May 14 Mile Hammock Bay NC mm 244

What do you do with that dreaded shoal-You make it pretty by adding a palm tree and a beach umbrella. This was just off of the waterway. Today we departed mm 311 with the intention of traveling to an anchorage at mm 263 but the current gave us a good push, so we decided to press on, although we had one of those pesky open on the hour, bridges in our way. Today was our lucky day as a Tow Boat US was towing a sailboat and he gets a special dispensation for an open anytime bridge opening, so we followed him through at 15 minutes past the hour which saved us 45 minutes of milling around. We are anchored near the Marine Military base of Camp LeJune NC. Our anchorage is courtesy of the Marines -a military made dredged cove that is seldom used and, surprise of all surprises, we are not banned from using it for "security reasons" The anchorage is deep-although we are exposed to the briskly blowing southwest winds at the moment. Eight or ten sailboats here plus two other trawlers. One of those mean looking marine helicopters with big artillery on the sides floating overhead every now and then.