October 28, 2011 Friday S Santee River to Charleston, SC

To pull up anchor is not always that easy!  We managed to do everything right in the current of the S Santee River anchorage.  Anchoring in the rivers is a little complicated since you have to remember that in this area close to the Atlantic there are strong tides.  The tides mean you will reverse directions at least twice while anchored overnight!  That means swing room, enough scope and current need to be carefully considered before dropping the hook!

As we left the river and turned into the ICW on the left or port side of the ICW a short ways south was a creek named Alligator Creek.  Well, we now know how it might have received its name.  You got it!  There was a 5-7 foot alligator swimming next to our boat.  It looked like drift wood but as we got closer it was easy to see the head and especially the eyes above the water!  Wow!  That was our first and only alligator siting so far. As you view this pic the head is visible in the middle.  The grass floating is not the alligator!  Enlarge the pic and you will see the eyes!  We made a good run today and ended at St Johns Yacht Harbor in Charleston, SC.  More to come about our visit there!
Captain Sid

October 27, 2011 Thursday Osprey Marina to S Santee River Anchorage

First Mate Bonnie

Pat and Walt, our buddy boat friends left Waves of Grace and headed home for a month.  While we are glad for them to be able get home and take care of things there, we will miss them and will travel to Melbourne, FL on our own!

Fire Tower from yesteryear

This part of the ICW is rather desoate.  Lots of trees and a wide river to float but not much boat traffic or houses. 









We are asbout five miles inland and that helps Osprey to be a great "hurricane hole!"  This is mile 373 of the ICW.  That is mileage recorded from Portsmouth, VA as the starting point.

S Santee River Anchorage

I am hoping the Google Earth will show our location.  I am not receiving any comments so I think it's my settings.  I will attempt to fix that but keep trying!

S Santee River Anchorage

Captain Sid

October 26, 2011 Wednesday Osprey Marina

It was a good time seeing Tom and Marie.  We had fun shopping at the local stores in Murrel's Inlet, SC.

Since it's a beach and boating area there were lots of choices of restaurants for lunch and stores to browse!

The beach was inviting but it's a little too cold to be a good beach day!

Osprey Marina probably will be the spot we leave FIU for the summer months next year.  That way she is more than half way to the Keys next Fall!

Tomorrow we are off to South Santee River anchorage on our way to Savannah, GA where our niece, Dawn lives.

Captain Sid

October 26, 2011 Wednesday Osprey Marina

This AM I took some pics of the surrounding area here at Osprey Marina.  The marina is our favorite.  We especially like the smallness of the operation.  The free coffee, bagels and other snacks make it the only to do so!  Richard our dock-hand is one of the most courteous and helpful!  We plan to store Fiu here next May through Octobeer.  You know I keep spelling October with two e's! 

Captain Sid

Fiu at rest in Osprey Marina 10.26.11

Entrance to Osprey from ICW (great hurricane hole)

Osprey Marina Office, Lounge & Grill

Fiu looking like it's a "Live Aboard"

Fiu Dinghy our link to land while at anchor

Entrance to Osprey Marina 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

October 24, 2011 Southport, NC to Myrtle Beach, SC

Sunny days are always great to have out on the water. It's always cooler near the water and today was no exception! We are at Osprey Marina on the ICW with great docking rates. This is the friendliest and cheapest and yet the cleanest and most comfortable of any marina yet! We will visit with Tom and Marie Raia Wednesday and leave the marina on Thursday morning.

We are watching hurricane Rina and we will continue to seek shelter if need be. We will not be out on the ocean until after we return to Fiu from Christmas and New Years at home...more to come.

Captain Sid

October 23, 2011 Sunday Wrightsville Beach to Southport,NC

We anchored in Pipeline Canal near a boat launch and park with the Dead End Grill near a marina and ordered wings and beer. This is just south of Cape Fear in Southport, NC...more to come.

October 22, 2011 Saturday Beaufort to Wrightsville Beach, NC

An early departure from Beaufort, NC helped us get to Wrightsville Beach,NC before dark. Bonnie took command of the wheel while I went up on deck to raise the sails. We were still reefed and only a portion of the mainsail was exposed and ready to do its job!

We headed straight to the inlet and proceeded to the Atlantic where we needed to cover about 71nm to Wrightsville Beach. The northerly winds were 5-15kts and this pushed us along with ocean waves of 1-2 feet. Needless to say Bonnie was comfortable and even stated how enjoyable the day on the ocean had been!

There was a parade of sorts of boaters heading out to sea as the conditions were near perfect for a safe trip down the coast. Bonnie read and fixed lunch and at one point asked where land was. I explained we were out about eight miles and the shoreline was not visible. She asked if we could get closer to land and I said no since there were buoys marking obstructions we needed to avoid. and besides we were traveling in a straight line to Masonboro Inlet where we intended to anchor at Wrightsville Beach. She accepted that and she was fine for the rest of the trip.

We covered about 70 miles today and it saved us a whole day on land in the ICW! That part of the ICW has bridges and sand bars and we probably would have made maybe 40-45 miles. We anchored and a short time later we took the dinghy in for a walk on the beach and a quick stop for ice cream at Bob's Market that Captain Sid was craving!

Captain Sid