day three - the crossing

6:15 sails up with the rising sun. Cool north wind. Wearing the drysuit, adding a wool sweater at the last minute. Single reef tucked in. Making 3.0 down Juniper Bay.6:25 jibe at red "4." See a small flock of five ibises headed to a marsh, the a flock of a dozen or more. 6:335 shake out the reef, full sail and 3.8 on the gps.7:55 see white stakes near the marsh ahead, check the chart and jibe around the shallows. Check Navionics to see it is 17 NM across Pamlico Sound to Ocracoke. I prefer a southwest wind for this crossing but the north wind will do. Sailing at 3.8.7:50 making 4.8 as we slip away for the marshy shore, compass shows ESE. Wind and swell on the port quarter. Sliding down a swell gps shows 6.0. 8:00 see a shape on the horizon. Watch it for a few minutes, confirm it is a car ferry out of Swan Quarter headed to Ocracoke. 8:20 less wind, 3.6 to 4.0. 8:45 see another ferry well to the southeast, probably another ferry, this one out of Cedar Island.8:50 making 5.4 to the…