It was a drop dead gorgeous day for running down the Pasquotank through the cypress swamps to Elizabeth City. The light had that piercing clarity that I usually associate with winter in New England and it was stunning the way it lit up the red and yellow leaves left on the understory of the forests.
The air felt like winter in New England as well. Thus, the title of this post. Plan A was to get to this part of the world and then spend quite a bit of time exploring and hoping for a winter like last which might let me spend it here. I’m rethinking that, especially in light of arriving here two or three weeks later than originally planned. Today was perfectly tolerable but, with the calendar not even rolled over into December yet, I can feel winter nipping at my heels.
All except very recent readers know that it doesn’t take much for me to rationalize moving on and putting miles under the keel. I spent a good part of the afternoon reading various weather guesses on the Internet. They mostly agree with what I feel in my bones. Cold is coming.
I was particularly interested in one prediction of a lot of storms and turbulent weather due to the collision of warm and cold in the Carolinas and Georgia. There is a big winter tornado season expected by some. The best way to avoid it seems to be to get south of the mixing zone and it sounds like it will be plenty cool enough for me, even there.
So, the current plan, subject to change at any time, is to make my usual pre-dawn departure tomorrow and take advantage of light winds to get across the Albamarle. I suggest those of you running pools on my progress put your money on my getting to Green Cove Springs with all deliberate speed. There, I will assess the weather and determine how soon I can start back north, hopefully to spend a good chunk of time in the Neuse River area. You may lose that bet but it’s the best tip available.
My wallet groans at the thought of the fuel bill but my restless spirit rejoices at the idea of seeing all those shorelines slide by.
The air felt like winter in New England as well. Thus, the title of this post. Plan A was to get to this part of the world and then spend quite a bit of time exploring and hoping for a winter like last which might let me spend it here. I’m rethinking that, especially in light of arriving here two or three weeks later than originally planned. Today was perfectly tolerable but, with the calendar not even rolled over into December yet, I can feel winter nipping at my heels.
All except very recent readers know that it doesn’t take much for me to rationalize moving on and putting miles under the keel. I spent a good part of the afternoon reading various weather guesses on the Internet. They mostly agree with what I feel in my bones. Cold is coming.
I was particularly interested in one prediction of a lot of storms and turbulent weather due to the collision of warm and cold in the Carolinas and Georgia. There is a big winter tornado season expected by some. The best way to avoid it seems to be to get south of the mixing zone and it sounds like it will be plenty cool enough for me, even there.
So, the current plan, subject to change at any time, is to make my usual pre-dawn departure tomorrow and take advantage of light winds to get across the Albamarle. I suggest those of you running pools on my progress put your money on my getting to Green Cove Springs with all deliberate speed. There, I will assess the weather and determine how soon I can start back north, hopefully to spend a good chunk of time in the Neuse River area. You may lose that bet but it’s the best tip available.
My wallet groans at the thought of the fuel bill but my restless spirit rejoices at the idea of seeing all those shorelines slide by.
