Monday, Monday. Something new we’ve discovered last week is that we have digital tv. Don’t have to hook up the cable for coverage. Who knew? Sunday and Monday we watched the Woody Allen documentary on PBS, and a fine, sharp picture we had. Mostly we use the tv for dvd’s. Perhaps now we’ll use it more.
From Barefoot Landing we made the ‘oft suggested but usually forgotten’ stop at the Osprey Marina. They had great fuel prices (with $.10/gallon off for Boat US membership) so we added 100 gallons to our tank. We’re averaging about 3 miles to the gallon. Very good for a boat!
By 3:30 we were tied up at the Harborage Marina in Georgetown. Had a great walk, and we love the grocery store and the gift shop next door. Neat stuff. Where else can you but Wasabi Flax Seed?
With the short days at this time of year we were again off and running before 8 on Tuesday. Mornings also have low tides this week, and by the time we reached Isle of Palms, just north of Charleston, we were pooped. (But not too pooped to have happy hour with Jeanette and Larry from WYE NOT.)
The new moon has pulled the water away and tides are not just low, they are low low—2-3 feet below normal low tide. 20-30 feet of mud on either side of the channel, and only a momentary lapse in attention required to put YA outside that channel. If I seem to whine, it is because on Wednesday, we again left the marina on a falling tide—in the rain. In just a short time, 5 feet of water had rushed out to sea, and once again we were picking our way along. We met a tugboat whose captain really wished he was pushing his barge. He needed 7 feet of water for the tug; he was stuck in 4 feet. Barge and tug will sit until the water returns. We slogged on with our 1 foot under the keel, and bless Fred, he was able to keep us moving. Slow, but moving.
Plan A was to ride up the Ashapoo River to Mosquito Creek and the B&B Shrimpers marina. (Gotta love these names!) With little or no water we went to Plan B—Beaufort. Unfortunately, dark and the strong currents (at one point the water was moving at 2.5 knots against us) had us rethink that plan as well. 3 miles above Beaufort, while it was still light, we discovered Marsh Harbor, and spoke with Peter, the owner, who invited us to tie up. It was a great long dock, easy dockage and lots of interesting boats and equipment to puruse. Chris, former owner of the Marina, and now getting SECOND CHANCE ready to take him far, far away, offered us rides in his car to wherever we needed to go, and was generally good company. Gotta love people!
Thursday morning, we covered the last 3 miles and tied up at the Beaufort Marina with plenty of time to clean up and get to St. Helena’s Church. It was our third Thanksgiving there, and we had a great dinner, and then helped with clean up and re-setting the room. Met 3 Marines from Parris Island who also were helpers. Fun.
Friday was a beautiful day. We motored past Hilton Head (the hook came out to pull us in, but we resisted) and for a change went up the Savannah River. Tied up at the Hyatt Dock, in the center of the historic part of beautiful Savannah. What a hoot! We had hotel privileges—including (but not limited to) the swimming pool, fitness center and room service, should we choose to avail ourselves. We spent the evening walking along the RiverWalk, On Black Friday it was mobbed with people. Live entertainment at every other place and a really fun atmosphere. We looked in vain for dessert---ended up at the Hyatt for crème brulee and coffee. We sat inside rather than have room service on the boat.
The rest of the night was interesting to say the least. We learned that Savannah is, indeed, a major port. Cargo ships went back and forth---with tugs and huge wakes and stirring up debris. The dock literally moaned each time one of those city block long affairs passed. We had extra lines and 4 fenders holding us as still as possible, and at that it was quite a ride. An early morning swim (in the hotel pool) was relaxing and then we strolled the waterfront where we were given a traditional Gullah rose Sadly, we once again missed lunch with cousin Kay Scardino, but we’ll keep trying.
Next stop was ‘Suburban Savannah on the water’—Thunderbolt Marina, where we re-met and visited with Canadians Heather and Ray, aboard NE’ER DO WELL. We’d shared a table at Thanksgiving dinner… Nice couple and no doubt we’ll see more of them along the way.
Our week ended with a 2 day trek along the coastal islands of Georgia. Georgia’s coastline is only100 miles long, and the Intracoastal Waterway twists and winds enough to add 38 miles to the trip. We considered going off shore and just avoiding all the back and forth-ness, but high winds with higher waves predicted for the ocean changed our minds. So back and forth we went, going generally south, but sometimes actually heading northwest as we meandered through the rivers and ‘cuts’ that connect the Sounds, or inlets to the Ocean. It is fun to monitor our speed as we approach a Sound—either we’re being yanked along at 9 knots (warp speed for us) as the water rushes out to sea, or, without touching a speed lever, but by crossing the inlet, we’re reduced to 4.5 kn. as the water on the other side also heads out and we are now opposing. Tidal range in Georgia is about 8 feet, which means that a whole lot of water moves in and out every 6 hours!! We were happy to run from mid high to mid low tide each day, and thereby avoid the mud we’d encountered the week before.
And so the weeks pass, and the end of 2011 is drawing nigh. Next week will begin the 12th month of the 11th year of the ‘new’ millennium. Where, I ask you, has it gone? We hope you, too. are collecting happy memories, and that your holiday season is the best ever!
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