A Few Days in Beaufort NC
—Blogpost written by Bob
First Day at Beaufort Docks
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| s/v Rainy Days at Beaufort Docks late in the afternoon of October 31, 2019. |
Continuing from our last blogpost, I have a list of 15 little tasks I want to do while at Beaufort Docks:
Fixing the overhead light in the head was relatively easy--both LED bulbs had burnt out. Of course I didn't find this out until removing the entire ceiling panel and checking the wiring first. I had thought that LED light bulbs virtually last forever.
We went out for dinner at Ribeyes in Beaufort and the meal was quite good. We still had the A/C running during the evening hours.
After the 80-degree temperatures yesterday afternoon, the temperature dropped into the upper 40's early this morning. At 8 AM is was 52 degrees. What a change!
I accomplished one of my little tasks even before breakfast this morning--removing the black scuff marks for the port side of the hull. I started out doing this using a dobie pad and some (Simple Green) spray cleaner at first but found out that I needed to use fiberglass cleaner,
wax, and a lot of elbow grease.
Next up, was changing the engine oil and filter. I checked our engine hours (1297 hours) and it was 161 hours since our last oil and filter change. So, the oil and filter change was a little overdue, but necessary nonetheless. I got all the engine-related tasks completed by 11 AM. We also got diesel fuel (16 gallons) here at Beaufort Docks--the marina can fill you tank right at your slip.
Just before lunch I rechecked the middle waypoint for New River Inlet (it was correct all along) and also found out that I cannot import GPX files on my chart plotter (because of its vintage--its only 5 years old!)--this means that I have to manually input some waypoints I have obtained for upcoming ocean inlets.
I accomplished all the tasks except for filling the fresh water tanks, hosing down the boat with fresh water, calling about slip reservations ahead of us, and actually inputting the important new way points ahead of us--these will be tomorrow's tasks.
The day started out overcast and cool--it got down to 47 degrees last night. (Its a good thing we had heat!) The temperatures are forecast to get warmer as the week progresses but on Friday it may go down again--this time to 39 degrees (but we will be in Georgetown SC by then).
When we got back to the boat we emptied the solids container of our composting toilet since it has been about 3 weeks. The warmer temperatures we've been experiencing allowed for more complete composting--this job turned out to be easy peasy.
Then, we filled the water tanks and hosed down the exterior of the boat to get rid of all the salt remains from the sea spray on the way down and the leftover mud particles from the anchor. It was nice to get the boat completely clean again!
In the afternoon, I called to establish or confirm some slip reservations ahead of us. Since we are ahead of schedule by one day from my original plan, I had to change some dates.
Tomorrow morning, we get on the move again...stay tuned for more of this season's adventure...
Thanks for following our blog!
(1) fix overhead light in head
(2) change engine oil & filter
(3) check transmission fluid level & change engine diaper
(4) top off coolant
(5) clean raw water strainer
(6) prime the fridge supplemental cooling pump
(7) remove black scuff marks from port side of hull
(8) wash down decks with fresh water
(9) fill water tanks
(10) fill primary diesel tank
(11) recheck middle waypoint in New River inlet
(12) call about reservations for Beaufort SC and St. Augustine FL
(13) figure out how to import GPX files on chart plotter
(14) fix flickering panel light above navigation station seat
(15) empty solids container for composting toilet
(13) figure out how to import GPX files on chart plotter
(14) fix flickering panel light above navigation station seat
(15) empty solids container for composting toilet
Fixing the overhead light in the head was relatively easy--both LED bulbs had burnt out. Of course I didn't find this out until removing the entire ceiling panel and checking the wiring first. I had thought that LED light bulbs virtually last forever.
 |
| After replacing both LED bulbs, the overhead light in the head works again! |
We went out for dinner at Ribeyes in Beaufort and the meal was quite good. We still had the A/C running during the evening hours.
Second Day at Beaufort Docks
After the 80-degree temperatures yesterday afternoon, the temperature dropped into the upper 40's early this morning. At 8 AM is was 52 degrees. What a change!
I accomplished one of my little tasks even before breakfast this morning--removing the black scuff marks for the port side of the hull. I started out doing this using a dobie pad and some (Simple Green) spray cleaner at first but found out that I needed to use fiberglass cleaner,
wax, and a lot of elbow grease.
Next up, was changing the engine oil and filter. I checked our engine hours (1297 hours) and it was 161 hours since our last oil and filter change. So, the oil and filter change was a little overdue, but necessary nonetheless. I got all the engine-related tasks completed by 11 AM. We also got diesel fuel (16 gallons) here at Beaufort Docks--the marina can fill you tank right at your slip.
Just before lunch I rechecked the middle waypoint for New River Inlet (it was correct all along) and also found out that I cannot import GPX files on my chart plotter (because of its vintage--its only 5 years old!)--this means that I have to manually input some waypoints I have obtained for upcoming ocean inlets.
 |
| The marina's loaner car that we used to get groceries. |
I accomplished all the tasks except for filling the fresh water tanks, hosing down the boat with fresh water, calling about slip reservations ahead of us, and actually inputting the important new way points ahead of us--these will be tomorrow's tasks.
Third Day at Beaufort Docks
The day started out overcast and cool--it got down to 47 degrees last night. (Its a good thing we had heat!) The temperatures are forecast to get warmer as the week progresses but on Friday it may go down again--this time to 39 degrees (but we will be in Georgetown SC by then).
 |
| We went to a farmer's market downtown, since it was Saturday morning. |
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| An unusual tree formation in downtown Beaufort. |
When we got back to the boat we emptied the solids container of our composting toilet since it has been about 3 weeks. The warmer temperatures we've been experiencing allowed for more complete composting--this job turned out to be easy peasy.
Then, we filled the water tanks and hosed down the exterior of the boat to get rid of all the salt remains from the sea spray on the way down and the leftover mud particles from the anchor. It was nice to get the boat completely clean again!
 |
| We ate lunch at Black Sheep Restaurant all three days we spent in Beaufort. |
In the afternoon, I called to establish or confirm some slip reservations ahead of us. Since we are ahead of schedule by one day from my original plan, I had to change some dates.
 |
| There were only two boats in the area of the marina called the basin in the early afternoon. |
Tomorrow morning, we get on the move again...stay tuned for more of this season's adventure...
Thanks for following our blog!
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