I, Bernie Harberts, did not use generative AI to write or illustrate this article. Spell check and grammar check, yes. AI, no.
Good morning from Grit off Shackleford Banks. We’re anchored two miles from the western end of Shackleford Banks where the island meets Beaufort Inlet. Calm weather today, so we’re making our way east to Cape Lookout. The plan is to anchor at the Bight for a few days and watch the wild ponies that call the eastern end home.
The view from Grit’s cockpit. That low rumble you hear is the percolator bubbling away on our stove.
The two aerial views below will give you a sense of where we’re anchored on Shackleford Banks. Lookout Bight — where we’re headed — is in the bottom right of the first image.
Six nights here so far, in conditions ranging from 40-knot winds to dead calm like last nightWe’re anchored in a narrow channel flanked by the beach to the south and a sandbar to the north. The darker blue is the channel. The lighter browish-blue shallows on either side are the beach and the sandbar.Shackleford Banks as viewed from the deck of Grit this morning
Have a fine day.
Bernie
Julia’s side of the voyage at Saddle Under the Stars:
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Dear Chic and Sue,
What a lovely surprise hearing from you — and what a gig! Lighthouse keeper for two weeks, that’s hard to beat.
We just arrived at the Bight today (Thursday, March 26) and are anchored right across from the lighthouse off the northern tip of Shackleford Banks. We chose this spot over Catfish Point because we’re watching the wild ponies on the Banks, and the paddle from here is a fraction of the distance across the main channel. We’re sitting just south of Great Marsh Island and will hunt for a protected place to anchor closer to shore before the NE wind moves in. We draw 1.5 feet (Nimble 24 sailboat) so we’ll see what we find
Great to hear from you both!
Bernie / RiverEarth.com
We just left Cape Lookout as lighthouse keepers
Are you aboard a sailboat and can see the lighthouse?
We had an incredible experience for two weeks
Dear Chic and Sue,
What a lovely surprise hearing from you — and what a gig! Lighthouse keeper for two weeks, that’s hard to beat.
We just arrived at the Bight today (Thursday, March 26) and are anchored right across from the lighthouse off the northern tip of Shackleford Banks. We chose this spot over Catfish Point because we’re watching the wild ponies on the Banks, and the paddle from here is a fraction of the distance across the main channel. We’re sitting just south of Great Marsh Island and will hunt for a protected place to anchor closer to shore before the NE wind moves in. We draw 1.5 feet (Nimble 24 sailboat) so we’ll see what we find
Great to hear from you both!
Bernie / RiverEarth.com