Scranton Creek Anchorage to Oriental Anchorage

     It was early, dull and a hint of pending rain when we lifted anchor and eased our way out of Scranton Creek. This anchorage was remote with intermittent Verizon Wi-Fi so we were unable to get  a morning weather update. Nevertheless, the water was calm and we had our "outs" routed into the map plotter.  The north wind put a chill in the air. Danny remarked, "Golly! Who would have thought it would be this chilly in North Carolina at this time of year. I may have to send for my Mackinaw jacket!"  He was joking but there was a definite chill in the air.
     The north wind was pushing us south.  The waves were a little choppy as the morning sun rose in the east but as we approached Pamlico Sound we could see them.  At first they appeared off in the distance but moving our way. Beth immediately checked the radar which although she couldn't get it on her computer was able to bring it up on her phone.
                                                                             

                                                             
                                                   More Thunderstorms!

     "There is a line of thunderstorms crossing along the sound and they appear to be spreading down to Morehead City. We better stop at Oriental to see what they are going to do but they don't look like they are going to clear up for a while!" she added.
      When the sound opened up we could see four ominous dark rain clouds marching up the sound. We quickly motored across the Pamlico River and took the calm ICW passage into the Neuse River.  Once through the ICW passage, Goose Creek and into the river we powered up Doc's Holiday to 2000 rpm and rushed up the Neuse entering under the bridge at Oriental into very "skinny" water. Finding a spot very near where we anchored on the way up to Maine, Danny and I set the anchor in our usual fashion.  It took a couple of tries but it held the boat in position with the motors reversed for a several seconds.
       Launching the dingy, we were anxious to get to town and get rid of some crap gas (read ethanol), get some non-ethanol gas, grab a quick lunch and stretch our legs exploring Oriental. Beth decided to stay on the boat to tidy up a few things. Thank heavens she did!
       Danny and I just started eating lunch at the local dock restaurant when my phone went off with a text, "The boat is drifting.  Get here NOW!  Quickly I jumped up and ran for the dingy telling Danny to finish his lunch as I sent a text to Beth to let out more chain. As I rounded the corner under the bridge, the dingy threw off spray and bounced wildly and I could see the boat had drifted back near a dock.  Jumping onto the swim platform I was face to face with a very upset, wild eyed and  tearful Beth.  We pulled the boat ahead and began the anchoring dance. Trying several spots, finally we got the anchor to set securely in about 4.5 feet of water by cleaning the thick mud off the anchor and putting out 60 feet of chain.
      Beth had done all the right things. She had the motors running, dragging the anchor forward to keep the boat from hitting a homeowners dock. She was frustrated by not being able to raise the anchor by herself and worried that we would ground out in the very shallow water, get the anchor chain wrapped around the prop, or take out somebody's dock.
                                                                           

                                                   
 "We are never anchoring again!, she cried. My supplications that there was no harm done didn't appease her and I resolved to follow her wishes to stay at marinas for as long as she wanted.
    I jumped in the dingy to go get Danny with explicit instructions to "Come right back!"
     The rest of the night was uneventful, meaning the boat never moved out of the anchor alarm zone but the air was chilly with Danny and I on the upper deck and Beth in the aft cabin watching a movie. She didn't even join us for grilled hamburgers simply stating, "No thanks. I'm not hungry!"
     Danny was concerned but I told him, "We should just leave her alone and let her get over it," knowing from experience that any kind of "suck-holing " would upset her more.