day fourteen - unexpected wind

A cinnamon roll and iced tea at The Bean. Keith does a double take when he sees me on the porch, he quickly looks to the sea wall to see SPARTINA tied up there. "You're back!" I enjoy talking with Keith and the locals, wondering about the wind. The consensus is that the wind will be light or maybe non-existent. Cast off at 8:00 cast off, 8:05 sails up, 8:10 out past the jetty.8:45 making 2.3 on a tack across the wide Neuse, hoping for a better angle on the light south wind. Jibe north, aiming for Long Point Shoal, and the wind fills in, 4.9.9:15 making 4.1, steady, easy sailing. 9:45 using binoculars to look for the shoal marker. Clear skies and have the solar panel out to charge batteries. Sunshine lets me listen to some music via the phone and blue tooth speaker. How nice!10:00 less wind, doing 2.0. 10:25 less wind, making 1.4, the day so pleasant I relax and enjoy. Get the first glimpse of the marker at Long Point Shoal. 11:25 passing the shoal marker, better wind, 3.3. Past the…