OK people – it is hot. Baking bare feet on deck, hot. We sailed in 38C (100F) heat. At times, not a breath of air even when sailing at 7.5 mph. The AGLCA burgee hung limply from its flagstaff. For days I have been wearing a wet scarf to cool myself, but today I resorted to the wet T-shirt, as well. Unbelievably hot!

During the cooler part of the morning we traversed Adams Creek Canal, a man-made canal which joins Adams and Core Creeks. We met a large potash barge along the way, heading for Beaufort.

We then entered the Neuse River and motored in a zigzag direction across the river and what seemed like heading out to the outer banks, 35 miles away. We saw the waterspout of what we think was a whale. We noticed the plume of water quite a few times. Either it was a whale or the heat got to both of us!

Thankfully the seas were calm, but it is a large stretch of water I am glad is behind us. It has at a reputation for being some of the meanest water on the ICW. Now we are bobbing in Gale Creek, immersed in air conditioning, not wanting to poke our heads outside. It is 8.30pm and the temperature has dropped to 32C (90F) but I won’t even start on the humidity level! Tomorrow is forecast to be the same as today.

Such is Life!