Finally a real lay day in Georgetown. Didn't have to fix anything!!
I had a nice sleep on the hook last night. Nothing went bump in the night.
Today we just puttered around the town. Karen went shopping and I took my bike ashore and tried to find the Piggly Wiggly. All to no avail. I should have made a map..
Well I had a nice ride around town, bought some fresh shrimp off the dock which didn't turn out to be that fresh. Bummer.
We just puttered and watch who was coming and who was going in the harbour. I'm sure we will meet these boats again down the ICW.
Tomorrow will be another lay day. We don't plan to leave until Monday.
Tonight it is about Farkle. Everyone is feeling pretty good about their anchorage so we will join on Temptation for a little Farkle Mania tonight and plan out assault on McClellanville Monday. No water there around low tide so we have to time our passage through there.
Federal money for all kinds of crazy things but nothing to keep the waterway open. What a bunch of BOZOS..
Saturday, October 25, 2014
Friday, October 24, 2014
Georgetown Harbour
Made it to Georgetown harbour this afternoon. Thought we would never make it. The current was against us for all but the last 12 miles. Our speed picked up and so did our attitudes. The three amigos are still together but no one wants to leave their boat tonight.
The harbour is crowded. All the free mooring balls folks raved about are gone. We had to anchor close to existing mostly derelict boats. If we don't go bump in the night it will be worth it.
Jim and Barb and Craig and Dovie have never been here before. Karen will give the tour tomorrow. We like Georgetown.
The ride through the Waccama was very nice. Very little traffic but one dim bulb on a sport fisher went by at speed spreading a 4 foot bow wave. What an ass hole!! Rocked our world.
Lots to see in the harbour this afternoon. Looking forward to walking the streets tomorrow and at least buying some fresh fish. The fish market is right off our beam here.
I suspect we will stay here through Sunday. It's that kind of place.
The harbour is crowded. All the free mooring balls folks raved about are gone. We had to anchor close to existing mostly derelict boats. If we don't go bump in the night it will be worth it.
Jim and Barb and Craig and Dovie have never been here before. Karen will give the tour tomorrow. We like Georgetown.
The ride through the Waccama was very nice. Very little traffic but one dim bulb on a sport fisher went by at speed spreading a 4 foot bow wave. What an ass hole!! Rocked our world.
Lots to see in the harbour this afternoon. Looking forward to walking the streets tomorrow and at least buying some fresh fish. The fish market is right off our beam here.
I suspect we will stay here through Sunday. It's that kind of place.
Thursday, October 23, 2014
OSPREY
Well we heard several cruisers rave about the Osprey Marina at the mouth of the Waccama River so we decided to try it -- that and they have the cheapest diesel fuel around at $3.19 a gallon. This is our first stop for fuel and I took on 45 gallons.
The trip down was only 19 miles but damn if two trawlers pulled ahead of me just as we reached he Socaste swing bridge. Sail boaters are the cheapest cruisers but trawler operators in worn out ragged looking ones are just as cheap. Sure enough one ducked in just ahead of us. The marina said they could still accommodate us on their 25 foot face dock -- hell we are 42 feet!! Conditions were mild so we took it. They were very friendly and accommodating and tied us up nicely. We took on 48 gallons of diesel and 2 gallons of Gas and had holding tanks pumped out .. Crap still took nearly 2 hours!
Then we raced to do laundry. We had a week and half worth. Where they put us in the marina we had to use a golf cart to get around -- they provided free. That and only a dollar a foot and $1.50 to wash and dry each.
Very friendly and very picturesque back in here.
Well the gang is all here tonight. Bubbles came in behind us and Skat arrived yesterday. It will be a Farkle tournament of the TITANs tonight.
We plan to anchor off Butler Island tomorrow then onto Georgetown, SC for a mooring on Saturday. Got to slow down since the city marina at Charleston can't accommodate us until November lst.
Wish me luck at Farkle tonight.
The trip down was only 19 miles but damn if two trawlers pulled ahead of me just as we reached he Socaste swing bridge. Sail boaters are the cheapest cruisers but trawler operators in worn out ragged looking ones are just as cheap. Sure enough one ducked in just ahead of us. The marina said they could still accommodate us on their 25 foot face dock -- hell we are 42 feet!! Conditions were mild so we took it. They were very friendly and accommodating and tied us up nicely. We took on 48 gallons of diesel and 2 gallons of Gas and had holding tanks pumped out .. Crap still took nearly 2 hours!
Then we raced to do laundry. We had a week and half worth. Where they put us in the marina we had to use a golf cart to get around -- they provided free. That and only a dollar a foot and $1.50 to wash and dry each.
Very friendly and very picturesque back in here.
Well the gang is all here tonight. Bubbles came in behind us and Skat arrived yesterday. It will be a Farkle tournament of the TITANs tonight.
We plan to anchor off Butler Island tomorrow then onto Georgetown, SC for a mooring on Saturday. Got to slow down since the city marina at Charleston can't accommodate us until November lst.
Wish me luck at Farkle tonight.
Wednesday, October 22, 2014
A Layday? Not yet!
We are still having issues with the fresh water system. It is getting air in from an unknown source and causing the pump to not work properly.
I spent two hours on it today to no avail. I ordered a new strainer filter which we will pickup in Charleston along with some other stuff.
I had to work on a sanitation valve today too and it was not nice at all. When you pull it apart some effluent always comes out -- yuck!!
We made up new longer lines for our fenders today since most of the marinas we will head to for awhile will all have floating docks. I had plenty of nice old lines to work with so that went well.
Had to work on the shower faucet for the forward head too... It was a lot of work but I was done by 1pm and could then drop back into "Island Time".
We played leap frog with our friends today. Around 10:30am I heard SKAT call the bridge here for an opening and they sailed past us -- Osprey Marina for the day. Around 3pm Craig and Dovie came in on Bubbles and tied up in front of us. I think we will all rendezvous in Osprey tomorrow then plan too push on to Charleston for another gathering around Nov 1.
The weather has been unbelievably nice for this time of year. We understand it and accept it -- it won't last forever.
Tomorrow we enter the Waccama River -- always a great interesting ride. We will stop for full at OSprey Marina and if they have room will stay there otherwise we will anchor in creek off the Waccama.
I spent two hours on it today to no avail. I ordered a new strainer filter which we will pickup in Charleston along with some other stuff.
I had to work on a sanitation valve today too and it was not nice at all. When you pull it apart some effluent always comes out -- yuck!!
We made up new longer lines for our fenders today since most of the marinas we will head to for awhile will all have floating docks. I had plenty of nice old lines to work with so that went well.
Had to work on the shower faucet for the forward head too... It was a lot of work but I was done by 1pm and could then drop back into "Island Time".
We played leap frog with our friends today. Around 10:30am I heard SKAT call the bridge here for an opening and they sailed past us -- Osprey Marina for the day. Around 3pm Craig and Dovie came in on Bubbles and tied up in front of us. I think we will all rendezvous in Osprey tomorrow then plan too push on to Charleston for another gathering around Nov 1.
The weather has been unbelievably nice for this time of year. We understand it and accept it -- it won't last forever.
Tomorrow we enter the Waccama River -- always a great interesting ride. We will stop for full at OSprey Marina and if they have room will stay there otherwise we will anchor in creek off the Waccama.
Tuesday, October 21, 2014
Great trip to Barefoot Landing -- Myrtle Beach
Darn those pesky fisherman in Pipeline Canal. They were at it early this morning -- rocking our world just before sun up. I was glad to leave at 7:30am.
Today would be a long slog of 44nm to Barefoot Landing Marina. We had to cross 3 inlets. No problem at Lockwood Folly and Shalotte. At Little River we approached the crossing with Calabash Creek at 11:30am or just before low tide. I thought about anchoring in Calabash but it is a tricky entrance even in mid to high tide. We pushed on. I did find some skinny water at Red 2 on the ICW just passed Little River Inlet -- 7 feet.
All the bridges opened on requests -- little boat traffic. Went through the Rock Pile at about 2 hours after low tide and it still looked intimidating but not like at low tide.. Karen was somewhat impressed.
We had an easy docking at Barefoot Landing Marina. I have to say the staff here is the friendliest I found anywhere. Highly recommend them. It is $1.50 a foot but free electricity and a free shuttle to a very nice BiLow Grocery. We bought a bunch but still went out to dinner tonight at the Flying Fish. I had the Swordtail and Karen had Grouper. Dee-licious. This is the first night in the last 8 that we are not swinging at anchor. Should be great sleeping tonight.
Today would be a long slog of 44nm to Barefoot Landing Marina. We had to cross 3 inlets. No problem at Lockwood Folly and Shalotte. At Little River we approached the crossing with Calabash Creek at 11:30am or just before low tide. I thought about anchoring in Calabash but it is a tricky entrance even in mid to high tide. We pushed on. I did find some skinny water at Red 2 on the ICW just passed Little River Inlet -- 7 feet.
All the bridges opened on requests -- little boat traffic. Went through the Rock Pile at about 2 hours after low tide and it still looked intimidating but not like at low tide.. Karen was somewhat impressed.
We had an easy docking at Barefoot Landing Marina. I have to say the staff here is the friendliest I found anywhere. Highly recommend them. It is $1.50 a foot but free electricity and a free shuttle to a very nice BiLow Grocery. We bought a bunch but still went out to dinner tonight at the Flying Fish. I had the Swordtail and Karen had Grouper. Dee-licious. This is the first night in the last 8 that we are not swinging at anchor. Should be great sleeping tonight.
Monday, October 20, 2014
Transiting Cape Fear
Today we traveled from Wrightsville Beach to Pipe Line Canal just past Southport, NC. The major part of the trip is running down the Cape Fear River from Carolina Beach to Southport.
In the past I've always had a non-descript uneasiness on the Cape Fear. Could be because I have difficulty sorting out all the channel markers or maybe we have had very slow passages and breaking waves on the bow when wind and current are opposed. The current on Cape Fear is FEARSOME!../
Today though we would have the current with us and very light winds.
We left Wrightsville at 7:30am and immediately ran into a movie production crew filming where the Masonboro Inlet intersects the ICW. It was cool they had this boat with a boom and a very large camera on it and ran down the ICW followed by six other boats and a skidoo dragging a platform and stunt man. Ahh to be a young man again.
It was entertaining and maybe Temptation will have a cameo appearance in a movie -- they wouldn't tell me the name but they kept asking about our hailing port -- Bahama, NC. I was being hailed by the boat called "STARDUST".
We had a fast ride to Carolina Beach Inlet -- crossed it then slowed dramatically -- ohhh the power of current. A slow ride down Snows Cut and when we crossed into Cape Fear our Speed Over Ground jumped to the 7s!! We even had to negotiate around a heavily loaded Container ship heading for Wilmington. Just before we reached Southport our SOG had increased to 10.2 kts!! But our speed through the water was only 5.5 knots so we were not surfing.
What a ride ! 28 NM in 4.5 hours. We hit Pipe line at exactly low tide and had to ghost in. Only 6' water and we draw 5.5.
We anchored by 12:30 and had a nice lunch of Roberts Chicken Salad.
I spent the afternoon puttering on the boat and reading Clive Cusler "Atlantis Found". Karen quilted all afternoon using up all the amps from our solar panels.
There was a boat ramp here and it was surprising how many people don't work on Mondays and can just play. Most looked to young to retire so what is their story? Don't get me started but too many able body folks are on Social Security Disability.
Grrr I was behind an attractive young woman at the grocery the other day and she paid for some groceries with an EBT card -- FOOD STAMPS -- then paid cash for her designer dog food. She was wearing some very nice designer jeans and left in very new 4 door Dodge Pickup with very fancy wheel rims.. You know the ones that cost a $1000 each..
Ohh well I just slum it in my yacht tonight.
In the past I've always had a non-descript uneasiness on the Cape Fear. Could be because I have difficulty sorting out all the channel markers or maybe we have had very slow passages and breaking waves on the bow when wind and current are opposed. The current on Cape Fear is FEARSOME!../
Today though we would have the current with us and very light winds.
We left Wrightsville at 7:30am and immediately ran into a movie production crew filming where the Masonboro Inlet intersects the ICW. It was cool they had this boat with a boom and a very large camera on it and ran down the ICW followed by six other boats and a skidoo dragging a platform and stunt man. Ahh to be a young man again.
It was entertaining and maybe Temptation will have a cameo appearance in a movie -- they wouldn't tell me the name but they kept asking about our hailing port -- Bahama, NC. I was being hailed by the boat called "STARDUST".
We had a fast ride to Carolina Beach Inlet -- crossed it then slowed dramatically -- ohhh the power of current. A slow ride down Snows Cut and when we crossed into Cape Fear our Speed Over Ground jumped to the 7s!! We even had to negotiate around a heavily loaded Container ship heading for Wilmington. Just before we reached Southport our SOG had increased to 10.2 kts!! But our speed through the water was only 5.5 knots so we were not surfing.
What a ride ! 28 NM in 4.5 hours. We hit Pipe line at exactly low tide and had to ghost in. Only 6' water and we draw 5.5.
We anchored by 12:30 and had a nice lunch of Roberts Chicken Salad.
I spent the afternoon puttering on the boat and reading Clive Cusler "Atlantis Found". Karen quilted all afternoon using up all the amps from our solar panels.
There was a boat ramp here and it was surprising how many people don't work on Mondays and can just play. Most looked to young to retire so what is their story? Don't get me started but too many able body folks are on Social Security Disability.
Grrr I was behind an attractive young woman at the grocery the other day and she paid for some groceries with an EBT card -- FOOD STAMPS -- then paid cash for her designer dog food. She was wearing some very nice designer jeans and left in very new 4 door Dodge Pickup with very fancy wheel rims.. You know the ones that cost a $1000 each..
Ohh well I just slum it in my yacht tonight.
Wrightsville - Easy Peasy
Another lay day in Wrightsville. Last night was kind of rough. A dry cold front arrived about 9:30pm and it blew really hard. I remember the time because I had just been beaten in third game of Farkle. Jim and Barb left HAPPY!.
I had to sleep in the main cabin to do an anchor watch -- I'm just more comfortable -- just sleep deprived. Fortunately the Rocna did us proud again and we didn't budge.
Karen wanted some more milk and meat and so we walked about a mile to a 7-11 style store for it. Hey when your cruising you have to go forage where you can.
Well that was our exercise for the day. Back on the boat we just puttered around. Craig and Dovie where on there way and we expected to see them this afternoon.
Jeff Whitfield KI4JDE who lives here called and we asked him out for a visit this afternoon. Actually he wanted to come yesterday but I had that ordeal with the fresh water pump and couldn't entertain.
Craig and Dovie arrived around 3pm and really flustered. They had run aground twice that day and were shook.. No problem we said -- we all do it. It's just part of the adventure.
Jeff came out about 4pm and we had a nice visit with Jim and Craig. The ladies all stayed home because they knew we would just talk boring HF radio stuff.
Nice evening and Chili for supper. It's getting down to the 40s tonight. Brrr -- I still have my summer blood weight.
I had to sleep in the main cabin to do an anchor watch -- I'm just more comfortable -- just sleep deprived. Fortunately the Rocna did us proud again and we didn't budge.
Karen wanted some more milk and meat and so we walked about a mile to a 7-11 style store for it. Hey when your cruising you have to go forage where you can.
Well that was our exercise for the day. Back on the boat we just puttered around. Craig and Dovie where on there way and we expected to see them this afternoon.
Jeff Whitfield KI4JDE who lives here called and we asked him out for a visit this afternoon. Actually he wanted to come yesterday but I had that ordeal with the fresh water pump and couldn't entertain.
Craig and Dovie arrived around 3pm and really flustered. They had run aground twice that day and were shook.. No problem we said -- we all do it. It's just part of the adventure.
Jeff came out about 4pm and we had a nice visit with Jim and Craig. The ladies all stayed home because they knew we would just talk boring HF radio stuff.
Nice evening and Chili for supper. It's getting down to the 40s tonight. Brrr -- I still have my summer blood weight.
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