That's a very good point, and would certainly help explain their apparent 'schedule' they might have been on...

I know I'm going against Don Street's advice here, but in that event I would have run down the beach to that red nun #2 right off Diamond Shoals, and then headed off to Cape Lookout, with the option to try to duck back into Beaufort if need be...

I took that Lyman Morse Seguin 52 FAIRWEATHER out around Hatteras right about this time several years ago... Similar deal, racing the clock to beat a monster cold front, we ducked back into Southport/Cape Fear to let it pass... It was a good trip all in all, but the night rounding Hatteras remains the only time I've ever sailed in 'Thunder Snow'...

Some weird shit happens in that neck of the woods... (grin)

The final leg of the trip from Southport down to Charleston was spectacular, what a sailing machine that boat was... Not sure what I would have done if anything had broken, however, I had my fingers crossed the entire way...