Day 16 Barefoot Landing Marina, SC - Southport Marina, NC

45.1 Miles Travelled -
April 30 TH, 2011 - Today would be our last day in South Carolina, our journey today would take us to Southport, NC. We have always bypassed Southport and this time we decided we'd like to stop and visit the town. It was a beautiful sunny day and although there were winds, it was a good day for travelling. As we travel along we can see some of South Carolina's offering of white sandy beaches in North Myrtle Beach.
There was no remnants of the old floating Sunset Pontoon bridge which could delay your trip for an hour if you just missed the scheduled opening. It's now replaced with a new highrise, which isn't without it's own controversy.
Shortly after 3 we were tied up at the Southport Marina and immediately we set off to explore the town. There are lovely historic homes , not of 'famous' people but older quaint pilot homes. This town is where pilots would aid ships into or out of port and take them up the Cape Fear river. Yes that is the correct term, a "pilot" will temporarily become captain of a ship.
There are cute boutique, antique stores, and great ice cream shops, although we didn't indulge this time. Our indulgence was to have a glass of wine on the deck of a 'private club' where you just register as a guest. We sat and watched the pilots come and go, and the interesting thing is the locals would cheer each pilot on return. We enjoyed walking around the town and had a wonderful dinner at the Cape Fear restaurant. We're glad we decided to visit this cute little town. Sorry we missed you Mark and Marcia!

No remnants of Sunset Pontoon Bridge

South Carolina Beaches

How do goats get on an island?

Old Pilot Lookout, missing 3 stories

Day 15 Osprey Marina, SC - Barefoot Landing Marina, North Myrtle Beach, SC

18.9 Miles Travelled
April 29TH, 2011 -  One of our favorite stops along the ICW is Barefoot Landing Marina. Barefoot Landing is a floating dock wall beside a great outlet area and wonderful restaurants. Last time we were here, there were signs the economy was definitely taking its toll, many closed shops. Well we were not disappointed this time, many boutiques were open. The captain managed to get a great pair of boat sandals and the first mate purchased a skort, top and matching sunvisor. At 75% off the regular price how can you not buy something? We had a great time walking around and treated ourselves to some great ice cream. The weather was warm, sunny and wonderful.
Some of the interesting spots that really didn't impress us but gave us concern were these tiny ponds that contained huge fish and dozens of turtles. There just seemed to be too many animals for such a tiny area. When people walked along the walkways  you can purchase turtle/fish food. These creatures were definitely used to this formality as the turtles and fish clamored for a spot.

 Leaving Osprey Marina

Dozens of Turtles Vying for food

Day 13/14 Minim Creek SC - Osprey Marina, SC

42.1 Miles Travelled
April 27/28 TH , 2011 - Had a very comfortable sleep in the anchorage. Our anchor held well and we were gently swayed throughout the night.  Weighed anchor in the morning and soon we were heading up Winyah Bay. The captain and I agreed to just by-pass Georgetown, SC completely. The weather report was calling for severe thunderstorms in the late afternoon as well as for the next day.  Georgetown is too open for our tastes if the weather kicks up.  Well when we entered Winyah Bay we discovered that the winds were still pretty strong and that we made the right decision.
Winyah Bay leads to one of our favorite bodies of water the Waccamaw River. The rivers banks have wonderful wildlife and plant life lining the shores. Ospreys are beginning to build their nests. We often see turtles resting on logs basking in the warm temperatures. This year we spotted our first alligator on a tree limb in this river. It took us by surprise and we wonder if the turtles were a little upset with this big guy taking their spot.
Our excursion today was a replay of yesterday, only this time we weren't so fortunate. We were a few miles south of the marina when we literally saw the line of rainstorms closing in on us at a quick pace. It's an amazing sight to see this line of storms coming from behind. We knew we weren't going to be spared and we prepared quickly for a good drenching!! Both of us giggled like school kids because there was little else we could do, mother nature was having fun. In incidences like this the captain slows the boat down to almost neutral and we just wait it out. We didn't feel so bad when we saw this open little powerboat go by with little ones,, all drenched.
Our plans were to stop in Osprey Marina which is a very protected anchorage for bad weather. Pulled the Summer Wind into the fuel dock and filled her up at $3.64/gallon, a very 'reasonable' price comparatively and put in 225 gallons. Can you say OUCH!!
Later we tied up at our slip, where we would spend the next two nights waiting out the weather. All was not a concern that evening we enjoyed a fantastic meal at Scatori's. The restaurant will pick you up and drop you off at the marina. We enjoyed a fabulous meal to the sounds of the likes of Sinatra, Dean Martin and Bocelli,, what a great mix! Took home our leftover meals which by the way was enough to enjoy for two more dinners! Before heading back to the marina the restaurant let's you grocery shop and when your done, they drive you back.! What a great service for boaters!!
Hard to believe but the second day we worked on the boat, did a huge load of laundry and relaxed on board. There were tornado warningsamidst severe thunderstorm warnings in nearby areas but hard to believe. This was the same system that did horrendous damage to Mississippi and Alabama. You could hear the wind howling above the treeline but other then that, there was no semblance of bad weather. Check out the video below, like they say, it's better to be safe!

 Winyah Bay

 Turtles basking on the tree log

Alligators??

Summer Wind in Osprey Marina

No weather in Osprey Marina

Day 12 Charleston SC - Minim Creek SC

53.9 Miles Travelled

April 26th, 2011-  Checked NOAA and there was a large storm front slowly making its way across the country. It was predicted to reach the  shores of the east coast in a few days. We decided that we needed to have a good travel day and get passed the Charleston Harbor Inlet. It's one of our last 'big' sounds for South Carolina and we could spend the next few days on the ICW if it 'just rains'. The chatter over the radio was the weather, and discussions about where all the boats were planning to stop. Afternoon thundershowers were again being predicted.
From Charleston to Georgetown there are very few marinas but there are great anchorages if you need to duck in somewhere. We knew exactly where we could tuck in if necessary. Well just as we passed a little town named MacLellanville the skies began to change and change very quickly. The clouds rolled in and off in the distance we could see that the thunderstorms were definitely on their way.  It was a fast moving system, so plans to make Georgetown, SC was scrapped and we made plans to anchor in a very protected spot in Minim Creek. We had just started to drop the hook when the rains began and claps of thunder boomed. We made short work of setting the anchor and quickly ducked for cover. We were secure, and enjoyed a warm tasty dinner aboard the boat. That night we discovered that we were able to pick up ABC Dancing with the stars.... illimination night and we're both routing for Kirstie Alley to stay on the show.

Saying Good bye to Charleston

Square Lighthouse

Ben Sawyer Swing Bridge

Interesting anchoring

Dark Grey Clouds rolling in,, rain off in the distance

Outrunning the storm!

Day 11 - Church Creek, SC - Charleston, SC

18.9 Miles Travelled
April 25, 2011 -  We began the day leisurely by just relaxing and enjoying breakfast and coffee.After raising the anchor we began to head out of the anchorage.It was low tide and we discovered that there was a nice little bump in our anchorage. The depth sounders screamed and we gently bumped the bottom.
 Our trip to the marina was very short.We had won a free night at the Charleston City Marina, which we planned to fully take advantage. Charleston is one of our favorite cities to visit. This year we tied up shortly before noon and of course we were almost at the end of the mega dock 1/2mile long. We were just in time to watch an 80 foot wooden sailboat being towed off the dock.
In the afternoon, we were debating whether to grab the shuttle and venture into town or just hang out on the dock. Both of us were travelled out and needed to just spend a day catching up on small chores. One of the chores involved getting our computer up and running.  Unfortunately, Dick spent 3 hours on the phone with the computer gurus,, and its still not working properly.  In fact, it's running much slower and freezes. Frustrated we put the computer away, this is when we really wished for a little more computer knowledge.
 In the evening we joined Susan and Jay aboard their boat Sails  (MTOA members) for a glass of wine and great conversation.

Wooden Sailboat needing help

Named "Dollar Boat"

Day 10 Port Royal, SC - Church Creek, SC

51.4 Miles Travelled
April 24, 2011 - The weather was really holding out, rose to warm sunny conditions. In fact the first half hour of the trip we were opening the vinyl  sides on the bridge. It was too stuffy and already in the 70's. Our plan today was to anchor in a spot that would give us a great vantage point to enter Charleston early in the morning.
Travelling in the morning we experienced low tide. The ICW travels through the South Carolina grass lands. There are channels where you definitely don't want to drift to the side because the water disappears. Our  anchorage choice today  was Church Creek, we had anchored here before and we were familiar with the area. Because of the humidity factor, afternoon thundershowers were in the forecast. So we planned to anchor with protection from the trees. We dropped the hook and enjoyed a quiet evening aboard.  In the anchorage we watched and heard dolphins hunting around the Summer Wind. Enjoyed a lovely evening cuddling and watching a movie.

Sailboat with tan bark sails

South Carolina Grass Lands

Day 9 Thunderbolt Marina, GA - Port Royal, SC

43.6 Miles Travelled -  Planned our departure from Thunderbolt for slack tide around 7:30 in the morning. Diamond Girl was soon following behind.  It was not only slack tide but low tide and at times our depth alarms were sounding off when we really hit shallow water. Soon we were crossing the Georgia /South Carolina border and discovered a totally different atmosphere.
 Hilton Head was hosting a PGA tournament. There were helicopters, and the Metlife Blimp flying above. Several boats were anchored in the inlet vying for a spot to catch a glimpse. Amongst all that were the day fishermen trying to find that perfect fishing hole. We caught sight of a giant orange ball off in the distance and discovered a couple taking a parasailing trip right in the middle of the channel. Why would anyone want to leave a perfectly good boat to fly like a kite?

Our trip today took us to Port Royal Landing Marina. This marina really caters to cruisers. They have a loaner vehicle to provision  and great laundry facilities. In the evening we enjoyed a gathering with cruisers in the gazebo at cocktail time.

Low Tide

Crossing the Savannah River

Getting Ready to Fly

Up Up and Away

Day 8 Duplin River - Thunderbolt Marina , GA

April 22nd - 66 miles - Woke in the morning to find that all was well. It was an amazingly peaceful night. Once the storm passed all was quiet and the boat had barely rocked. One thing we did notice through the night was the current runs rapidly through that anchorage. We could hear the prop turning which was something new  to experience. As we were preparing to raise our anchor we noticed many of the other vessels beginning to follow suit.
The sky was warm and todays forecast predicted more thunderstorms later in the day. We were one of the first boats to head out but soon Diamond Girl was crossing our wake.  Our stop today was going to be the Thunderbolt Marina. As the day was progressing, the clouds were building. This was going to be a race again. Well, we made it, we could hear the thunder but the skies remained dry.
 Last year at this time we shared Bud & Elaine's  wedding anniversary at Tubby Tankhouse in Thunderbolt. Well guess what, this year we enjoyed doing the same thing. Bud told us they were married 40 + years, they live on a boat and they still like one another. We had a wonderful evening with the both of them. Thanks Bud & Elaine! Are we starting a new tradition??

Duplin River Anchorage

 Diamond Girl

 They like each other!!

Dinner at Tubby's Tankhouse

Day 7 Whew!!! We made it!! Fernandina Beach, Fl - Duplin River, Ga

April 21st -  67 Miles! Long day for us! Woke fairly early in the morning and decided that we'd play today by ear. The temperatures have been unseasonably hot reaching the low 90's and today wasn't going to be much different. Except,,,, There was a front coming across from the west promising cooler/wetter weather. April showers bring May flowers right? Or is that only in the north? Unfortunately the weather reports weren't just for rain,, many states have been experiencing tornados which means high winds.
We raised the anchor and soon we crossed the St. Mary's Inlet and said good-bye to Florida. Crossing the inlet was a breeze, or should we say, there was no breeze. Infact we had all the vinyls rolled up searching for a breath of air, it was very muggy and still. The calm before the storm perhaps.
We passed along Cumberland Island and reminisced over the wild horses we encountered and wouldn't you know we spotted a few grazing in the grass by the shore. Turned towards Jekyll Island and found plenty of water for an area that is notibly shallow. It was high tide and we were having a great cruise. Enter St. Simon's Sound and noticed that yes clouds were definitely building but we wouldn't worry quite just yet. We passed our favorite anchorage at Fort Frederica and planned where we would drop the hook for the night. Our first choice had been Tea Kettle creek but after reading the reviews we felt it was a little exposed to the winds. We decided we would seek a little protection with trees to stop the winds,, just in case. So our next choice was the Duplin River. What appealed to us was reading about the protection from East/West winds having trees on both sides. It's amazing how much trees block the winds. Georgia is mostly  flat marsh land with tall grass and there are many great anchorages but when you need wind protection,,, you definitely would like to have tree lined shores.
There was a small Formula boat that had been following us throughout the day and we were talking on the radio with them. It was their first time travelling through Georgia so they decided to follow along.
Shortly around 5 pm we entered the Duplin River and we discovered several boats all snuggled down for the night. Amongst the boats were our friends Elaine and Bud Lloyd aboard Diamond Girl. We said a quick ahoy via radio but they knew we wanted to get our anchor set for the night. Well, we put plenty of chain down, just in case the winds really picked up. Less than an hour later we could not only see the storm but hear it very close. The skies went very dark and the lightening was absolutely amazing with claps of thunder that shook through the boat. We were happy to be anchored, and secure for the night.

Horses on Cumberland Island

 Heading towards St. Simons Sound

 building clouds in the Sound

The last ray of sunshine before the storm

Day 6 St. Augustine to Belles River Anchorage, Fernandina, Fl

Wednesday April 20th - Dropping the lines from the pennant was a lot easier than picking them up. The weather was holding out for us again, we can't believe how warm it is in the morning. Headed out under the bridge and took a left just at the St. Augustine Inlet.  As long as the weather was holding out we decided to travel a fair distance.
 The cruise north was warm, sunny and calm. One of the things we love to do is check out the wildlife we spot along the way. We've spotted several eagles hunting in the distance on the Tolomato River. They were easily spotted because of the long wing span and movement of flight. The tall pine trees make an excellent vantage point for spotting prey. We came across huge pods of dolphins where small groups of fishing boats had lines in the water. We wondered who was winning the fishing expedition. As we went along we'd ask  the fishermen if they had any nibbles and they said, no but the dolphins were having a great time though,, hmmmmmmm.

Eagle in tall Pine (unfortunately poor zoom)

St. Augustine

Castillo De San Marcos

Our destination today was Belles River an anchorage just outside Fernandina Beach area. We've dropped the hook here before and know its a very protected spot.