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Periauger: The Great Cross-Albemarle Columbia Expedition

Thursday, October 12, 2006

After days of planning and recruitment, our crew met with me at 0900 at Newbold-White House for the Cross-Albemarle Sail to Columbia. Matt Krogh, NBWH Site Manager, had intended to crew with us, but had fallen ill. However, Frank Jaklic of Hertford volunteered to crew at the last minute. Rhett White, Columbia’s Town Commissioner and co-chair of this annual Scuppernong River Festival to which Miss P has been invited, arrived by car for the sail over. Janet Benton and Ken Ries, Periauger veterans and “Certified Periauger Captains” rounded out the crew. Wearing period clothing for the day, we carried Miss P’s sailing gear(sails with boom and gaffs, ditty bags, safety equipment and towing lines) from the Visitors Center attic to Ken’s van for the trip over to the town dock.

As we were rigging Miss P at the dock, Margaret from the Perquimans Weekly showed up with camera in hand, having been apprised of the expedition departure by Aileen Seshun, a steady friend of Periauger’s education programs and outreach.

The forecast for the day by NOAA/National Weather Service was for a weak cold front to move through, without anything more than possible showers, with the high temp for the day to be in the upper 70’s. As predicted, the heavy overcast had rolled in by the time we cast off from the dock. The WNW winds it brought were perfect for us to sail through the S-Bridge and down the river.

I asked Ken to skipper for the first part of the trip. We repositioned Miss P for her photos and rowed away from the town boat ramp with Ken calling the rowing commands. With me, Janet, Frank and Rhett on the sweeps, Ken turned us into the wind. Janet and I hoisted the fore-sail and Ken turned Miss P back down wind toward the bridge. Rhett and Frank stowed sweeps and seemed perhaps too pleased that we sailed through the bridge, as opposed to rowing, as I had warned we might have to do.

Bridge tender Ray White saw us coming and before we could call him on the VHF radio he was opening the bridge. As we accelerated toward the bridge, we noticed with some concern that the bridge stopped swinging soon after it had started and that Ray had jumped down on the rails. Periauger does not turn quickly and we can’t stop without great effort on the sweeps! We tried to slow down (also not easy on Periauger going down wind). Just as we were about to start big “S” turns to gain some time, Ray had the bridge swinging again. Ken steered us through with room to spare. Margaret and Matt were standing on the road edge taking more photos of Miss P’s departure. Ray radioed us: “Old bridge! Sorry.” We thanked him for his supreme effort and were on our way.

Under the dark skies but steady WNW winds at 8-12 knots (9-14 mph), we set the main sail and were soon headed for the highway bridge at about 6 knots. If we could keep that wind to Columbia, we would be there in four hours easily – but the winds always have a mind of their own.

Here we are departing Hertford. That’s Frank, Ken and Rhett (l to r).

Janet was being camera shy.

And then Janet took my camera and stuck me in one photo.

Looking down river through the fixed Rte 17 By-pass bridge, we could see our chase/tow boat 2 Tac E at anchor, as planned.

(Ken McClung and Buck Walker had anchored Ken’s motor-sailor overnight after a trip from Albemarle Plantation Marina yesterday afternoon.)

Pressing on at 5-6 knots, we cleared our 30 foot masts under the Rte 17 By-pass bridge.

The water was high enough that the clearance from bridge to water was just as it was listed on the charts –33 feet. This number, for height of the bottom of the bridge above the water, is always given for conditions at mean high water.

According to the height gauge on the bridge bulkhead, we were going under at exactly mean high water and so had 3 feet to spare.

(When extending the masts last winter, we had added only four feet to the 26 foot masts because of this bridge.)

I finally caught a picture of Janet - checking the sails, with the by-pass bridge behind us.

I called 2 Tac E on our pre-agreed VHF radio channel and asked him to motor up beside us while underway so that we could transfer the towing gear to his boat.

Once we had accomplished that bit of formation sailing (cleanly, I might add, without contact between the boats), I also suggested that Ken and Buck could put up their sails and enjoy lovely breeze. We were off on a perfect sail.

The wind was not as steady as we would have liked, so our ETA to Harvey Point was moved back by about 45 minutes. .At times, when the wind was light enough, 2 Tac E was able to stay with us. Often, Miss P kept up a sometimes blistering speed of 6 knots and played “hard to catch.” On average, however, we did about 4.5 knots.

About 1115 we passed the Newbold-White house dock and retaining wall, and could make out the roof of old Abe Sander’s 1730 brick house.

We ate lunch while still on the river, just in case the Sound was too rough (and it was!). By about 1230 we were clearing Harvey Point. Being a shallow draft boat, we were able to cut very close to shore – without being boarded or fired upon from the mystery works on Harvey Point. About five miles to the south in the haze over the Sound, we could see two sailboats circling. One radioed that the winds were from the SW at 15-18 knots with 2-3 foot seas. That would be doable for Miss P - until we had gusting into the mid 20’s. We decided to sail out into the sound, with the option of coming about and sailing back into the river in order to be towed across the Sound by 2 Tac E, or even back to Hertford for another try tomorrow.

Our decision to go today was with the knowledge that the winds would back from WNW to W and SW today, and, while forecast at 5-10, could easily pipe up to 20 on this Sound. This would be great for sailing the Perquimans but not a good wind direction for sailing from Harvey Point directly to Columbia. We also knew that tomorrow – Friday, our back-up day – was forecast to have a stronger cold front pass through, with high temps only around 60 and a chance of T-storms. One thing positive about Friday’s forecast was that we might have the advantage of winds from the NW. After consulting Wednesday morning with our chase boat captain (Ken McClung), and crew Ken and Janet, I made the decision to go today. Now we would see how we can handle Miss P in these winds and their 2-3 foot seas. (Ken and I have been there before, during the Odyssey in 2004.)

We sailed across the sound at top speed with some good sized waves rolling under us, and got splashed by an occasional larger wave smacking against our starboard side.

But we were not alone! We had the welcome company of the 2 Tac E and two other sail boats from Albemarle Plantation Marina.

There is an adage, thus: Any time there area two sailboats on the water together, there is a race. With Ted Huffman at the helm of one and Cam Rivard the other, and Janet and I on Periauger, the race was on. It helps that racers are comfortable sailing close to other boats, so we all took some great close-up pictures. Here is Wind Spree, with the sail of First Light sticking up behind her bimini, and 2 Tac E with her distinctive red sails.

Here are Dick and Grace Mohler on their boat, with Ted Huffman at the helm. (Notice their dirty bottom! Tsk, tsk.)

Cam and Marc Rivard on First Light didn’t spare any space either, as we kept a steady course for them while they gradually passed by.

This is what it’s all about, folks - sailing on a stiff breeze with other avid sailors and other boats beam to beam! Being weirdly dressed while doing so meant nothing.

Notice that the clouds have cleared away! Nirvana! Miss P was tickled pink, we were all smiling - and Janet was ‘yahooing” until she was hoarse, or until a wave popped over our rail and dowsed her lovely costume!

Miss P sailed impressively and stayed in one piece despite the strains on her. No seams opened up and her rigging held nicely. She is well built.

In the photo below are First Light and Wind Spree leaving us in their wake – not very polite, but who can resist this kind of sailing! It is good to let a boat run free - and the people with it, also. It is a tonic for the souls of all!

We sailed across the sound to within a mile of the south shore, but ended up, as we had expected because of Miss P’s up-wind limitations, about four miles east of the Scuppernong River. We had postponed the upwind tow as long as we could!

First Light and Wind Spree said goodbye and peeled off for their upwind sail back to AP Marina. 2 Tac E stayed with us for the tow up wind. After several tries at tossing the correct part of the bridle and line (we are all volunteers), Buck got things squared away on 2 Tac E, and we were hooked up 200 feet back on our thick nylon tow line. At first, we were headed directly into the waves, periodically burying our bow in waves and taking green water over the forward cuddy. A quick radio call and Ken McC. turned 2 Tac E about 20 degrees to angle off or “quarter” the waves. We were all more comfortable then – and could dry out. Ken a Frank was the wettest: they had worked at the bow attaching the tow line.

At the mouth of the Scuppernong, we cast off the tow line and hoisted Miss P’s sails for a down wind run up the river.

Here is Janet in heaven, with the north shore of AS 9 nm distant.

About twenty minutes later, it was obvious that the wind was dropping. We were down to 2 knots, it was approaching 1600. We needed to do the three miles to the town dock before dark and to meet our transportation home.

Ken McC. and Buck were very obliging with the tow line, once again.

As we approached Columbia (above), we let go the tow line and Janet sailed us in to a safe, if firm, landing at the town bulkhead. We were greeted during our approach by Roger Hutchinson and Joan Ernst, who had brought cars to take us home. Miss P, with her great inertia, was bought to a final stop by a quick and timely wrap around a dock cleat by Joan.

After securing all sails and removing any gear that might “walk away” overnight, we headed home. Miss P was safe under night lights, the watchful eye of video surveillance and occasional police checks. She was content. We were content and exhausted, and back home by sunset.

Kan Ries, Alan Thompson and I will drive over Saturday to tend to the crowds that come to see Miss P. If the winds are right, we might sail her along the town waterfront. We’ll return by car to Hertford after the Festival’s fireworks.

Sunday, Miss P will be hauled out of the Scuppernong by us and brought home on her trailer. She will be parked at NBWH under her cover for the winter.

- John Ernst

 ...... the story of the Scuppernong River Festival continues on the next page.

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