Unless your weather is extremely favorable for continuing out around Hatteras, or you are really pressed for time, a stop in Beaufort/Morehead is a nice way to break up the trip... The Outer Banks is one of my favorite areas on the East Coast, I love stopping in Ocracoke, and the sailing on Pamlico Sound can often be pretty nice... But, transiting Oregon Inlet for the first time with your draft could be a bit tricky, you'd only want to consider doing it in ideal conditions. Unfortunately, I haven't been through there in almost a year, so I'm not up on the latest conditions, although it is generally quite well maintained, and the channel pretty well marked...

It would be great to cross paths with you again this summer, there's probably a good chance I'll pop into Newport at some point. Not sure what I'll do this summer, I'd love to get up into the Canadian Maritimes again, but I'm not sure I'm gonna be able to manage that, and a shorter New England cruise is probably more likely. I'd like to make it down to the Caribbean next winter as well, and although I've kind of enjoyed being home this winter, it has gotten old pretty quickly, and I'm not anxious to repeat the experience next year (grin)... I've been shocked at cost of simply heating my house for the last few months, I definitely would have saved some money by closing it up, and heading south to live off the grid in the Bahamas instead... But at least I'm finally ice-free again, I actually managed to get out for a nice afternoon sail last Friday when the temps here rose close to 70, that was just what the doctor ordered...

We'll keep in touch, it would be great to see you again, and hopefully get to meet your wife this time around...