot long bamboo pole to use as a whisker pole to hold the genoa out in light air. The pole is actually used as a frog gig and sold in the hunting section of the store. I happened upon one last year and was very happy with it until I finally broke it several months ago. So for 10 bucks we’re once again sporting a solid advantage when the light air gnomes strike.

After that it was back to the boat for lunch. Then the sun popped out for a bit and we decided to take the dink across the river into the touristy part of Beaufort. When I use the term "the sun popped out" what I actually mean is that its not pouring at the moment. We spent an hour or more walking around looking at this and that before heading home to the boat.

Right after getting back to the boat the skies opened up. We spent the balance of the day reading. Alibi II showed up just before dark after the long trek down from Charleston. There are 40 boats or more hanging out here in Beaufort waiting to head south after Ida goes offshore to die.

One boat that we’re seen every time we’re here definitely won’t be leaving anytime soon. Each time we’ve passed by in the dink the bilge pump has been running nonstop in this older wooden fishing boat. I guess the bilge pump finally stopped. The owner showed up right after
we took the picture in a small Jon boat and towed the boat off into the shallows. The tidal range here is about 7 feet so when the tide goes out the boat will be high and dry and hopefully the owner can pinpoint and repair the leak.