Sun-Mon 8/29-30/04

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	*Letter from Periauger:* Manteo Monday, 30 August It's Monday night and I'm here in Manteo, strapped to Buddy. Buddy is what I call my trailer. We were friends at first by necessity but now by choice after spending so much time together. He's not such a bad guy after all - just doing his very important job for me. Last Saturday, Paul Hunt and George Bero pulled Buddy and me from Belhaven to the hot parking lot here in Festival Park, Manteo. My replacement masts (the solid ones built in Hertford last year) arrived right on schedule from Beaufort yesterday (Sunday), thanks to Paul Fontonoy and William at the NCMM, Beaufort. That is very encouraging, as I had begun to lose hope of sailing here in Manteo, or anywhere soon for that matter. From what I have overheard, here's the latest on my friends Destiny, Kiwi Magic, Norman's Conquest and LaBelle. (It's a handy thing that humans think I can't hear. It's like being a fly on the wall!) I heard John on the phone talking to Kent Carper, who said that he and Ken Ries made it home to Snug Harbor on LaBelle without incident, but that Norman Ryan and Champ Cox, on Norman's Conquest, hit a stump and broke the rudder. My sympathy goes out to Norman's conquest and I hope she heals quickly. She had to be towed the last 6 miles home to Edenton. From what I gathered, John had sent them off around noon Saturday, and they made it home in two days. I have seen the pictures Kent Saunders took of them leaving Belhaven. Meanwhile, my commander and his wife, with Kent S. and Bill, spent Sunday sailing my friend Destiny from Belhaven to Alligator River Marina (about 55 miles from Belhaven), and then Monday from that marina to Manteo (about 20 miles). Kiwi Magic had done about the same thing, but she says Noel and Myra chose to anchor in the Alligator River Sunday night. Destiny said that Sunday morning she had refueled at River Forest Manor in Belhaven, and had some tales to tell about that experience! Meanwhile, Kiwi Magic had gone on ahead to check the vertical clearance above the water for Destiny's 63 foot mast at the Wilkerson Bridge on the Pungo-Alligator Canal. It seems that the bridge wasn't built quite to the advertised height of 65 feet above the water. Kiwi called and said the water level indicator read 65 feet, so Destiny continued on that route. Just before the bridge, John had Bill hoist him up the mast so he could get a good sight at bridge level. Joannie slowed Destiny to a crawl and John gave the go ahead when they were about 100 feet from the bridge. Destiny said her radio antenna pinged against the bridge as they went under (see Kent's photo). Meanwhile, John was having a great time up there waving at cars going by. Bill wouldn't let John down at first because John still owed Bill big time for Bill's swim to retrieve the Destiny's dinghy, Beagle, way back in Goose Creek! Their trip Monday from Alligator River to Manteo was a windy one - winds steady at 28-30 with gusts to 45+ from the south. Both boats fared well and it was a good workout for Destiny. She said everyone wore their safety gear and got pretty wet, but seemed to enjoy the challenge. Both Destiny and Kiwi Magic arrived safely today - Kiwi around noon and Destiny around 1700. Bert Felton, my friendly and helpful "groupie" came by Monday to see me. He is employed by the state historical tourism unit and gets to do exactly what he loves doing - working in costume on historic boats like me when they are in the various ports. Bert was doing some work on my friend Elizabeth II. She says she brought some hapless colonists to Roanoke Island in 1587 and that Sir Walter Raleigh sailed her. I reminded her that she is just a replica, but she won't be persuaded! (Her original predates my original by about 100 years.) I'll be dictating again tomorrow night if I can get one of the humans to stay awake late enough! Good night. Periauger

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