day nine - the Bight

Tap, tap, tap. Not yet dawn. Maybe a light rain. Wake at first light. Clear skies. Tap, tap, tap. I realize it is the sound of shrimp snapping below SPARTINA. A cinnamon bun and iced tea at CRU. No rush to leave. Slack tide at Beaufort Inlet is 8:00. Cast off 7:20 with a solid west wind. 7:30 sails up just off the docks. 7:30 tacking into the wind at 2.5 to 4.0. No traffic in the channel and a…