It was a really strange day today. It was blue skies every now and then making you believe you could throw the lines and go. The wind would howl through the sail boat lines and remind you… not now. There are a handful of boaters all waiting…waiting…waiting.
At about 4pm, the skies cleared and Accuweather said we had maybe a 2 hour time frame for no rain. We took an opportunity for a short walkabout in the town of Southport.
Gorgoeous twisted old tree
Officially, the Southport water tower to let us know exactly where we are. The town is a mixture of residences, houses now commercial businesses, and newly built structures.
The strangest thought occurred to me as I am posting these blue water tower pictures. They look like the aliens from “War of the World” movie. Right? Tall towering creatures ready to gobble up humans. oh dear…. I do see blue skies. I don’t have cabin fever do I after being locked up on a boat all day yesterday and most of today?
We walked by a number of homes with plaques commemorating the original owner’s name and date of the house. Many dating back to the 1800’s. Nicely attended to. Fresh paint and yards taken care of.
One of many Historical Homes
One of the more important businesses on the main street.
And shops ….
And THOR!! Thor is a replica of 1841 cannon. You can rent it for special events. It is a working cannon. It comes with a certified crew who will fire it. Imagine a wedding with cannon fire at the end?
Thor
On a side street going back to the boat I saw a huge magnolia tree that is ready to burst out in blooms!! It’s branching hanging over the sidewalk heavy with leaves and bloom buds.
At the end of our walk was another Weather Briefing from Hank. They gave the sub-tropical disturbance a name!! Ana. Now we are in for it! Anytime a storm has a name, it grows.
Today was cloudy with intermittent rain. Nothing to do but catch up on our naps, read a story or two, and watch a little TV. Winds were expected to be in the 15 – 25mph range. Not bad but not super good either.
We did attend a weather briefing:
Southport marina hosts Hank Pomeranz (Carolina Yacht Care ) who provides ICW and weather briefing to boaters passing through. As written on Active Captain: “Teaming with Carolina Yacht Care (cYc) and Zimmerman Marine, Southport Marina invites you to join us for this free, one of a kind service geared towards transiting boaters. These informal discussions are an opportunity for you to join fellow cruisers at the end of the day for a presentation and interactive discussion on weather and navigation issues for the next leg of your journey.” Hank Pomeranz
Hank goes over the latest weather forecast for that little “disturbance” to the south of us. The haven’t given it a name yet. It looks like it will form into something. Time will tell. We may be here longer than 3 days.
It was calm at first light. We left the marina before 7:30am. We were trying to decide whether to wait for a tidal change or just be cautious with today’s challenge. Also, we figured we had a 45 mile day making it unnecessary to leave too early in the morning. Cloudy but calm. No rain until later tonight. We will be safely docked at Southport, NC. So let’s go!!
Leaving Barefoot Marina, N. Myrtle Beach, SC
Up to this point in our boating journey, the bottom of the ICW has been sand or mud. If we hit ground, everyone says “just back off and try again“, “it is soft, so no harm to the boat“. UNTIL, they say, you get to the “Rock Pile”. Every precaution should be made since this cut is hard granite. No soft mud. No soft sand. If you hit this hard stuff you will do permanent damage to your boat. ouch!! WOW!! Other local boaters said to “stay in the middle of the channel” and don’t follow the “magenta line”. As long as you stay in the middle, you won’t hit ground. You won’t hit the sides. Sides? The granite juts out into the channel somewhat. That is why you can’t pass anyone, can’t stray from the middle, can’t misbehave in any way. Alrighty, then. We had a good night’s rest. The sun isn’t in our eyes. We are ready to go!!
The good news is that by going into the “Rock Pile” during low tide, we could see the rock more easily. See all the brown near the triangle sign? That is rock! Not soft mud!!
Entering the “Rock Pile”
All that brown near the trees is rock!
We stayed in the visual center within the canal. I took a picture of the chart plotter. It is way off. OR we are way off. The chart plotter has us on land not in the middle of the channel. hahaha
Our Chartplotter in the Rock Pile
The actual Rock Pile area is about a mile long. There are stories passed on from boater to boater about the time someone tried to pass someone within that stretch and hit hard. We were careful- met no one opposing us like a tug nor had to pass anyone. We had a great transit! Thanks to all the folks giving us guidance along the way!! Whew!!
Getting the hardest challenge over and done with first thing in the morning means I can concentrate on taking pictures along the way and enjoy the sights. How about these modular homes? Some houses on stilts. Some not. This way everyone has a view.
We are still officially in N. Myrtle Beach and these “tour” boats are evidence. The Super Voyager passengers actually waved back! Which one would you like to take a ride on?
Super Voyager Tour Boat
Sea Thunder – a very “Go Fast” boat.
Sea Sound – very sleek looking. Lots of chairs just waiting for you
These houses look like they are condos. Balconies on each floor. Chairs to catch the ICW sunset view. OR are these just single homes. Very curious. I haven’t decided.
When you boat up/down the ICW, how do you give directions to your house? Most of the houses are pastels, white, or brown. You have to make your house distinctive. Here are several.
Gypsy Rose – On the west side of the ICW
Black and White Light House
See that one on the right? Not the pale green house.
That BLUE house!!
We crossed over into North Carolina this morning. Maybe around here?? I didn’t feel any different. So far we have traveled in Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina. So many more states to go.
Starboard View
Port View
What does it look like traveling around 10mph? Watch the video. You might want to mute the sound so you can concentrate on the beauty of the country side. You can blink, though. At 10 mph the world passes rather slowly.
Mid morning and these shrimpers are still at dock? The boats might have rust but the fishing nets look new and ready for the new season.
What is more than one shrimp boat? – a Gaggle?
Close up of the Gaggle of Boats
This guy isn’t going anywhere soon. oops… there must be a story to this one!! Boaters tell the best ones. We just saw “Jaws 2” on TV. Isn’t this what happened to those boats? Sharks aren’t around here, are they?
Sunken Fishing boat – how sad
Wayne exclaimed…. Flying Boats!! Watch out!! I have heard of Flying Nuns. But boats?
Flying Boats??
Around the corner and we see…. How do they get them all the way – up – there?
Ocean Isle Boats – storage on tall racks!
We saw a couple of places where you could see the Atlantic. No one is swimming today. It is Wednesday so that might explain no boats, no people, no dogs.
View of the Atlantic
A great view for these folks in this RV park. Although, many of these RV’rs look like they have been in the same place for a while. Long enough to build wooden decks. Very nice if you have the front row view!!
RV park?
If you want to buy your own island, Monk Island is having a “Liquidation Sale”. Hurry! Hurry! You don’t want to miss this great bargain!!
Monk Island
We arrived early afternoon at Southport Marina. Still very cloudy and cool. The wind had kicked up a notch to 10 -12mph. We made it to the fuel dock for fuel and a pump out before moving around the corner to a slip. While Wayne was handling to fueling, I noticed this guy working on a sail boat. It isn’t too windy for maintenance?!?!
Working on the Rigging
The weather is supposed to stay cloudy and windy for the next couple of days. There is a small weather disturbance to the south and we are hoping it will move on soon. We plan on being here 3 days.
“The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.”
― Lao Tzu
Onward – go NORTH- young people – go north! Don’t let moss grow under your feet. Don’t dawdle! The sun is shining!! The long term forecast is rain – so we are on our way!! Isn’t this a beautiful day?!?!
Skies are clear this morning!!
How can these green things grow in 25 feet of water? We saw some growing in 70 feet of water. They look like they were just floating…stationary. So we assumed that they send roots down into the water. How can that be? The roots would have to go pretty deep, right? If these are water hyacinth, the experts say they are floating clumps of green. I bet if you tried hard, you wouldn’t be able to grow these islands of green. Nature always finds a way. We steered around as many as we could see so they wouldn’t tangle under our props.
Floating Water Hyacinth
The chart plotter says “stumps” along Waccamaw River on the port side so I was looking for some short little, well, stumps!?
Stumps
What we saw were trees!! I guess those stumps grew up?!!? Gorgeous day, right?
Tall trees. Not stumps.
I saw mentioned in Georgetown map that there is a “Rice Museum”. Rice fields? in South Carolina? Who knew? “During the Colonial Period, coastal South Carolina was the largest producer of rice in America.” per https://www.carolinaplantationrice.com
When I saw “abandoned rice fields” I had to take a look. How could rice grow here? I am not sure what it would like. I don’t know what I expected. More water? Rice growing wild. Beyond those trees?
Chart Plotter – Abandoned Rice Fields
Do you see the field?
We saw swamps…. I could hear swamp noise emanating from the trees. Loud crickets, birds, and other weird noises. What I didn’t see are alligators nor snakes. Maybe the roar of the boat engines kept them away? But, definitely, you can imagine.
South Carolina Swamp
Around the bend in the ICW this Steel boat was just floating anchored by a side channel. I am sure there is a story. I looked her up. Apparently … “Steel Away is a modern steel construction of a three mast gaff rigged schooner.” There is a sorted sad history of this boat. Just seeing it anchored out looked more hopeful than the internet stories I read.
Steel Away
Not too far from the Steel Away was a ICW marker with an osprey nest which isn’t unusual. I swear we saw a little head pop up. No sign of Mom or Dad. Definitely at least one head. Can you see it?
Osprey baby?
A minor obstruction was noted in the guidebooks. A bridge construction. The construction was jutting out into the ICW but wouldn’t impede our progress. The bridge?? From where to where?? Seemed to be a really high bridge based on the concrete posts seen in the left picture. Just don’t know what they connect to. Is this another one of those bridges to nowhere? We slowed down naturally. No, this construction did not impede our way. Still a curious construction project.
Early in the afternoon we approached the Socastee Swing Bridge. We were asked by the bridge operator to hold on until the other two boats following behind us could catch up. That way he would only have to ask the Car folk to wait through one opening rather than three. No problem! We only had to wait 10 minutes when the third boat caught up to us and we all went through. This is a 7ft clearance swing bridge.
Socastee Swing Bridge
Today we traveled where a lot of houses are along the ICW. Slow and careful for most of the day. Because we were going slow enough for “No Wakes, Please”, I had plenty of time to take pictures. Here are a couple of nice abodes.
Southern home with columns
I like the little building on the left.
The first water advertisement sign we have seen. Like any road sign. Great for weekend boaters!
Wing Kings… they deliver on the water!!
As we approached Myrtle Beach we saw graffiti. The first that we recall seeing in miles and miles on the ICW. Several bridge underpasses were painted. Most looked just like this. Hmmm why here??
Bridge Graffiti
As any beach-side community, you either have little houses in a row….
Pretty little houses all in a row
Or Condos….
Condos facing the ICW
A Gondola Ride that takes the rider 70 feet above the ICW. You catch the ride from the Waterway Hills Golf Club. Tripadvisor says that you catch the Gondola ride while on the golf course. Looks like fun! Wonder if you really have to play a round of golf in order to catch the gondola ride. It looks like a hoot!
Gondola cars crossing over the ICW
Barefoot Princess sightseeing boat as it passed by us with a load of passengers. We knew we were getting close to our stop for the night!
Barefoot Princess
And there the Barefoot Princess is at rest across the ICW in N. Myrtle Beach, SC.
Barefoot Landing Marina across the way
My evening picture from the Barefoot Marina, Myrtle Beach, SC. We had a terrific day on the water!!
A quiet night in Charleston. This is a busy place right in the middle of town, it appears. We will be back to thoroughly enjoy all the history here another time. Another beautiful day is expected today. We need to take advantage of the sunny blue skies!
Moon setting just before Sunrise, Charleston, SC
We got off the dock pretty well. I was able to take a few pictures as we left the marina as we entered the Charleston Harbor.
Sail Boat in Charleston Harbor
Large boat along the harbor
We were looking out for the “Commercial” Traffic. We saw “go-fast” boats, mid-sized fishing boats, and a Coast Guard boat. No big barges. Oh wait, we did see a Pilot boat heading out of the harbor. We have been told by many boaters that all we have to do is wait for the commercial traffic. We will soon be overwhelmed with commercial traffic!
We thought this sign was interesting. A Hurricane Warning sign that is worn and can’t be read anymore. Maybe the next Hurricane can put that part of the sign back on?
Hurricane Signage
Our first Bridge of the morning right off the Charleston Harbor back into the ICW. We had no problem going under it. With it’s 31ft clearance, we didn’t need to call ahead for an opening.
Ben Sawyer Swing Bridge
Wayne actually caught sight of this funny house front. It looks like a large inner tube that you would drag along the a “go-fast” boat. Cute!
Smiley Face!
The working stiffs. A dinghy pushing a floating platform with 2 men and wood. I would assume someone is repairing something. Not enough wood for a whole dock. See how calm the water is today?
Early morning workers!
We had a day between Marshes and Houses. Or is that marshes between us and the houses?
See those Dots?? Houses along the Atlantic
This house had no road leading to it. Water surrounded it. That makes a fascinating little cabin for the weekends. Bring your own boat, food, water, and maybe even propane for cooking.
House in the middle of a marsh.
A floating swing bridge we have encountered on the ICW! It was open. This is our first water swing bridge. I think it is the “Tom Yawkey Wildlife Center Bridge”. It looks like to is used instead of a ferry from one side of the creek to the other. The waterway isn’t that wide at this point so this makes sense.
Floating Swing Bridge
We tucked into the Harborwalk Marina in Georgetown, SC. mid-afternoon. A very busy dock where the folks were trying to mash as many boats onto their face dock as they could.
Harborwalk Marina
After a 67 mile day taking over 8 hours, we rested for tomorrow.
mvalwayshome 