SHIP'S LOG:
Sorry about missing yesterday but it was Thanksgiving and I did a "little too much" thanking and was in no mood or shape to blog.
Thursday - Nvember 25th
I left the BYSC in Beaufort about 9:05 am. I had been moored to an inside position on their docks and there was a heck of a current coming up the Beaufort River. If you every wondered why they call the padding on docks bumpers, well I can tell you. Despite a well thought out and planned departure, I hit two of them on the way away from the dock. No damage to the dock or ABISHAG, just a serious loss of "Harbor Face." And wouldn't you know it, on Thanksgiving morning, a time you would think such a place would be deserted, a lovely lady decided to come come and sit on the dock and do emails on her Blackberry or some similar device. She promised that she didn't see a thing. Thanks goodness for "Southern Hospitality and tact!"
I had to pass by Parris, as in the Island and not the City in France. It is a boot camp for the making of new US Marines. There was not a soul to be seen nor any yelling to be heard. I doubt they had the day off, rather they were out of screaming range. Strange, it doesn't look like "hell on earth" but then looks can be deceiving . . . ask any former Marine who trained there.
Crossed Port Royal Sound. It was a short sail, about 3 miles or so but it was made spectacular by the dolphins riding the bow wave. I have never experienced that before. I'm cruising along when I get intercepted by a couple of dolphins who just rode the bow wave. Hows they could get so close and not hit the boat or get hit by it is amazing. Several times, when I have been anchor, I could hear one surface, take a breath and disappear. The first few times, I didn't know what it was, but I learned. They show up in odd places and times. You just never know when or where. I could watch them all day.
I headed down Calibogue Sound that passes by Hilton Head. Some incredible dwelling on the water's edge but nothiong I am sure to those inland by the golf courses. Calibogue gave me a whole knot+ of speed and I got to Broad Creek and headed up it to anchor right off Hilton Head. Unfortunately, when I got to the spot recommended by Skipper Bob, moorings had been set by the locals and there just wasn't space to anchor. Thank goodness for that extra knot of speed, because I had to go three miles down Broad Creek, cross Calibogue Sound and head down Defuskey Creek to get to my next spot, five miles away in New River. I got there about 4pm and dropped the hook and had Thanksgiving Dinner, sort of. I have a lot to be thankful for on this trip including the trip itself, so it was a good day.
November 26th Friday
Last night, and again when I got up this morning, the NOAA Weather said, high winds, gusting to 30 and heavy rain (70% chance). Of course, I awoke to blue, cloudless skies and not a breath of wind. But something made me trust this forecast. BY 10:30, the winds were howling and by 1:30pm, the rain showed up. Basically, NOAA got this one right on the money. IT was a good move to stay put. Now the winds have died and the rain too, except for an occasional misting. The next few days are supposed to be clear but cooler. Hey, I'm five miles from Georgia and the ICW through Georgia is 138 miles. In about a week, if all goes well, I am in "The Sunshine State!"
Friday, November 26, 2010
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
DINGHY ALL BETTER ! ! ! ! ! !
SHIP'S LOG:
Well, after almost 2months the dinghy is once again whole. David "Dr. Fix-IT" Dixon has apparently worked his magic again and restored my dinghy to operational readiness. He even replaced the separation strut on the davits. The man did a fantastic job and it will be a great thing not to be "stuck" aboard all the time.
Tomorrow being Thanksgiving Day, I am naturally head off down stream on the ICW tolling for a dinner invite. If one doesn't come that will be fine but it would be a nice thing to share a meal. I will be heading to the other side of Hilton Head, hopefully to a place called Broad Creek(they have a lot of them down here) to an anchorage of Possum Point! I have several other spots to use if need be but I think it will be there.
It has been interesting being "ashore" for the last couple of days. I actually sat in a little sun house at the end of the BYSC Dock and did a whole bunch of emails and Internet stuff today. It was great . . .and so still! But I also miss moving, getting on to the next spot wherever it may be. I've evidently developed the nautical version of an itchy foot or a travelin' jones.
I hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving. Be sure to eat much too much and drive carefully!
Well, after almost 2months the dinghy is once again whole. David "Dr. Fix-IT" Dixon has apparently worked his magic again and restored my dinghy to operational readiness. He even replaced the separation strut on the davits. The man did a fantastic job and it will be a great thing not to be "stuck" aboard all the time.
Tomorrow being Thanksgiving Day, I am naturally head off down stream on the ICW tolling for a dinner invite. If one doesn't come that will be fine but it would be a nice thing to share a meal. I will be heading to the other side of Hilton Head, hopefully to a place called Broad Creek(they have a lot of them down here) to an anchorage of Possum Point! I have several other spots to use if need be but I think it will be there.
It has been interesting being "ashore" for the last couple of days. I actually sat in a little sun house at the end of the BYSC Dock and did a whole bunch of emails and Internet stuff today. It was great . . .and so still! But I also miss moving, getting on to the next spot wherever it may be. I've evidently developed the nautical version of an itchy foot or a travelin' jones.
I hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving. Be sure to eat much too much and drive carefully!
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Beaufort Yacht & Sailing Club
SHIP'S LOG:
Sorry about the gap, then again tin cans & string!!!!!
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2010 - The night at Church Creek was uneventful, a nice quiet night. It was one of those really "silent places" than seem to be everywhere off the beaten track down here. They are wonderful and scary at the same time. I was joined by another sailboat but again, it anchored 100yards away. Either they were very concerned with respecting my privacy or perhaps not being able to shower every day is having a down-wind adverse effect!!!! (His, not mine!!!)
I got a call from Bob Cullen's Friend, the "Outrageous" Guy Mc Sweeney. I can wait to meet this guy, no pun intended. Talking to him on the phone, I have formed a mental picture of him: tall, thin, a shock of white hair and a white mustache. It will very interesting to see how close I come to the real thing.
Leaving Church Creek and continuing down the ICW, I was passed by :Twins Spirits." It took me a moment to figure out why the name struck me and then I remembered that Tom & Shelia were at Pleasure Cover Marina back up in Bodkin Creek south of Baltimore. I had given them the "10 Rules for Traveling the ICW" and I asked them if they had been helpful. They were loud in their praises . . . . having only once gone aground! They're doing better than me! Being that they were in a trawler, they soon "left med in the dust" but it was great to see someone at last that I "knew" on the journey. I got a call for them later about a tricky spot past the Dawhoo River Bridge. And I am glad that they sent it.
AS I mentioned before, the ICW is not one long canal. Basically it is small canals and channels that connect rivers, bays & lagoons. The canals themselves have no current or tides save what the rivers, bays and lagoons on either end provide. In some case, most actually, the entrances and exits to the canals are the really "exciting parts" as the currents and tides fight against each other and produce some rather turbulent waters. When I hit the mouth of the canal that connected to the Dawhoo River, the down stream current sent me sideways. Then motoring upstream, I couldn't do more than 4.5 knots. The really fun part was finding the deep water. The river was rather twisty and so the shoaling parts shifted from side to side before and after turns. One of "The 10 Rules" is that "crabpots rule." Local fishermen set their crabpots along the edge of the channel between the shallow water and the deep water. Sometime,increasingly more as I get further south, that edge is encroaching on the ICW channel The US Army Core of Engineers in this area doesn't have the funds necessary to do the dredging necessary and so you are engaged in a constant search to stay in "deep water." Following the lines of crabpots, often in conflict with the "official Markers" is the best way to stay in the deep water. I have seen several boat cross those lines and get stuck, including one today on this stretch. A wing bridge on the Dawhoo River has been replaced by a nice, new, tall bridge with the ICW 65 foot clearance but just beyond it was the spot that Tome & Shelia warned me about. The passage under the bridge was 20 feet of deep water. A little over 100 yards beyond the bridge were to channel markers a good 100 feet apart. Tom warned me to stay right, far right, right up against the shore for the middle, where you would expect the channel to be deep was not. As I got there , I could see the surface of the water "rustling", all disturbed like a school of fish were feeding. It didn't make sense but the depth sounder kept decreasing and so I moved right, far right. Along the bank, which I could have reached out and touched I had 23 feet of water. Tom said that when he had tried the center, hit got readings of 6 feet!!! before he moved right. I got through it OK but it has made me even more the "slave to the depth sounder."
By early afternoon, I had made it to the Edisto River - pronounced "ED -isto."Actually, it was the South Edisto River, and followed it south. I came to a wide spot in a turn that was something like a small bay and anchored there for the night. There wasn't much in way of spots to anchor between there an Beaufort and it was a good spot. All day long the wind hadn't risen above 5knots, but once the hook was down it went up to 20-25 in a heart beat. It cranked like that until about 5pm when, with the approaching sunset, it calmed down to nothing. Three other boats also came in to anchor and again, a 100 yards of separation was the rule. I called Guy McSweeney and told him that I would be in Beaufort on the morrow and he said that a friend of his at their yacht club, David Dixon, was a miracle worker at fixing things and would take a crack at the dinghy. The weather is to continue in the 70's though the winds would be light and David will fix my dinghy. All is right with the world!
November 22, 2010 - Monday
I wasn't in a rush to get started today as Beaufort is only 20 miles away. Guy called in the morning and said David was eager to get his hands on the dinghy. He also said that he would explain why "Beaufort" is pronounced "BUU-ferd" in South Carolina and "BO - Fort" in North Carolina and why the South Carolina pronunciation is the correct one. I can't wait to hear that.
The three other sailboats were anchors up and gone before I had my morning coffee . . . again! I hope they get safely to wherever it is that they are going. I found out, after I had started, that the Lady's Island Bridge in downtown Beaufort opens on the hour only and not, as the cruising guides say, on the hour, half hour and/or upon request. I had to push it a little as I got out of one of the canals as the river I hit mas moving against me. Once I got into a place called "Watt's Cut, that changed about half way through as the river on the other side of the cut started pulling me through with a heck of a push. It was a tug of war between the Whapoo River and the Ashepoo River. I am not sure who won, but as I approached Beaufort, I was doing 7.8 knots and I was at idle speed setting on the throttle.. I got to the Lady's Island Bridge in time for the 2pm opening and cruised into downtown Beaufort. from the water, it is a small town but beautiful, the image of what you think of when you think of a Southern Town. I got a call from Guy as I passed through town saying he could see my boat and that I should head for the Beaufort Yacht and Sailing Club which turned out to be across the river from his house. By the time I got there, He was on the dock to handle the lines. I am not very good at docking, but have had a lot of practice during this trip and made a successful landing. In other words, I didn't sicken the dock or Guy. I hate to say it, but my mental image of Guy - tall, thin, white hair, whit mustache, couldn't have been more wrong. Think in terms of a "semi-tall Truman Copte." Guy greets me like a long lost friend and we hauled the dinghy to the workshop they have at the BYSC. Dave showed up within minutes and went to work. Dave is a British ex-pat who has been in the States for 30 years plus. An engineer by trade, he loves to fix things. Finding something that needs fixing and finding a way to do it seems to be the greatest enjoyment in life for him. He did things to prepare and fix the dinghy that the people I talked to at the various companies I called, and even the surveyors I talked to, would never have thought of. Meticulous in his approach, he set the patch with the adhesive, and it looked "right" even as it just sat there. He also looked at "ABISHAG . . . I think he liked that it was an "English Boat" . . . and suggested a new separator bar for the davitts . . . that he would fabricate and set in place, along with some padding to keep the dinghy off the boarding ladder. When there was nothing more to fix, he left! Quite a guy.
Speaking of Guy, he took of and came back about 6pm "to put some real southern cooking into that empty Yankee belly of yours." He took me to his home that was beautiful beyond description. Guy and his wife, Mimi, built it 25 years ago but it looks completely Antebellum. The inside was incredibly decorated. It was straight out of "Southern Living" meets "House Beautiful."The first of his children was there, Along with her husband and one of their daughters. The rest would be showing up of the next 24 hours for the big family Thanksgiving celebration. The dinner was true dinning, not feeding. Everything was slow and measured and wonderful. I hated to leave but had to get back as at 10pm it was way past my bedtime. I was driven back to the boat and slept the sleep of the just, too tired to even blog.
November 23, 2010 - Tuesday
A long slow morning. I laid out the course for the next day or whenever it is time to go. The effectiveness of Dave's handiwork will determine that. Beau, the manager of the BYSC came by, showed me where the showers were, and said that if i need to do laundry, well he and his wife live on the club's ground . . . yes, they have a lot of grounds, and I could do it in their home. That was too more than gracious so I will wait until the next marina. I got a call from Guy and he picked me up at 1pm. I sent off the Charleston City Marina Bathroom Key from the local post office and Guy gave me a tour of Beaufort. It is a beautiful little town. It is Charleston with everything modern removed. Most of the streets are original and so narrow that they are only one way. The home are beautiful beyond telling. You go down what appears to be an alley and it is lined with the marvelous antebellum homes in what can only be described as perfect settings. If Charleston was wonderful Beaufort is spectacular. If you picture in your mind the perfect small southern town, this is it! There are probably not more than 8,000-10,000 people in the town and Guy knows everyone of them. Getting the tour, we stopped constantly to say "Hi" to seemingly everyone we passed. I can't begin to say what a wonderful host the man is. After a wonderful personalized, story-filled tour, I did my shopping at "Piggly-Wiggly" and Guy took me back to the BYSC. It was hard to say "Goodbye" to him. He became a friend, a good friend in less than 24 hours. I can really understand why Bobby Cullen speaks so highly of him.
If the patch doesn't take, I may be "stuck " here another day. Right now, I am at the dock waiting for Dave so that we can put the "strut" on the davitts and test the patch. Beau, the club manager, gave me a key to the place and said to stay as long as I wanted. I have access to the bar and the color TV, but if the patch holds an d the strut fits, it is time to move on.
Oh yes, "Beaufort " and "Beaufort." well, according to Guy, the correct pronnunciation is "Bue- ferd". It is after all a French name, and besides, would you want to be "bu-tiful" or "bo-tiful?"
Sorry about the gap, then again tin cans & string!!!!!
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2010 - The night at Church Creek was uneventful, a nice quiet night. It was one of those really "silent places" than seem to be everywhere off the beaten track down here. They are wonderful and scary at the same time. I was joined by another sailboat but again, it anchored 100yards away. Either they were very concerned with respecting my privacy or perhaps not being able to shower every day is having a down-wind adverse effect!!!! (His, not mine!!!)
I got a call from Bob Cullen's Friend, the "Outrageous" Guy Mc Sweeney. I can wait to meet this guy, no pun intended. Talking to him on the phone, I have formed a mental picture of him: tall, thin, a shock of white hair and a white mustache. It will very interesting to see how close I come to the real thing.
Leaving Church Creek and continuing down the ICW, I was passed by :Twins Spirits." It took me a moment to figure out why the name struck me and then I remembered that Tom & Shelia were at Pleasure Cover Marina back up in Bodkin Creek south of Baltimore. I had given them the "10 Rules for Traveling the ICW" and I asked them if they had been helpful. They were loud in their praises . . . . having only once gone aground! They're doing better than me! Being that they were in a trawler, they soon "left med in the dust" but it was great to see someone at last that I "knew" on the journey. I got a call for them later about a tricky spot past the Dawhoo River Bridge. And I am glad that they sent it.
AS I mentioned before, the ICW is not one long canal. Basically it is small canals and channels that connect rivers, bays & lagoons. The canals themselves have no current or tides save what the rivers, bays and lagoons on either end provide. In some case, most actually, the entrances and exits to the canals are the really "exciting parts" as the currents and tides fight against each other and produce some rather turbulent waters. When I hit the mouth of the canal that connected to the Dawhoo River, the down stream current sent me sideways. Then motoring upstream, I couldn't do more than 4.5 knots. The really fun part was finding the deep water. The river was rather twisty and so the shoaling parts shifted from side to side before and after turns. One of "The 10 Rules" is that "crabpots rule." Local fishermen set their crabpots along the edge of the channel between the shallow water and the deep water. Sometime,increasingly more as I get further south, that edge is encroaching on the ICW channel The US Army Core of Engineers in this area doesn't have the funds necessary to do the dredging necessary and so you are engaged in a constant search to stay in "deep water." Following the lines of crabpots, often in conflict with the "official Markers" is the best way to stay in the deep water. I have seen several boat cross those lines and get stuck, including one today on this stretch. A wing bridge on the Dawhoo River has been replaced by a nice, new, tall bridge with the ICW 65 foot clearance but just beyond it was the spot that Tome & Shelia warned me about. The passage under the bridge was 20 feet of deep water. A little over 100 yards beyond the bridge were to channel markers a good 100 feet apart. Tom warned me to stay right, far right, right up against the shore for the middle, where you would expect the channel to be deep was not. As I got there , I could see the surface of the water "rustling", all disturbed like a school of fish were feeding. It didn't make sense but the depth sounder kept decreasing and so I moved right, far right. Along the bank, which I could have reached out and touched I had 23 feet of water. Tom said that when he had tried the center, hit got readings of 6 feet!!! before he moved right. I got through it OK but it has made me even more the "slave to the depth sounder."
By early afternoon, I had made it to the Edisto River - pronounced "ED -isto."Actually, it was the South Edisto River, and followed it south. I came to a wide spot in a turn that was something like a small bay and anchored there for the night. There wasn't much in way of spots to anchor between there an Beaufort and it was a good spot. All day long the wind hadn't risen above 5knots, but once the hook was down it went up to 20-25 in a heart beat. It cranked like that until about 5pm when, with the approaching sunset, it calmed down to nothing. Three other boats also came in to anchor and again, a 100 yards of separation was the rule. I called Guy McSweeney and told him that I would be in Beaufort on the morrow and he said that a friend of his at their yacht club, David Dixon, was a miracle worker at fixing things and would take a crack at the dinghy. The weather is to continue in the 70's though the winds would be light and David will fix my dinghy. All is right with the world!
November 22, 2010 - Monday
I wasn't in a rush to get started today as Beaufort is only 20 miles away. Guy called in the morning and said David was eager to get his hands on the dinghy. He also said that he would explain why "Beaufort" is pronounced "BUU-ferd" in South Carolina and "BO - Fort" in North Carolina and why the South Carolina pronunciation is the correct one. I can't wait to hear that.
The three other sailboats were anchors up and gone before I had my morning coffee . . . again! I hope they get safely to wherever it is that they are going. I found out, after I had started, that the Lady's Island Bridge in downtown Beaufort opens on the hour only and not, as the cruising guides say, on the hour, half hour and/or upon request. I had to push it a little as I got out of one of the canals as the river I hit mas moving against me. Once I got into a place called "Watt's Cut, that changed about half way through as the river on the other side of the cut started pulling me through with a heck of a push. It was a tug of war between the Whapoo River and the Ashepoo River. I am not sure who won, but as I approached Beaufort, I was doing 7.8 knots and I was at idle speed setting on the throttle.. I got to the Lady's Island Bridge in time for the 2pm opening and cruised into downtown Beaufort. from the water, it is a small town but beautiful, the image of what you think of when you think of a Southern Town. I got a call from Guy as I passed through town saying he could see my boat and that I should head for the Beaufort Yacht and Sailing Club which turned out to be across the river from his house. By the time I got there, He was on the dock to handle the lines. I am not very good at docking, but have had a lot of practice during this trip and made a successful landing. In other words, I didn't sicken the dock or Guy. I hate to say it, but my mental image of Guy - tall, thin, white hair, whit mustache, couldn't have been more wrong. Think in terms of a "semi-tall Truman Copte." Guy greets me like a long lost friend and we hauled the dinghy to the workshop they have at the BYSC. Dave showed up within minutes and went to work. Dave is a British ex-pat who has been in the States for 30 years plus. An engineer by trade, he loves to fix things. Finding something that needs fixing and finding a way to do it seems to be the greatest enjoyment in life for him. He did things to prepare and fix the dinghy that the people I talked to at the various companies I called, and even the surveyors I talked to, would never have thought of. Meticulous in his approach, he set the patch with the adhesive, and it looked "right" even as it just sat there. He also looked at "ABISHAG . . . I think he liked that it was an "English Boat" . . . and suggested a new separator bar for the davitts . . . that he would fabricate and set in place, along with some padding to keep the dinghy off the boarding ladder. When there was nothing more to fix, he left! Quite a guy.
Speaking of Guy, he took of and came back about 6pm "to put some real southern cooking into that empty Yankee belly of yours." He took me to his home that was beautiful beyond description. Guy and his wife, Mimi, built it 25 years ago but it looks completely Antebellum. The inside was incredibly decorated. It was straight out of "Southern Living" meets "House Beautiful."The first of his children was there, Along with her husband and one of their daughters. The rest would be showing up of the next 24 hours for the big family Thanksgiving celebration. The dinner was true dinning, not feeding. Everything was slow and measured and wonderful. I hated to leave but had to get back as at 10pm it was way past my bedtime. I was driven back to the boat and slept the sleep of the just, too tired to even blog.
November 23, 2010 - Tuesday
A long slow morning. I laid out the course for the next day or whenever it is time to go. The effectiveness of Dave's handiwork will determine that. Beau, the manager of the BYSC came by, showed me where the showers were, and said that if i need to do laundry, well he and his wife live on the club's ground . . . yes, they have a lot of grounds, and I could do it in their home. That was too more than gracious so I will wait until the next marina. I got a call from Guy and he picked me up at 1pm. I sent off the Charleston City Marina Bathroom Key from the local post office and Guy gave me a tour of Beaufort. It is a beautiful little town. It is Charleston with everything modern removed. Most of the streets are original and so narrow that they are only one way. The home are beautiful beyond telling. You go down what appears to be an alley and it is lined with the marvelous antebellum homes in what can only be described as perfect settings. If Charleston was wonderful Beaufort is spectacular. If you picture in your mind the perfect small southern town, this is it! There are probably not more than 8,000-10,000 people in the town and Guy knows everyone of them. Getting the tour, we stopped constantly to say "Hi" to seemingly everyone we passed. I can't begin to say what a wonderful host the man is. After a wonderful personalized, story-filled tour, I did my shopping at "Piggly-Wiggly" and Guy took me back to the BYSC. It was hard to say "Goodbye" to him. He became a friend, a good friend in less than 24 hours. I can really understand why Bobby Cullen speaks so highly of him.
If the patch doesn't take, I may be "stuck " here another day. Right now, I am at the dock waiting for Dave so that we can put the "strut" on the davitts and test the patch. Beau, the club manager, gave me a key to the place and said to stay as long as I wanted. I have access to the bar and the color TV, but if the patch holds an d the strut fits, it is time to move on.
Oh yes, "Beaufort " and "Beaufort." well, according to Guy, the correct pronnunciation is "Bue- ferd". It is after all a French name, and besides, would you want to be "bu-tiful" or "bo-tiful?"
Saturday, November 20, 2010
Discrestion Was the Better Part Of Valor
SHIP'S LOG:
According to the tide tables, slack at Elliot's Cut would be at 1:14pm. That meant I had to wait around all morning before making the 3 mile trip to the spot. I took the opportunity to visit fort Sumter. If you haven't been there, you owe it to yourself to go. It is one of those places where you really feel history. You can almost touch it it is so real.
After the visit and a short trip to the market, I got back to ABISHAG and ready her for the days activities. I left the dock about 12:20 and had to waste time getting to the Wappoo Creek Bascule Bridge because I wanted to go through at the 1PM opening so that I would hit Elliot's Cut right on the nose. I quizzed the bridge tender about it and she professed to have no knowledge there even was such a place. As I approached, I realized that I had built it into a great big bogeyman. I mean, how bad could it bee. I went along a straight stretch before making the turn to the cut. As I approached the turn, a 35 foot trawler came the opposite way, made the turn toward me and kept slipping sideways. this was not a good sign. I slowed down to make sure it would be slack water when I got there.
Chuck's description was right on. All cut stone on one side and all rocks on the other, 100 feet wide and maybe 500 yards long. And of course filled with guys in boats fishing. It was slack tide when I entered but I could really see the flushing action Chuck spoke of. Even at slack water, it was costing me a knot to a knot & a half in speed. It was, like he said, trying to sail uphill. I got through without any problems but it was easy to see that if it had been other than slack water, it would have been dangerous to say the least in a boat this size.
The rat of the day was a bit of a push for it took me a while to get through the Cut and I wanted to get to one of the three places I had selected as anchorages: Church Creek, Toogoodoo Creak and Tom's Creek. Having to go up the Sorno River slowed things even more but I was able to make 20 miles and dropped my hook in Church Creek. It wasn't a long day but it was interesting. The weather was beautiful and in the 70's. The Houses along the Cut we really lovely and I would have taken pictures but I was busy at the time. But just a few miles outside of Charleston, it was back into the boondocks again. The marshes showed up again and what houses there were were spread far apart and a long way off the ICW. The water depth is also troubling as it is getting farther and farther away from what the charts read. Thank goodness for depth sounders.
One little interesting sidelight: I got a call from the Charleston City Marina where I stayed last night. Evidently I left without returning the electronic key for the showers and bathroom. They want it back in a week or they will charge me $15 to keep it. If I can find it, it goes into the mail in Beaufort!
According to the tide tables, slack at Elliot's Cut would be at 1:14pm. That meant I had to wait around all morning before making the 3 mile trip to the spot. I took the opportunity to visit fort Sumter. If you haven't been there, you owe it to yourself to go. It is one of those places where you really feel history. You can almost touch it it is so real.
After the visit and a short trip to the market, I got back to ABISHAG and ready her for the days activities. I left the dock about 12:20 and had to waste time getting to the Wappoo Creek Bascule Bridge because I wanted to go through at the 1PM opening so that I would hit Elliot's Cut right on the nose. I quizzed the bridge tender about it and she professed to have no knowledge there even was such a place. As I approached, I realized that I had built it into a great big bogeyman. I mean, how bad could it bee. I went along a straight stretch before making the turn to the cut. As I approached the turn, a 35 foot trawler came the opposite way, made the turn toward me and kept slipping sideways. this was not a good sign. I slowed down to make sure it would be slack water when I got there.
Chuck's description was right on. All cut stone on one side and all rocks on the other, 100 feet wide and maybe 500 yards long. And of course filled with guys in boats fishing. It was slack tide when I entered but I could really see the flushing action Chuck spoke of. Even at slack water, it was costing me a knot to a knot & a half in speed. It was, like he said, trying to sail uphill. I got through without any problems but it was easy to see that if it had been other than slack water, it would have been dangerous to say the least in a boat this size.
The rat of the day was a bit of a push for it took me a while to get through the Cut and I wanted to get to one of the three places I had selected as anchorages: Church Creek, Toogoodoo Creak and Tom's Creek. Having to go up the Sorno River slowed things even more but I was able to make 20 miles and dropped my hook in Church Creek. It wasn't a long day but it was interesting. The weather was beautiful and in the 70's. The Houses along the Cut we really lovely and I would have taken pictures but I was busy at the time. But just a few miles outside of Charleston, it was back into the boondocks again. The marshes showed up again and what houses there were were spread far apart and a long way off the ICW. The water depth is also troubling as it is getting farther and farther away from what the charts read. Thank goodness for depth sounders.
One little interesting sidelight: I got a call from the Charleston City Marina where I stayed last night. Evidently I left without returning the electronic key for the showers and bathroom. They want it back in a week or they will charge me $15 to keep it. If I can find it, it goes into the mail in Beaufort!
Friday, November 19, 2010
Discretion Is The Better Part Of Valor!!!!
SHIP'S LOG:
I got a call last night from Chuck Estell who has made the trip on the ICW, up & down, a dozen times. He warned me that I was headed to the most dangerous spot on the ICW, Elliot's Cut. It is just beyond Charleston. It is dangerous because it is a narrow cut through a rock face and beyond it two rivers merge and flush through it into Charleston Harbor. Unless you go through a slack tide, you will be battling a 4-5 knot current in a narrow cut with no margin for error. He told some hair raising stories of his experiences, enough so that I was going through at slack or not at all. Discretion is the better part of valor.
I left Whiteside Creek, after going up the mast to check out the marsh it's in. It stretches for miles. The marsh grass is about 5 feet high and from the cockpit you can't really see anything. Sort of like being in the movie, "The African Queen."
Back out on the ICW, I found that this stretch bears little resemblance to the Magenta Line on the charts. The depth of the water goes from 20 feet to 14 feet to nothing in a hurry. You would think that this close to a major city, they would do a little more dredging but such is evidently not the case. Passing by Isle of Palms I was looking for a marina to fuel up and pump out but the two there were set inside the Isle of Palms, off the ICW and the entrances to both were narrow and shallow. Call me chicken but I have seen enough of Towboat/US as I am sure they have of me.
Approaching the Ben Sawyer Memorial Bridge, just outside of Charleston Harbor the water was still shallow. I only draw 5 1/2 feet but I get nervous whenever the depth approaches single digits. But no grounds, not even a kiss and I was under the bridge, after it swung open, and into the Harbor with the city to starboard and Fort Sumter to port. when you look at the fort, you can see that it must have provide the city with wonderful protection. But it is so close the the land on either side that at the start of the Civil War, it was a real trap. Just passing by it gave me a thrill and a chill. This was a place of real history and it was amazing to see it at last.
Charleston Harbor is good size and has a heck of a current running through it at tide. It was rather choppy as well and it really cut down the speed even further. Needless to say, I wasn't going to make slack at Elliot's Cut today. I headed up Wappoo Creek that leads to the cut to an anchorage that was suggested. However, I found that it was really exposed to the current and to the passing boats. All of the guides recommend that you use two anchors. I have enough trouble with one and I had no desire to repeat the Thoroughfare Creek incident either. There is some anchoring in the Ashley River but the holding is poor. It left me with no option but to dock for the night. I got to pump out and fuel up and got to see a little of Charleston while I was at it. It is really quite a beautiful city, especially the older section along the water front. With slack being 13:14 at the Wappoo Bridge 2 miles before Elliot's Cut, I have time tomorrow to get to Fort Sumter, do a little shopping and be there in time to make it through the cut unscathed. The weather for the next few days will be in the 70's and clear and if my timing is right, I will be on my way toward Beaufort (pronounced BUU - Ferd) and hopefully a chance to haul and fix my dinghy. Tomorrow's choices for anchorages are Church Creek, Toogoodoo Creek and Tom's Creek. Talk about being up a creek . . . . . .
I got a call last night from Chuck Estell who has made the trip on the ICW, up & down, a dozen times. He warned me that I was headed to the most dangerous spot on the ICW, Elliot's Cut. It is just beyond Charleston. It is dangerous because it is a narrow cut through a rock face and beyond it two rivers merge and flush through it into Charleston Harbor. Unless you go through a slack tide, you will be battling a 4-5 knot current in a narrow cut with no margin for error. He told some hair raising stories of his experiences, enough so that I was going through at slack or not at all. Discretion is the better part of valor.
I left Whiteside Creek, after going up the mast to check out the marsh it's in. It stretches for miles. The marsh grass is about 5 feet high and from the cockpit you can't really see anything. Sort of like being in the movie, "The African Queen."
Back out on the ICW, I found that this stretch bears little resemblance to the Magenta Line on the charts. The depth of the water goes from 20 feet to 14 feet to nothing in a hurry. You would think that this close to a major city, they would do a little more dredging but such is evidently not the case. Passing by Isle of Palms I was looking for a marina to fuel up and pump out but the two there were set inside the Isle of Palms, off the ICW and the entrances to both were narrow and shallow. Call me chicken but I have seen enough of Towboat/US as I am sure they have of me.
Approaching the Ben Sawyer Memorial Bridge, just outside of Charleston Harbor the water was still shallow. I only draw 5 1/2 feet but I get nervous whenever the depth approaches single digits. But no grounds, not even a kiss and I was under the bridge, after it swung open, and into the Harbor with the city to starboard and Fort Sumter to port. when you look at the fort, you can see that it must have provide the city with wonderful protection. But it is so close the the land on either side that at the start of the Civil War, it was a real trap. Just passing by it gave me a thrill and a chill. This was a place of real history and it was amazing to see it at last.
Charleston Harbor is good size and has a heck of a current running through it at tide. It was rather choppy as well and it really cut down the speed even further. Needless to say, I wasn't going to make slack at Elliot's Cut today. I headed up Wappoo Creek that leads to the cut to an anchorage that was suggested. However, I found that it was really exposed to the current and to the passing boats. All of the guides recommend that you use two anchors. I have enough trouble with one and I had no desire to repeat the Thoroughfare Creek incident either. There is some anchoring in the Ashley River but the holding is poor. It left me with no option but to dock for the night. I got to pump out and fuel up and got to see a little of Charleston while I was at it. It is really quite a beautiful city, especially the older section along the water front. With slack being 13:14 at the Wappoo Bridge 2 miles before Elliot's Cut, I have time tomorrow to get to Fort Sumter, do a little shopping and be there in time to make it through the cut unscathed. The weather for the next few days will be in the 70's and clear and if my timing is right, I will be on my way toward Beaufort (pronounced BUU - Ferd) and hopefully a chance to haul and fix my dinghy. Tomorrow's choices for anchorages are Church Creek, Toogoodoo Creek and Tom's Creek. Talk about being up a creek . . . . . .
Thursday, November 18, 2010
Two Tin Cans Conmnected By A Piece of Waxed String
SHIP'S LOG:
This is the first time since Cape Fear that I have been able to get online. I thought that North Carolina was bad. It has nothing on its sister to the south. Along the coast, except in a couple of places where there is a small concentration of people, it is hard to even get cell phone coverage! s It was, and still is, very frustrating.
Sunday, November 14, 2010
I left South Harbor Village Marina with the intention of getting into South Carolina. This area of North Carolina is really quite built up. Lots of Housing, private and condo, on both sides of the ICW. One thing there didn't seem to be a lot of was places to anchor. The prospect of going for longer stretches than I wanted or having to dock and pay again, or dropping the hook in an exposed spots was not something I anticipated eagerly. The wind was basically no existent so it was motor time again. There was a "pontoon bridge still listed as being in operation just before we crossed into South Carolina at a place called Sunset Beach. Most of the other "odd"bridges had been replaced by new, 65foot fixed bridges but this one was supposed to be in place. AS luck would have it, they must have recently completed its replacement as the new bridge was in place and they were in the process of dismantling the old pontoon bridge. Of course, fishermen were crowded around the opening in the old bride for the "best fishing" and powerboaters were busting through like someone was after them. It made the 50ft transition through the old bridge opening nerve racking. i ended up spending the night in a little place off the Little River called CALABASH Creek. It was as far out in the boondocks as you can get, though if one has a working dinghy, a short ride up the creek gets to to civilization and places to dine out. Other wise, you spend the night in basically a cypress swamp with all the noises such places produce and they produce a lot. And that includes Cooter and Bubba and Billy-Jo having at something with their assorted armament. Still, it was peaceful and still and I slept like a log.
Monday, November 15, 2010
Now that I was in South Carolina, I think I entered golfer's heaven. I have never seen so many golf courses along one stretch of anything. Golf courses and condo. I am sure the two go together. Many of the courses have at least one hole that runs along the ICW and at least one green that is dead up against it. Several golf balls were launched in my direction, though I am sure unintentionally. There was even on golf course where the parking lot was on one side of the ICW and you took a cable car across to play. It was called the Waterway Hills Golf Club. Most of the golfers also played with carts. They sped to their ball, hit and sped away. It was speed golf at its finest.
Passed by two floating casinos, one called "AQUASINO", that looked to be out of business though one still had a crew aboard. Spanish Moss has begun to show up on the tress as well, along with more palm trees and other "tropical " plants. Now if it would only climb into the 80's!
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Got away about 8:15 as the weather doesn't look promising. I wanted to get away from the cypress swamps but they are just everywhere. Passed by some wonderful homes that once had a view of the cypress swamps and n ow get to look over at condo, ugly condos across the ICW. Some of the homes are really wonderfully decorated though some people don't know where to stop. Someone has a full-size copy the "the David" in his backyard looking out over the ICW.
On this part of the ICW, I am beginning to feel like Mark Twain/Samuel Clemens as a riverboat pilot. Even thought there is "supposed to be" a 100 yard wide ICW channel, it rarely is that wide. You have to watch the water and, especially at turns, figure out where the shoals have inserted themselves into the channel. You live by you depth sounder and the jingle, "Hey, diddle-diddle, Stay in the middle." You have to watch for trees in the water, stumps, piles and all sorts of floating debris. It is a stressful part of the trip. I passed by my first selected anchorage, Cow House Creek, because it was early and the rain hadn't happened yet. I did another 15 miles to Thoroghfare Creek and pulled in near the abandoned town of Belin. Why it was abandoned I don't know. During the night, the ghosts came and got me because my anchor dragged in the high wind and I went aground. Nothing serious, because of the anchor just a bump. But backing back out to deep water, i snagged something and could get the anchor to release. That meant another call to the guys in the red boat "Towboat/US" who came by 8:30am and with a tug released the anchor. I had affixed a trip line to the head of the anchor for just such a purpose but the line and float were nowhere to be found. The line had rubbed against something and severed, necessitating the Towboat/US guy's visit. (Bill $210.50 paid by Boat/US!)
Wednesday, November 17, 2010.
I know what scares Coasties . . . Sailboats! Heading down the Waccamaw River, I passed under the Lafayette Bridge only to be stopped by the local sheriff's boat and being boarded by a Coast Guardsman and a Customs and Boarder Patrol Agent. It was a routine check, they were stopping everyone. Unfortunately, I was under sail at the time and rather then have me stop. they told me to keep going and boarded. They asked a whole bunch of question and then asked to see the ship['s papers. I turned to the Coast Guard guy and said, "Here, take the wheel," and wen t below to get the papers. When I came back he was alternating green and white and looked scared to death. Probably really good with power boats but was clueless when it came to sail. Dropped the hook in Minim Creek south of Georgetown. I don't know what they make in that tow but it has a very funky smell!
Thursday, November 18, 2010
Got to Whiteside Creek just north of Isle of Palms and about 25 miles from Charleston and I can get online . . .as you can tell. This was along push, about 43 miles but I wanted to get cell coverage and Internet access , Just so that you know I am alive and well.
This is the first time since Cape Fear that I have been able to get online. I thought that North Carolina was bad. It has nothing on its sister to the south. Along the coast, except in a couple of places where there is a small concentration of people, it is hard to even get cell phone coverage! s It was, and still is, very frustrating.
Sunday, November 14, 2010
I left South Harbor Village Marina with the intention of getting into South Carolina. This area of North Carolina is really quite built up. Lots of Housing, private and condo, on both sides of the ICW. One thing there didn't seem to be a lot of was places to anchor. The prospect of going for longer stretches than I wanted or having to dock and pay again, or dropping the hook in an exposed spots was not something I anticipated eagerly. The wind was basically no existent so it was motor time again. There was a "pontoon bridge still listed as being in operation just before we crossed into South Carolina at a place called Sunset Beach. Most of the other "odd"bridges had been replaced by new, 65foot fixed bridges but this one was supposed to be in place. AS luck would have it, they must have recently completed its replacement as the new bridge was in place and they were in the process of dismantling the old pontoon bridge. Of course, fishermen were crowded around the opening in the old bride for the "best fishing" and powerboaters were busting through like someone was after them. It made the 50ft transition through the old bridge opening nerve racking. i ended up spending the night in a little place off the Little River called CALABASH Creek. It was as far out in the boondocks as you can get, though if one has a working dinghy, a short ride up the creek gets to to civilization and places to dine out. Other wise, you spend the night in basically a cypress swamp with all the noises such places produce and they produce a lot. And that includes Cooter and Bubba and Billy-Jo having at something with their assorted armament. Still, it was peaceful and still and I slept like a log.
Monday, November 15, 2010
Now that I was in South Carolina, I think I entered golfer's heaven. I have never seen so many golf courses along one stretch of anything. Golf courses and condo. I am sure the two go together. Many of the courses have at least one hole that runs along the ICW and at least one green that is dead up against it. Several golf balls were launched in my direction, though I am sure unintentionally. There was even on golf course where the parking lot was on one side of the ICW and you took a cable car across to play. It was called the Waterway Hills Golf Club. Most of the golfers also played with carts. They sped to their ball, hit and sped away. It was speed golf at its finest.
Passed by two floating casinos, one called "AQUASINO", that looked to be out of business though one still had a crew aboard. Spanish Moss has begun to show up on the tress as well, along with more palm trees and other "tropical " plants. Now if it would only climb into the 80's!
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Got away about 8:15 as the weather doesn't look promising. I wanted to get away from the cypress swamps but they are just everywhere. Passed by some wonderful homes that once had a view of the cypress swamps and n ow get to look over at condo, ugly condos across the ICW. Some of the homes are really wonderfully decorated though some people don't know where to stop. Someone has a full-size copy the "the David" in his backyard looking out over the ICW.
On this part of the ICW, I am beginning to feel like Mark Twain/Samuel Clemens as a riverboat pilot. Even thought there is "supposed to be" a 100 yard wide ICW channel, it rarely is that wide. You have to watch the water and, especially at turns, figure out where the shoals have inserted themselves into the channel. You live by you depth sounder and the jingle, "Hey, diddle-diddle, Stay in the middle." You have to watch for trees in the water, stumps, piles and all sorts of floating debris. It is a stressful part of the trip. I passed by my first selected anchorage, Cow House Creek, because it was early and the rain hadn't happened yet. I did another 15 miles to Thoroghfare Creek and pulled in near the abandoned town of Belin. Why it was abandoned I don't know. During the night, the ghosts came and got me because my anchor dragged in the high wind and I went aground. Nothing serious, because of the anchor just a bump. But backing back out to deep water, i snagged something and could get the anchor to release. That meant another call to the guys in the red boat "Towboat/US" who came by 8:30am and with a tug released the anchor. I had affixed a trip line to the head of the anchor for just such a purpose but the line and float were nowhere to be found. The line had rubbed against something and severed, necessitating the Towboat/US guy's visit. (Bill $210.50 paid by Boat/US!)
Wednesday, November 17, 2010.
I know what scares Coasties . . . Sailboats! Heading down the Waccamaw River, I passed under the Lafayette Bridge only to be stopped by the local sheriff's boat and being boarded by a Coast Guardsman and a Customs and Boarder Patrol Agent. It was a routine check, they were stopping everyone. Unfortunately, I was under sail at the time and rather then have me stop. they told me to keep going and boarded. They asked a whole bunch of question and then asked to see the ship['s papers. I turned to the Coast Guard guy and said, "Here, take the wheel," and wen t below to get the papers. When I came back he was alternating green and white and looked scared to death. Probably really good with power boats but was clueless when it came to sail. Dropped the hook in Minim Creek south of Georgetown. I don't know what they make in that tow but it has a very funky smell!
Thursday, November 18, 2010
Got to Whiteside Creek just north of Isle of Palms and about 25 miles from Charleston and I can get online . . .as you can tell. This was along push, about 43 miles but I wanted to get cell coverage and Internet access , Just so that you know I am alive and well.
Saturday, November 13, 2010
Cape Fear, North Carolina
SHIP'S LOG:
Sorry about yesterday and missing a blog, but I got back to the boat way past my bedtime and felt that sleep was more important.
Friday, i went from Wrightsville Beach to Wilmington where my friends Vin & Ann live. The trip was a bash. The wind was dead out of the north so that it was directly behind me as I headed down the ICW and into the Cape Fear River and dead on the nose heading up the Cape Fear River to Wilmington. It was blowing 25+ which made for a fast trip down the ICW and, as I hit the tide on the money, I got a push all the way up the Cape Fear River to Wilmington. The only slow part happened as I up river and was overtaken by the USS Gravley(107), a newly commissioned navy ship that was stopping in Wilmington. I got the Coasties coming by in their heavily armed, little orange Zodiac informing me of the 500yard security zone and that I had to slow down and pull over until the Gravely passed by. It was quite an impressive ship. By the time I got to the docks in Wilmington, the Gravely was already there wand was being turned around so that it could tie up port side to at the docks. When I got close enough, the Coasties came out and did their thing again and I had to cruise by at steerage speed only. I can't believe they considered me much of a danger but from the experiences in New London, I know how seriously they take it.
I finally got through Wilmington, passing the historical downtown and the battleship, USS North Carolina. Strange as it may sound, the Gravely looked more intimidating. I got to the Cape Fear Marina and was eventually picked up Ann and did all of my shopping. Ann and Vin's day was a bit chaotic and I guess I only added to the chaos but still, it was a good visit and we made plans for a return visit and longer stop in the spring if all goes right.
On Saturday(this morning) I had to get out and moving early. Someone was holding a Triathlon and part of the course of the running or biking went through Wilmington and over a bascule bridge that separated me from the Cape Fear River and the ICW. It was to be closed for 12 hours and I had to make tracks or be "trapped." I got away by 9:30 and headed down river. Initially I got a good boost from the river but as we approached the ocean, the tide must have been coming in and my speed kept dropping. Even motor sailing was of little help as the wind was somewhere between light and non-existent. Still it was a nice day and the temperature kept rising and I had to removed most of the layers I had put on in anticipation of a cold run.
Eventually, I got to the point where you turned to port to go through the Cape Fear Inlet and into the Atlantic or turned to starboard and continued down the ICW. Naturally, I turned to starboard and headed for a canal with a small basin to anchor for the night. It was another place recommended by Skipper Bob. well it had to happen sometime and today was the day. This little anchorage was packed. No room in the inn and it meant that I would have to pay for dockage once again.
Talking with the guy, Bill Gregory, who worked the dock, I learned that there are not many places to anchor for the next 30 miles or so, at least none that he would recommend. Talking with other boaters on the dock, all were planning to head outside(out into the ocean) for the trip to Charleston. The talk around the dock was that Georgia is really bad. Lots of shallows, lots of shoaling and in bad need of dredging. I will have all of South Carolina to come up with a plan as to whether to day sail in the ocean or try to find my way through the ICW in Georgia.
I ran into a very interesting character on one of the boats. He has somehow wrangled complete disability from the government and gets an obscene amount of money from Social Security. He hasn't work in 10 years and lives on a 43 Catamaran and spends he time cruising and following the sun. Hmmmmmmm!?!?!?!
Sorry about yesterday and missing a blog, but I got back to the boat way past my bedtime and felt that sleep was more important.
Friday, i went from Wrightsville Beach to Wilmington where my friends Vin & Ann live. The trip was a bash. The wind was dead out of the north so that it was directly behind me as I headed down the ICW and into the Cape Fear River and dead on the nose heading up the Cape Fear River to Wilmington. It was blowing 25+ which made for a fast trip down the ICW and, as I hit the tide on the money, I got a push all the way up the Cape Fear River to Wilmington. The only slow part happened as I up river and was overtaken by the USS Gravley(107), a newly commissioned navy ship that was stopping in Wilmington. I got the Coasties coming by in their heavily armed, little orange Zodiac informing me of the 500yard security zone and that I had to slow down and pull over until the Gravely passed by. It was quite an impressive ship. By the time I got to the docks in Wilmington, the Gravely was already there wand was being turned around so that it could tie up port side to at the docks. When I got close enough, the Coasties came out and did their thing again and I had to cruise by at steerage speed only. I can't believe they considered me much of a danger but from the experiences in New London, I know how seriously they take it.
I finally got through Wilmington, passing the historical downtown and the battleship, USS North Carolina. Strange as it may sound, the Gravely looked more intimidating. I got to the Cape Fear Marina and was eventually picked up Ann and did all of my shopping. Ann and Vin's day was a bit chaotic and I guess I only added to the chaos but still, it was a good visit and we made plans for a return visit and longer stop in the spring if all goes right.
On Saturday(this morning) I had to get out and moving early. Someone was holding a Triathlon and part of the course of the running or biking went through Wilmington and over a bascule bridge that separated me from the Cape Fear River and the ICW. It was to be closed for 12 hours and I had to make tracks or be "trapped." I got away by 9:30 and headed down river. Initially I got a good boost from the river but as we approached the ocean, the tide must have been coming in and my speed kept dropping. Even motor sailing was of little help as the wind was somewhere between light and non-existent. Still it was a nice day and the temperature kept rising and I had to removed most of the layers I had put on in anticipation of a cold run.
Eventually, I got to the point where you turned to port to go through the Cape Fear Inlet and into the Atlantic or turned to starboard and continued down the ICW. Naturally, I turned to starboard and headed for a canal with a small basin to anchor for the night. It was another place recommended by Skipper Bob. well it had to happen sometime and today was the day. This little anchorage was packed. No room in the inn and it meant that I would have to pay for dockage once again.
Talking with the guy, Bill Gregory, who worked the dock, I learned that there are not many places to anchor for the next 30 miles or so, at least none that he would recommend. Talking with other boaters on the dock, all were planning to head outside(out into the ocean) for the trip to Charleston. The talk around the dock was that Georgia is really bad. Lots of shallows, lots of shoaling and in bad need of dredging. I will have all of South Carolina to come up with a plan as to whether to day sail in the ocean or try to find my way through the ICW in Georgia.
I ran into a very interesting character on one of the boats. He has somehow wrangled complete disability from the government and gets an obscene amount of money from Social Security. He hasn't work in 10 years and lives on a 43 Catamaran and spends he time cruising and following the sun. Hmmmmmmm!?!?!?!
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