Cruising with Steadfast

 Long, but nice day!  Left at 8, arrived just before 4:30.  Timed our passage through the (appropriately named Little Mud River) to miss low tide.  No issues.  Lots of pretty scenery, salt marshes, etc.  Brunswick is more industrial that most of our other stops… 1st time here, we’ll see what we think.  Here is today’s  Track .

Note, 1st aligator sighting of the trip.. right at the Bahia Blue Marina (sorry no pictures)…. We did keep a close eye on Cooper (who had once the same day escaped from the boat and was brought back to us by one of the dock hands).  We left just after 9, headed to one of our favorite, off the beaten path spots… Sunbury GA, home of the Sunbury Crab Company Restaurant.  I think this is my 5 time here… always good.  Nice run, went through a shallow cut named “Hell Gate”… no issues as we again timed our passage to miss low tide.  Headed to Sunbury, we did find (saw in advance and adjusted course) uncharted sandbar… in the Medway/Sunbury Creek area… one of the challenges of going to off the beaten path spots is that… the charts can be outdated.  We’ll make a note of this for future reference…. And stay toward the deeper water  farther west/south.  Here is today’s  Track

 We left at 8, again, timing tides & currents.  Missed low tide and appropriate areas, and arrived a slack current (a good thing).  Beautiful day, more dolphins & pelicans (interesting that on the same beach, the white pelicans and the grey pelicans remain in separate flocks… just a few feet apart).  Here is today’s  Track .  1st picture is spectacular sunrise from yesterday in Beaufort!

 Beautiful trip to Beaufort, SC (BUfort, not to be confused with BOfort NC).  We left at 9 so as to avoid low tide and two critical passages of this run, timing worked well!  Lots and lots of porpoises, including quite a few in the air… and a “team” of 4 leading us 1st thing in the AM, very cool to see them surface and blow mist and “smoke” from their blow holes in unison (like you can see your breath on a cold day).  We have 3 nights, so 2 full days in Beaufort, and are looking forward to this cool town.  ALL the snow and ice is finally gone from the boat… and most of it is gone from the dock here in Beaufort.  Here is today’s  Track .  Nice two days in Beaufort.  Jim & Richard took a dingy excursion to a hardware store & grocery store (while the ladies did some retail therapy), then little projects around the boat, a nice brunch out, and nice walks around town.

 We left at 8:00, 25 degrees!  Timing our trip through Isle of Hope (known shallow area) and arrival at slack current in Charleston.  Both worked out beautifully.!  Beautiful scenery, so many porpoises… just another great day.  Still cold in Charleston (see picture of frozen fountain). Here is today’s  Track

 Our 3 night stay in Georgetown has been stretched to 4.  Tuesday night Georgetown got 4” of snow… doesn’t sound like much… but it has closed the town for 2 days (and counting).  The temps are in 20’s and 30’s… so the snow is hanging around (no plow trucks in Georgetown).  Theodore was scheduled to join us here on Wednesday, but the Socastee Swing Bridge (between Myrtle Beach and Georgetown) was not opening (due to the snow)…. So they delayed their trip to Georgetown by a day… and we decided to stay an xtra day so we could reconnect.  New plan is to head out tomorrow morning, headed to Charleston.  

 We left at 7:40, 32 degrees, but bright sun. Much prettier day than yesterday.  Leigh joined us for what is always an especially scenic trip down the Waccamaw river to Georgetown.  Richard & Francey (Theodore crew), kindly drove Leigh’s car from Myrtle Beach to Georgetown to pick her up… she dropped them in Myrtle Beach, and then headed back to Raleigh.  Theodore is staying in two more nights in Myrtle Beach, and will join us again on Wednesday afternoon here in Georgetown.  Yes we’re staying here 3 nights… we really like Georgetown.  There is snow in the forecast and the locals are all a flutter about the possibility of white stuff.  We took the opportunity to top off water tank, and “pump-out” as with cold weather on the way, the marina is turning off water this afternoon.  Here is today’s  Track

 We have a new crew member… Leigh joined us as she had a long weekend, and now that she lives in Raleigh… it was an easy drive.  We had a nice two days in Southport, including a visit from friends/co-workers of Andrew.  Leigh did a great job… line handling, and at the helm.  Gwen drove Leigh’s car to Myrtle Beach and met us at the marina.  It’s been great having Leigh on board!  Here is today’s  Track .

 Nice stay in Wrightsville Beach where we saw our 1st Spanish Moss of the trip… in spite of the cold temps… we ARE working our way SOUTH!  Today was a nice short run… left at 10 after a nice walk and a good bagel/coffee stop.  We cruised slow (efficient) and arrived at 1:30.  This is our 1st Safe Harbor marina of the trip (means FREE since we are “members”).  We’re staying here 2 nights.  Leigh will be joing us this evening, and staying through sometime on Monday… so she’ll travel with us to Myrtle Beach, and maybe even Georgetown.  Here it today’s  Track

After a great stay in Beaufort, highlighted by wonderful dinner at Blue Moon Bistro with Theodore… we got underway at o’dark thirty (6:45AM) for the long trip to Wrightsville Beach, NC.  The Onslow Beach Bridge (connects to Marine Camp Lejune) is under construction… and only opens between 12 and 1… so timing was critical.  Careful planning worked well and we arrived just in time for the opening (10 - 15 minutes to spare).  Then on to Wrightsville Beach.  All day long… more porpoises than we could count.  Here is today’s  Track .

 After a pleasant 2 night stop in Oriental (dinner at M&M 2nd night… service great, experience great, food… ok… not the place to get Chicken Parm).  Great ice cream at “The Bean”, and coffee & muffins in the AM as well.  We left at noon for the short run to Beaufort, NC.  Departure timed to for arrival at slack tide (can run 2.5kts which makes docking quite a challenge).  We stopped at Safe Harbor Jarret Bay only the way for Fuel and a much needed pump out.  Now we have plenty of fuel, and any empty holding tank… next we need to find a marina that hasn’t turned off the water due to low temps (we down to <1/2 tank… so we’ll be ok for a couple more days).  Very pleasant trip!  Here it today’s  Track .