It's been a long month...a month ago Sunday (tomorrow) we left Annapolis and we are in New Bern, NC. We holed up in Deltaville, VA for a couple of days of wind. In Elizabeth City, NC a friend's transmission went out and as a singlehander he greatly appreciated us sticking around a couple of days to help him remove and replace the tranny Contrary weather kept us in EC for another day... due to gale conditions we found a very protected spot in Long Creek, Bonner Bay, NC and stayed there 3 days. After crossing Pamlico Sound/River in 3-4 foot seas that were about 2 seconds apart which made a rough and rocky ride... but with 25 knot winds and only the headsail we were breaking 9 knots and were flat out flying across the water.
So we planned to go to Beaufort, NC and head offshore back to FL when Tropical Storm Noel pops up...so we decided since we're going to be sitting a few days why not head inland to New Bern, a very charming city, and sit while it blows near the coast. Well, even the best laid plans...
We had just returned to the boat from a little stroll through town (where by the way 2 business owners want us to send them pictures and info so they can use us in their advertising...) and Wildlife Patrol official knock and tells us that we have to move. Evidentaly they have declared that no one can anchor in New Bern in any navigable water. The letter we were given says "...and not obstruct the channel or navigable waters." The channel is just common sense...and accoridng to the "authority" anywhere a boat can go is considered navigable waters. We were threatened with a citation if we did not go by the end of the day. The wildlife official told us "Now everyone wants to come to New Bern and stake out their spot. It's dangerous for the locals."
In the words of the Fish & Wildlife Officer (aka Possum Cop) "There's nothing for you here. You don't need to be out here."
They don't stop those drinking and boating, they don't enforce the no-wake zone, nothing like that...but cruisers who anchor are no longer welcome in New Bern. So since it was 4:30pm and no where to go tonight we were forced to take a slip in a marina. 2 other boats are going with us to City Hall and the Chamber of Commerce to complain... you see, since we are now forced to put the money out on a dock we won't spend any more in town... instead of the money going to local merchants, a large corporate marina will get our mad money for the city.
By the way...in 3 years we have NEVER been asked/told to vacate and anchoring spot.
They just shot themselves in the foot as far as we're concerned.
The lady who owns the used bookstore in New Bern gave us a book as a "welcome back" gift. The Swiss lady who does the Swiss Chalet baking at the Farmer's Market remmebered us the moment we walked in...it is amazing how many business owners remember us - and it is a shame that the "authorities" such as they are don't care about the economic influx that cruisers bring...only about politics.
ED NOTE: We have found out that back a year or two the Lt. Governors kids crammed into an anchored boat in the wee hours of the morning. The court case concluded the week we came to New Bern with the boat owner being found at fault and judgement for the Lt. Governor's family (do you really expect it to be nay other way?)
Good news is we may have a nice window Sunday to head straight back to Florida offshore...not holding our collective breath but hoping... also on the bright side, a guy we met in town (Jack with a cat named Jill) will be taking us to the grocery and we will have unlimited power so we can run the shop-vac which hasn't been run since our last dock, Coinjock, NC in May. Wow, almost 6 months since we took our last dock.
Forgive any typeos...I'm tired and don't feel like proofing and the fingers may have strayed from the brain's intentions.
ED NOTE: Here is the sequence of events that made things frustrating:
Wildlife Official (turkey?) came and raised heck
Dinghy outboard engine quit
Wind picked up
Railroad bridge closed as soon as we got the anchor up | 
