Brunswick Landing Marina

Tuesday - Another beautiful day, no wind, so we went outside to Brunswick. Good trip. We are now in the marina and preparing the boat to leave it.
This update will be the last until we resume our trip in January.
Happy Thanksgiving and Merry Christmas

Duplin Creek

Monday - Stayed another day at this anchorage. Gathering all necessary items to take back.
The plan is to arrive Brunswick Landing Marina on Tuesday prepare the bost to be left for 2 months and then head north by car on Saturday.

Kilkenny Creek

Saturday - Spent the day exploring. Took a nice walk, got ICE CREAM, met a nice couple when I tied them up at the marina. We all had drinks on their nice Island Packett, then went to dinner at the new resturant next to the marina.

Sunday - Left Kilkenny Creek at 8:30 am, good tide.4 hours later, we anchored in Duplin River. Good anchorage, good wind protection and quite.

Kilkenny Creek

Friday - left Turners Creek for an anchorage at Kilkenny Creek, only 30 miles down the ICW. Good wind protection from the NW and were hoping for a new restaurant to be opened. Weather is turning warmer again.

Savannah, Ga

Wednesday & Thursday - Stayed at Sail Harbor Marina to ride out the storm. The wind was up a bit but, we were very comfortable. The marina personnel were very nice. One of the "live aboards" offered a car for a group of us to get to Walmart and Publix. Very generous ! Barbara and I Tom and Lisa spent the afternoon exploring these stores. Something to do on a rainy day.

Savannah

Monday - Left Port Royal Marina early to catch the slack current. It really rips. All day Sunday we called the Sail Harbor Marina in Savannah without luck. We wanted to change our reservation from Wednesday to Monday due to the storm. Monday, 8 AM, tried calling, no luck. 9 AM tried again, while under way, no luck. 10 AM tried and finally, we connected. Seems that this marina is closed on Sunday and Monday, but the boss is always here. Whatever, we had gotten the last transient slip. Good protected location and nice people.
We met our neighbors and agreed to go to Savannah Tuesday.
Tuesday - Six of us walked to the bus stop and after paying 75 cents (senior rate), we arrived in Savannah. We took a tour on Oglethorpe's Trolley Tours, which lasted 90 minutes. A great tour guide made the day. Lots of interesting information, suggestions and they would pick you up the rest of the day to move around the city. We ate on River Street at Tubby's Tank House. Good food and it overlooks the Savannah River.
After lunch, we visited the Cathedral of Saint John the Baptist. This is SOME church. Then we visited a 90 yr. old ice cream parlor, Leopold's Ice Cream. Had to sample the goods.
The day was great for touring since the rain held off till 3PM. By the time we made it back to the boat, we were a little damp, but still very warm.

Port Royal Marina

Saturday & Sunday - Stayed at the marina to catch up on laundry and grocery shopping. This marina has a courtesy car that you can use for a longer time. Much easier to shop with the extra time. Beside, we haven't been at Walmart and Lowes for sometime. Port royal is nice except for the current. I requested an inside tie and it was fun slipping into a 40 foot slip. We hung out a bit. We are getting to know Beaufort and Port Royal. Many "Yankees".

Beaufort, SC

Thursday & Friday - Spent these days at anchor. Took a dinghy ride and wound up getting a tour of a fancy condo w/dock. The salesman had nothing to do so we kept him company.
Dinghy to shore where we shopped, toured and ate.

Beaufort, SC

Wednesday - Departed Downtown Marina and anchored 300 yards to the west. They have a good dinghy dock. We take the dinghy to shore to spend MORE time walking thru shops, touring and eating, very good food. The chocolate shop we brought some dark chocolate is where Tom Hanks got the chocolate in Forest Gump. We saw the all black church Forest visited. Some filming was done in Beaufort and some in Charleston, SC.
May stay here a few more days.

Beaufort, SC

Monday - Reached Beaufort by noon. No rain but overcast till afternoon, cool. Nice trip !
Stayed at Beaufort Downtown Marina, two days. Everything was good until we returned to the boat after 3 hours checking out the town. The BIRDS crapped all over the boat.
Tuesday - I woke up looking up at the hatch above my bead and it had CRAPP all over it. Time to take action !!! I rigged several monifilament lines over the boats length, between the antennaes, for and aft. No more BIRD problems!!!! Still some crap but will not clean up until time to depart. These are like a black bird but have a brown chest.
On the bright side, we took a horse drawn carriage ride to experience the history of Beaufort. In its day, Beaufort was very wealthy and a center for cotton. 64 out islands, with 31 inhabitable.
Very good food, chocolate, specility shops but too many BIRDS.

Park Island - Tom Point Creek

Sunday - Got a late start, again !!! Went thru Elliott's Cut at max ebb tide, slowed me down to 4 mph, without tide we do 9 mph.
Anchered in Tom Point Creek by 2 PM. Very quite, beautiful day. Rain is on the way.

Wapoo Creek

Saturday - Enjoyed the weather at 86 degree and sunny. Found a food store called Earth Foods, our type of store, better than a Fresh Market. Barbara wants to take it home.
I was able to find the engine fuel filters.
We had a very nice lunch, and then went to the Cold Stone Creamery.

Wapoo Creek

Friday - Needed to replace a fuel filter before leaving the anchorage. Looking over the inventory, we used up the last one. Anchored in Wapoo Creek as planned. Good walk to Napa to replenish the filter supply. Barbara went part of the way to a nice food strip mall. We found Earth Foods, a very nice store with many goodies. We will stay in Wapoo Creek at anchor until Sunday morning.

Dewees Creek

Thursday - Located on the west side of the AICW at 455 mm, this anchorage is very nice.
The other morning I noticed some oil drops below the port engine oil canister. Tighten it a little and continued to check it. The same amount of leakage persisted. Thursday morning had time to check farther. Removed the canister, changed the oil seal, reassembled. Still a leak. Found the large oil line loose. Just tightened the nut and all is fine. Had me concern.
The wind is fresh and the humidity is low, NO MOSQUITOES !!!!!

Minim Creek

Wednesday - Leaving Osprey was not easy. We headed south on the Waccamaw River. Several dead heads. Arrived at Minim Creek (west)one of our favorites.
After setting the anchor we had a cocktail. Not knowing what was to take place.
We had the "fight of our life time", blood all over the place. However, it wasn't ours, it was the MOSQUITOES. While we were drinking our cocktails on the back deck, the MOSQUITOES were filling the boat. Once we noticed the MOSQUITOES, we placed the screens on the doors, but they got in BEFORE the screens. We won the battle and had to clean up ALL THEIR BLOOD. This is what happens when there is no wind and warm humid evenings. We may shop for some bug killer.
Good news, I won at dominoes !

Socastee

Tuesday - Left Myrtle Beach Yacht Club late - 10:30 am. Proceeded to Ospery Marina where we picked up diesel. It was early, but we stayed to go to Scatoris, a nice Italian Resturant. The owner picked us up, had dinner, went shopping next door at Food Lion, then were taken back to the marina. Great food !
Before leaving for dinner, we parked the boat the only place left. We backed her all the way. See photos. Very close. Should be an adventure to get out !!!

Myrtle Beach

Monday - Slow to get going today. 9 AM left the anchorage arrived at Myrtle Beach Yacht Club at 4 PM. Longer day then we wanted but got past the bridges that slow us down. We can slip under a bridge 16 feet or higher. If we don't have to request an opening, there is no delay. we just drop our antennas and slip under.
Good time to shower and do the wash.

Wrightsville Beach

Sunday - It's the weekend and you can tell by the night life. Lots of ACTION.
Today had a great day visiting Philis. She provided a wonderful meal and took us shopping. Barbara needed more grocery. Ship's store was looking sparce. THANKS Philis.

Wrightsville Beach

Saturday - Almost the last to leave Mile Hammock. Slow go to Wrightsville Beach, with bridges we must open and slow downs for passing high speed boats. Most slowed down and give an easy pass, however, one boat ,BLACKHAUL, was a jerk. Remember that name.I will and most people heard it on the VHF. Good to advertise jerks.
Wrightsville Beach welcomed us with a strong rain storm. We dropped our antennas and glided under the bridge. Had to pass 12 boats. Slipped into our anchorage ahead of many others. Life is good !!!! Once anchored, the sun came out with a nice breeze. We will stay hear till Monday. We have a friend hear, Philis. She is to pick us up Sunday and go shopping. Barbara needs MORE food. Maybe some ICE CREAM !!!!

Mile Hammock

Friday - Arrived at Mile Hammock about 3 PM just ahead of 8 other boats. Very pleasant day and can report that the new grill does steaks well. Set up the TV for the first time this trip. Received several channels. I will keep it. Usually, it will take some time to decide on a tv and the placement, if history repeats itself.
This anchorage fills up this time of year. Counted 19 cruisers. No night maneuvers by the Marines, THANK GOD.
Night time temperature was 72 degrees for the low. Not bad !!!!

Last day at Lookout

Thursday - We had a beautiful day. No winds and time to enjoy ourselves. I tried for some time to get photos imported to the blog. Finally, I think I am successful. We walked the beach one last time. Found nice shells. We left the fish jumping. Arrived at Morehead City by 4 PM. No free dockage available , so we stayed at Morehead City Yacht Basin. One of our favorites. Time to do some laundry,clean up the boat and take a shower.

Cape Lookout

Wednesday - Nice day. Barbara walked the beach but she needed a lower tide to get great shells. I fished from the dinghy and caught several species. Several weakfish and some taylor blues. The catch of the day was a silver eel like fish with 3/4 in. teeth, about 3 feet long, about 3 in. wide by 3/4 in thick with a full length flowing fin. Good fight. So we had fresh fish on our new grill.
We exployed the area by dinghy to look for optional anchorages. The Coast Guard 82 footer anchored overnight near us. They have a noisy generator.
The only negative of the day was Barbara BEAT me at Dominos.

Cape Lookout

Left NWC Marina finally with a nice send off by Bud, Dawn and Clancey.
The southern most end of Adams Creek had a large number of dolphins.
We are at Cape Lookout for a few days and have seen several sea turtles already.
Used our new grill and are into the wine.
Beautiful sunset.

October 19

Still at the dock. Tonight will be another very cold night. We will get going tomorrow.

October 18, 2009

Today, we are at the dock organizing the boat. Should get going tomorrow when it may warm up.