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Letter from Periauger: Saturday, August 14, Beaufort. Yesterday, Friday, while I sat quietly alongside Destiny, my new friend and primary tow boat ,belonging to John and Joan Ernst, was to be launched Friday morning, but instead was kept on land for security against the storm (pretty smart for humans). She will be launched Monday, day two of my Odyssey, and I will be happy to see her Twilight Time, the sole support boat for billeting my crew for the first five nights, was also hauled out for safety reasons, in Beaufort. She belongs to Harold O'Briant of Durham Sail and Power Squadron. He will launch her Monday also, but she is fast and will race on ahead, I know.
This picture gives you an idea of how it looked when hurricane Charley passed through. I am glad I did not have to ride it out. I like being comfortable and dry here in the shed. Because of all these factors (kindness of my nemesis, hurricane Charley), John Ernst decided to delay my Odyssey one day, and reschedule his Saturday rowing practice and his NCMM volunteers' party to Sunday. My Odyssey will begin Monday in safer weather, thank you! In order to get me back on schedule for events in port towns, it was decided to take me, Periauger, directly to New Bern on Monday and not stay over the one night in Oriental. I will, however, be on schedule in Oriental for my historic visit Thursday and Friday. To get me to New Bern in one day, they decided to trailer me by land, so instead of ten wonderful hours on the water, I get one grueling hour breathing truck exhaust! Don Johnson and his brother Fred will be my handlers for the road trip, and will put me back in the water (where I belong!) in New Bern that afternoon. My commander called the rest of my Crew for Sunday through Thursday and advised them to go directly to New Bern because he had neither bunks (Twilight Time) nor food (Kiwi Magic) for them in Beaufort. Their Quartermaster Boat (the "chuck" wagon), Kiwi Magic, belonging to Noel and Myra McKechie of Hertford, was in Beaufort early for provisioning and preparation for the 21 day Odyssey. (It's a good thing for them that they don't have to feed me!). Along with all other boats in the Beaufort Docks Marina in downtown Beaufort, my new friend Kiwi Magic was forced to vacate the docks and find a safe haven (a "hurricane hole") somewhere else in the area. With the help of some local knowledge gleaned by Odyssey commander John Ernst, they chose a spot about fifteen miles north on Back Creek. I'm sort of glad that I didn't have to go with them! They survived in style by setting a proper array of anchors against uncle Charley's wrath. They will return tomorrow (Sunday) to Beaufort docks and me, in time to be the floating kitchen for the re-scheduled party they are hosting for my NCMM volunteer woodworkers. My commander has promised me that my crew, and my friends Destiny, Twilight Time and Kiwi Magic, will be in New Bern by Monday night. Claude Milot, who also works for me, will be greeting the crew and coordinating visits by local press to see me - the most beautiful work boat around. I'll write again from New Bern, and hopefully with boring news about nice weather and good breezes and friendly visitors. Fair winds and clear skies, Periauger PS: My commander put my name on my stern today. It feels nice! |
a dock, my commander and his crew started watching hurricane Charley closely. It was tracking slightly east of its predicted northerly course, so instead of passing well west of us, it was to pass closer to us and perhaps right over us. (I could have told them that because I felt it in my rigging!) Because of this subtle shift in its path, my crew instituted a contingency plan. Strange to have to do that before we even start, but it may be the first of many adjustments along the way that my new owners will have to make!
My new owners also looked out for me, their new toy. They gently stripped my sails and running rigging and unstepped my two masts this morning just as the rain was starting. John Ernst, builder Craig Wright and museum curator Paul Fontenoy had the help of my new crew Andrew Bond and Harold O'Briant. I was hoisted out and put into the NCMM Water Craft Center shed, the place where my hull was born, where I was christened and from where I was launched July 12th.
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