We're in the midst of a wind famine here in North Carolina. The words "light and variable" have been dominating the VHF marine forecasts. Most days we've been able to get in a couple of hours of light air sailing between the flat calms. We sometimes reach an exhilarating 3 knots (speed over ground) when the wind gusts up over 5 knots. We're not complaining. We get to sail a little while keeping up with my usual schedule (thanks to Yanmar) and have made it to Wrightsville Beach where the weather is wonderfully warm.

That schedule, by the way, is my usual one of spending a night near every milepost that's a multiple of 50. We start out in Norfolk, near Mile Zero. Elizabeth City is near Mile 50. After that it's Deep Point in the Alligator River near Mile 100, Campbell Creek near Mile 150, then Beaufort near Mile 200. I can't tolerate all the restricted bridges between Beaufort and Wrightsville Beach (not to mention Camp Lejeune with those live firing exercises) so I always run that leg outside. It's a long day but an easy one and it gives us an extra 30 miles, Wrightsville Beach being near Mile 280.

We've been seeing many more sailboats than power boats heading south this year. About half the power boats have been slow trawlers. The first time we had to slow down for a passing wake maker was in Adams Creek just north of Beaufort.