1 LiveBloggin' the ICW: I Wanna be a Weatherman!

Thursday, March 14, 2013

I Wanna be a Weatherman!

Seriously, I do. What other job is there that allows you to be 100% wrong as often as you wish, without being penalized? Ok, outside of working for the government, or being Mitt Romney's political adviser in last fall's US election that is? And I suppose some of you are sitting here chuckling again at my election night prognostications, aren't you? Well, I didn't get paid for that one so it doesn't count!
Yesterday's winds were, to be kind, schizophrenic. The forecast was for 15 - 20 N, changing to 10-15 NW in the afternoon. So leaving Belhaven at 8 am, there was a light NW wind that quickly died off. Then making the turn towards Goose Creek, they went into the SE at about 10 with an occasional gust to around 15. Then entering Goose Creek, they went north, then west, then died
Several hours later, entering Pamlico Sound, the winds went from nothing, to east, to west, back to north, briefly into the south, died, west, east, back to north and then, two miles from Maw Point Shoal light, they went into the SE with a vengeance. 
So can you guess what direction I was headed? Got it in one, didn't you?
Of course, making the turn at Maw Point put the SE winds onto the beam and made for great sailing....for about an hour, and then the winds went flukey again, finally dying off to nothing....and then, FINALLY, the forecasters get it right - NW, 10 - 15. 
Care to guess what direction I was headed? Yep, I can see you're paying attention.
So - I wanna be a weatherman. Where do I apply?

Today's update - I'm in Oriental NC, a very attractive town with a free dock - have to like that. It seems that my alternator may be acting up, so today's mission is to check it out and, if necessary, replace it.
If you'd like to watch me - or see where Gypsy Wind is tied up today, go to the Oriental Harbour Cam and check it out - make sure you click on the button to get the slide show rather than a static image. And since the other boat at the dock is also red, GW is the one on the right. I'll stand on the foredeck and wave.