Smoke on the Water

"Smoke on the Water". I've heard he expression but never seen it until today. Wow it was neat. The water temp is mid 70s and the air temp this morning was 42 degrees with high winds -- 20+ and gusts in the mid 30s.

Not bad here in the marina but a bit bouncy and noisy with small waves slapping the hull.

I tore down the spare water pump and replaced one bladder in it. It is pumping but weak. I think it needs new valves. I'll get some for delivery at Vero Beach.

We made the run (only once a day) to West Marine and picked up the Garmin Glo Bluetooth GPS to connect to Karen's IPAD. Should work great.

I'm still feeling the effects of my fall yesterday so after lunch I took a nap then a REAL shower in the very nice showers at the marina. I used a ton of hot water!!

BAck on the boat to check over a few things and do some reading. Karen quilted all day and had the table tied up till she went for a shower.

With the wind, cold, and drizzle no one feels like visiting tonight so we will just amuse ourselves on the boat tonight.

Plan to make a second large provisioning run tomorrow.

The forecast looks good for a gentle offshore passage from here to Fernandina Beach on Tuesday -- Monday if you are a hearty sailor but us "pleasure boaters" will wait till Tuesday.

Just us Chickens here tonight

I had a restless night on the hook here. The anchorage is deep and I had a 100 foot of chain out. Spacing looked good when we arrived with strong current and stiff breeze but as the night wore on and the wind became light we started to hang to just the chain rather than the anchor. Now we were getting close to boats that I didn't expect to be close to. Thus a restless night constantly checking to be sure we didn't go bump in the night.

This morning I hailed the City Docks marina to let them know we where here and ready to come in when they had space. They said they were ready.

We pulled the anchor and first went to the mega dock for fuel -- 19 gallons. Then surprisingly they had a slip for us inside the docks -- better than we expected. The light wind and current made docking easy. They were calling for 25 knot winds tomorrow and I didn't want to be navigating in close spaces then or be put on the outside of the Mega-Dock.

Our buds SKAT and BUBBLES and Victoria Gaye heard the weather forecast and thy decided to come to the marina today too rather than face those 25kt + winds tomorrow -- thus the "chickens" have all come to roost tonight.

We were settled by 10:45am so we had an early lunch and took the 12 noon shuttle to Harris Teeter for provisions. We didn't go crazy since we thought -- hell we will just go there tomorrow and Sunday too. We plan to leave Monday after this absurd weather passes.

While checking out I told Karen I was going to head to the liquor store across the street for some GNT -- Gin and Tonic.

I picked up a bottle and the WORSE happened. I stepped out of the store and twisted my ankle and down I went in a heap!! Folks ran quickly to help me. I guess an old guy splat on the pavement elicits that kind of response. I said no I was fine. I only had a sore hip and a bloody elbow but my brand new never worn jeans were still okay. Grrrr.

We checked out from the grocery then Karen noticed the gravel imbedded in my elbow -- what happened to you?! Can it get any worse failing out of a liquor store?

Back on the boat and everything put away I tackled our wayward water pump. Hell I have a spare let's just replace it. So I cut the wires and re-plumbed the spare in and wired it up -- no joy. Would not pump. I looked at the old one and I found that were the piston rod meets the diaphragm it was loose. Meee bad -- I replaced the diaphragm several days ago. I fixed that and reinstalled that pump and it worked fine. I'll tear down the spare tomorrow to see what is going on with it.

Busy day here -- Karen did laundry and I filled the water tanks. There was a free happy hour on the docks so I joined in that for an half hour -- pain killer for my earlier injuries.

Now back on the boat waiting for the big Arctic blast tonight -- so far --- NADA.

Charleston Anchorage

There is another section of skinny water between Dewees Creek and the Ben Sawyer Bridge. The worst is around marker 117A. We timed the tide today to pass near mid to high tide. The ride was uneventful until approaching 117A. At the intersection of creeks just before 117A it dropped to 9 feet. Then back to 11 -20. Thought it was over but 200yds past 117A we dropped to 6.9 feet. Eeeeeck. For then next couple of miles we hovered above and below 10 feet. Not much fun.

Once through the Ben Sawyer we had a nice ride across Charleston Harbour. We anchored in the area across from the City Marina -- deep water like 24 feet. Not too crowded but all the boats on lots of scope so difficult to judge.

There was a 300+ foot Mega YAcht directly across from us. Even equipped with a helicopter on a stern pad. Karen Google Atessa IV and found it was a 250 million dollar boat!! Yow!

The anchorage is strange. We had a lighted buoy float by us. Just a wanderer. A guy that looked like Rip Van Winkle in a homemade tiny boat powered with a trolling motor ghost by us to the wreck of a boat near us. A couple of other boats that came and short scoped their anchors and just dragged them till the stuck -- probably just for awhile.

We are anchored below the bridges on the Ashley River and there are sirens a couple of times an hour.

Should be a mild night. The big Arctic blast is scheduled for tomorrow night but we should be tied up in the marina tomorrow morning. I really hope they didn't overbook reservations.

Oh yes Buck and Vickie have caught up with us but they anchored just south of us near the waterfront battery. Saturday the whole flotilla should be in City Marina for big doings in the big town.

Low Country Delight

We are anchored in Dewees creek which is smack in the low country of South Carolina. Nothing but marsh grasses in all directions. Little to no boat traffic once off the ICW.

We spent the day cleaning and organizing the many things we brought aboard 2 weeks ago. Takes time to find a home for everything but slowly our living space is improving.

It's a thankless yet necessary chore.

I called Charleston City MArina and asked to come in on Friday rather than Saturday. It took some hold time but they finally agreed.

Apparently the wait list is a myth. I was on it for the 27th through the 31st and they never called yet a friend of mine called yesterday and was given a reservation for the 31st!! Arrgh. Oh well seems to work out now.

We just need to decide how to enter there. Big winds coming Saturday and I went to be safely attached to the dock before that. I don't want to be maneuvering this ol yacht between a couple of Mega yachts and have the wind push me into one.. It would quickly exhaust my liability insurance.

I took a dinghy ride and some pictures. The current is horrendous here but the Rocna makes us proud.

Another sailboat came in and anchored with us today -- no problem -- lots of room here.

We expect some storms tonight but nice tomorrow so might go and anchor off the docks tomorrow or maybe wait till Friday and just head straight in.

Need to time the tides around the Ben Sawyer bridge though. Skinny water reported there.

Maybe some games tonight. LAst night was okay -- I won one of 3 Farkle and threatened a second. We still all had great fun.

The place of shame

Today we traveled from Awendaw Creek to Dewees Creek -- Long Creek, about 22 miles.

We got a late start at 10:30am because of pea soup fog this morning. Really surprising since last night I was on deck at 12 midnight and 2am for an anchor check and the sky was absolutely clear. No light pollution in Awendaw Creek. It was great to finally discern the milky way again.

We traveled on the rising tide and hit Dewees just after high tide. Good thing. That Red marker 108 is where I ran aground back in 2009. Hell everyone does it but it was the only grounding I had in that 8 month trip to the Bahamas and back -- my place of shame.

Well I had 14 feet crossing near there today.

The anchorage in Long Creek is quite large but deep water. Low tide at 23' and high tide near 29 but the holding is good and the anchor set instantly.

This is just another great weather day in a long string of days -- I guess it ends this Saturday with the first big Arctic blast of the season. We should be tied up in the City Docks of Charleston for that. Time to re-provision and do laundry.

In the meantime we will just kill a couple of days here -- costs nothing.

We are anchored with SKAT and BUBBLES and should be playing some Mexican Train tonight ... I don't think they want me to play Farkle again just yet.

Steady as she goes

Last night Georgetown lost some of its charm. We were anchored off the Independent fish house dock and a beer soaked deckhand went off on us. It was around 9pm and we wanted to put our dinghy and motor away before morning. I turned on the after deck lights and we hoisted both aboard and were securing them when a crazed deck hand on a fishing boat docked at the independent fish house started shouting obscenities and other unpleasantries towards us. Take it for what it was it just irritated us that this hard working guy had no idea who really paid his pay check.

The rest of the night was uneventful but I didn't sleep well. All those fishing boats over there left between 4 and 6 am -- tough life but freely chosen.

We had ourselves psyched out for a tense passage through shallow water today -- all to no avail. We had planned to pass the worst at full tide and we did. Saw nothing less than 11 feet. There is a 6 foot tide here so at low tide we could not get through. We draw 5'5".

The shallowest was at McClellanville Green 37A but we got through fine. We headed past all the reported problem areas and put into Awendaw Creek to anchor. The three amigos were still together -- SKAT, BUBBLES, and TEMPTATION.

This is a nice anchorage with plenty of swing room. Never been here before but I would use it again. There is a very strong current through here so it will be interesting to see how the Rocna Anchor handles it.

Everyone was pooped after the tense 36 mile passage today so no games tonight. We will probably split to different anchorages tomorrow and then rendezvous in Charleston Saturday for a few days.

I hope to sleep well tonight. I was restless last night and I got up at 5:30am this morning thinking it was 6:30am and I was late. I like getting up at 6 for long day passages and reviewing the charts before we go.

Tomorrow should be a light day -- I hope.

Just a lazy day in Georgetown

Another fine weather day -- it is getting scary how many we have strung together now.

I finally found the grocery store on my bike this morning -- a Piggly Wiggly. Just picked up a couple of items for ourselves and Skat.

Back on the boat we puttered around and charged batteries for a while -- Karen quilted on her machine We broke in the new Brita Filter Pitcher. The Faucet filter would only last a few gallons so we had to try something different.

Rode around the harbour a few times. Watched Boat/US boat raise a partially submerged fishing boat -- a small one.

Visited with SKAT and BUBBLEs and planned our assault on McCellansville tomorrow. No water there at low tide and we need to work the timing. Will be a long tense day tomorrow.

Had Rib Eye for dinner and just soaked up the Georgetown atmosphere today.

We should make a good stab towards Charleston tomorrow.

Actually we could have left this afternoon and went offshore to Charleston arriving tomorrow morning but the ladies would have none of that -- yet..

Looking forward to a mild evening and early departure tomorrow. No one wanted to play Farkle tonight. MAybe it was because I won all the games last night!! A new Farkle king is crowned.

Just got word the Space Station would fly over us tonight -- sure enough about 7:40pm we saw it and tracked it for 5 minutes ... way cool.