I am starting a new adventure - an October trip of the Albemarle loop. Not only will this be new uncharted waters for me but I will be on a sailboat which is new to me, a Sea Pearl 28. The boat is a 4000# cat ketch, outboard motor powered and a huge step down from my previous 27000# 38 Alajeula, Grey Fox. Her name is Winds of Change or WOC for short.

The adventure is a trip from the Piankatank River to the Albemarle Sound byway of the Dismay Swamp.

The boat is a Sea Pearl 28. A 28 ft cat ketch with a minimal cabin for cruising. The background story of my last boat and the decision to buy a Sea Pearl 28 will be covered in later post. For now let’s cast off the lines and start day one.

Oct 6  Queens Creek Marina to an anchorage off Forte Monroe.


The first day was a long motoring day with close to zero wind. The skies were a clear deep blue and the bay settled. The outboard motor was pushing me along at 5-6 knots with a slight current against me. While I started out with my fuel tanks at half full, I called ahead to find out that the Old Point Comfort Marina fuel dock closed at 5:00 and my arrival time on the chart plotter was 4:30. Better fuel up when I can. 


As I pulled into the fuel dock of Forte Comfort Marina the 8 hp Mercury died. After refueling I managed to get it running again but only with a fast idle. My hope was it was just hot and tired from a long day. I was wrong….  


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https://seapearl28woc.blogspot.com/2022/10/oct-7-point-comfort-marina-i-had-nice.html?m=1


 

 



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