Posted by Monty
Yesterday, we left Charleston behind after a week, good times with friends, and no regrets. Pulled out of the Charleston Maritime Center after fuel and a pump out of the holding tank. (Hey, stuff goes in the boat...stuff comes out. I keep telling Carol she is a real person.)
Had a cold and blustery motor down the ICW, with a few sections of skinny water. I don't think I crushed any crabs this time, but I listened to the depth alarm much longer than I wanted to. We then anchored in a lovely spot in the South Edisto river just off the ICW. Had it all to ourselves. After the hustle and bustle, noise, and wakes rocking the boat in Charleston Harbor, it was quiet.
Too Quiet.
Had a cold and blustery motor down the ICW, with a few sections of skinny water. I don't think I crushed any crabs this time, but I listened to the depth alarm much longer than I wanted to. We then anchored in a lovely spot in the South Edisto river just off the ICW. Had it all to ourselves. After the hustle and bustle, noise, and wakes rocking the boat in Charleston Harbor, it was quiet.
Too Quiet.
As it was fresh water, we didn't even have the "Rice Krispy" shrimp serenading us to sleep. Serenading me, I should say, as Carol seemed oblivious to the noise. These are a species of shrimp that stun their prey by snapping their claws in such a way that it actually cavitates the water and gives off a sound in the 200db range. What it sounds like through the hull is Snap, Crackle, and Pop. We slept well, even though the temperature outside fell into the low 40's. The internal boat temperature this morning was 55 degrees. We need to get south ASAP.
Executing that plan, we traveled today to Beaufort, SC, where we are anchored tonight just north of the bridge.
Executing that plan, we traveled today to Beaufort, SC, where we are anchored tonight just north of the bridge.
On the weekends, it opens on demand. No complaining from you automobile types (of which I have been most of my life) as boats were here before automobiles, and technically have the right of way.
We needed to get fuel filters and a flag, so I called a marina just up the creek from where we were anchored. The dock master told me to tender over to his dock, where we could walk across the street to a business that had the filters we needed, so we loaded into the dinghy. Upon arriving at the business about 2:40pm, we discovered it closed at 2:00 on Saturday. No problem, the dock master simply lent us his car and gave us directions to the nearest West Marine. Didn't even ask my name. What generosity.
The plan (here we go again) is to bump down to Hilton Head and lurk in or around Skull Creek tomorrow. Then, if the weather (and my nerve) holds, we are going to bump out into the Atlantic and do an overnight sail down to Fernadina Beach on Monday/Tuesday. We are fleeing the "vortex" that is due the end of the week (more about this in my future column on man made global warming). While we will not be in the warm part of Florida, at least we will have skipped a state and will be closer to my promise to Carol of "warm weather and clear water".
We did see more dolphin playing beside the boat today, so that helped.
We needed to get fuel filters and a flag, so I called a marina just up the creek from where we were anchored. The dock master told me to tender over to his dock, where we could walk across the street to a business that had the filters we needed, so we loaded into the dinghy. Upon arriving at the business about 2:40pm, we discovered it closed at 2:00 on Saturday. No problem, the dock master simply lent us his car and gave us directions to the nearest West Marine. Didn't even ask my name. What generosity.
The plan (here we go again) is to bump down to Hilton Head and lurk in or around Skull Creek tomorrow. Then, if the weather (and my nerve) holds, we are going to bump out into the Atlantic and do an overnight sail down to Fernadina Beach on Monday/Tuesday. We are fleeing the "vortex" that is due the end of the week (more about this in my future column on man made global warming). While we will not be in the warm part of Florida, at least we will have skipped a state and will be closer to my promise to Carol of "warm weather and clear water".
We did see more dolphin playing beside the boat today, so that helped.