Well we made it down to Wrightsville Beach in good time and without any fuel filter problems...seems like the new pump working. I still want to reconfigure my pump and filter assembly so I can simply turn a lever to switch filters or tanks...similar to the arrangement Ray has on Casa Blanca but slightly different. Camaraderie needs a fuel lift pump whereas Ray has gravity fed fuel. I've got it all laid out on paper, (will try to draw it on the PC & post as well), but I'll need a few idle days to reconfigure everything.

We stayed at the SeaPath Marina in Wrightsville Beach which is an excellent place and close to everything. With a front blowing through we stayed put for two nights. Ray and Betty met friends here both nights and we had some great seafood (tuna, mahi and fresh clams!) on the grill at the marina.

We decided to leave today (10/26 - Happy Birthday Gordo!), despite an iffy weather forcast to try to make the 30 mile run to the Cape Fear River Inlet and the town of Southport. We left around 8 AM and were tucked into the Marina shortly after noon... just in time...for the wind picked up and the tide has turned and it would have been a nasty run if we had waited any longer!

On the other side of the dock from us is a power boat that is about 65 feet long and is headed to Ft. Lauderdale offshore but laying low due to the weather. The owner says she will make it to Ft. Lauderdale in 36 hours from here...and burn 150 gallons of diesel an HOUR...you do the math but thats somewhere around $5K in fuel costs alone. Strange to think that we'll probably be in Ft. Lauderdale in 36 DAYS and spend a total of $150 on fuel!! On to Myrtle Beach and SOUTH Carolina tomorrow! //GB

Here in Wrightsville Beach N.C. It's been a good trip but time for a break. Lots of boats from all over.- Alaska, Kansas..(go figure how they sailed here!)..all heading to the Bahamas or Virgin Islands. Camaraderie is doing fine. Hasn't been a day yet where we don't get a few compliments on how pretty she is from passing boats...even power boaters give her a thumbs up. Such friendly people on boats with the exception of a few flamers...bad drivers on land and bad drivers on the water!

Seafood is getting fresher and fresher. The oysters are outstanding and stone crab claws are coming. Miss everyone but what adventure...you MUST do this! (We are currently taking reservations.) These American coastal cities are so unique...never saw so many "widows walks" on the tops of houses. The captains of yore had beautiful homes right on the water in port.Wives would watch for their ship's to come in -or not - hence "widows walk".