Heading North - Little Shark River Day 1

I brought Distant Horizon to the Little Shark River; arriving early in the evening yesterday. Never having been here before, I didn't know what to expect. From the charts, it was a small river running basically east west and it had a protected cove just inside its inlet. The forecast was for winds from the north. So, it sounded perfect.

I had imagined my arrival would be a simple matter into this secluded area. I would motor over to the area in the cove that I had picked on the charts, and then drop the anchor. Then, I'd settle in for a long stay.

When I did actually arrive, there were two sailboats boats already in the cove; a large power boat farther up river just past the cove; and two more sailboats even farther up the river. I picked a spot as close to the area I had predetermined.

Well, lesson learned… don’t have a predetermined anchor spot. No big issue, I thought I would be well protected and was. What I didn't know, was the current runs pretty strong through here. As it happens with a full keel boat, the boat moves to face the current, not the wind when at anchor. Next time, I'l pick a spot less affected by the winds since I can't control the current.

NOAA hit the bulls eye on the weather forecast. As predicted, the southerly breeze turned to north late in the evening; thunderstorms started after midnight; and 20-25 knot winds followed the thunderstorms.
All night I was getting hit with strong gusts that caused the boat to heel over.

To be safe, I stood anchor watch all night using an alarm clock, set to go off every hour. I would get up, check the anchor, the depth, and the winds. I would also check my position using the GPS and radar to ensure the anchor was secure.

 Needless to say, I did not get a lot of rest. The good news is, the anchor held just fine in the ever changing conditions and there was always enough water under the boat at low tide to keep the boat afloat.

When the dawn finally arrived, it was still a bleak day. This is my first look out the boat in the morning.

Looking west from the Little Shark River

NOAA had promised clear skies by late morning. That never happened.  They were right about the winds, which never subsided all day or Wednesday night. The only bright spot for the day was… A pelican! He came swimming by. You can see it is low tide. I was surprised by the 3 foot tides; almost twice that of Marathon.

Not much happened all day. I watched the anchor and how the boat was affected by the current and wind. What's most unnerving, as my friend Jon knows, is when the boat is pushed forward over the anchor by the wind. So now, the anchor line leads behind you. It's actually quite good. Instead of the anchor having to turn around, the pressure never changes. So, I think it's actually more secure.

Last night, I had salmon with rice and spinach for dinner. After a long day of sailing, I needed the protein. Tonight, after such a dreary day, I decided on something hearty for the cold front. So, I made a Bolognese sauce and cooked some pasta to serve it over. Since I was going to be here for several days… I made plenty.

After dinner and doing all the dishes, I took one more look around outside; checking the anchor and all. I was treated to this twilight. The sky must have cleared while I was cooking dinner.  I almost completely missed it.