Dock-Tied in the Carolinas

November 13th – December 10, 2006

Generally speaking, the thrill of cruising comes from serene nights and star-filled skies spent on the hook in some secluded creek or river following an awe-inspiring sunset. Unfortunately this fall the weather has been anything but calm and serene. Week after week we have experienced strong cold fronts with intense winds and seas and extreme temperatures. That being the case, we have spent many more nights than we typically might at one marina or another tied to a dock. Still, we’re having a great time, meeting lots of nice people, staying safe, and enjoying a relaxing trip.

We left Swan Pt. Marina in Sneads Ferry NC on November 17th shortly after 7:00 a.m. We had to push the engine rpm’s in order to catch the first bridge opening, which only opened once per hour. In hindsight we should have left the marina at least 10 minutes earlier but fortunately we did make the bridge opening just in time. After an uneventful trip, we ended the day at Oceana Marina in Carolina Beach.

After getting some local knowledge from the good folks at Boat US, we decided to chance the trip to Myrtle Beach the next day on a falling tide. It was a white-knuckle trip passing through the Rock Pile at dead low tide but thankfully no boats were northbound as we passed through. We spent the night at Barefoot Landing, a favorite stopover for many cruisers as they have a multitude of shops and restaurants to explore. Jupiter was delighted to encounter several squirrels to chase along the waterfront.

The next morning we left Barefoot Landing for an easy run down the Waccamaw River. Since there was another strong storm headed our way, we decided not to anchor out and made reservations at Georgetown Landing Marina. The storm prediction called for gale force winds in the 40-60 kt. range for the next several days. We had hoped to make it to Charleston in time for Thanksgiving so that Kevin, Shelley, and the grandkids could come to visit us there but it didn’t look likely that we’d make it in time for our planned visit. Since Kevin agreed to drive the extra hour to visit us in Georgetown, we decided to stay put through the holiday. Fortunately, the marina offers a nice discount for Boat US members at a very reasonable weekly rate.

The storm did indeed turn out to be very intense with high winds and seas. As the boat pitched and rocked in the strong wind and seas, we hunkered down to wait out the storm. Dave made a fabulous split pea soup and we whiled the day away watching the entire Harry Potter DVD series. The next day we headed into town to seek out our Thanksgiving dinner provisions. We headed to Kudzo’s Bakery where they sell flash- frozen poultry, beef, and vegetables. We stocked up for the holiday with a couple packages of duck breasts and a few other provisions. On the way back to the marina, Dave said he wanted to stop by the music store where he spotted a mandolin in the storefront window. On a whim, he decided to purchase a mandolin and teach himself to play. When we returned to the boat, he immediately got online and ordered instructional books and DVDs from Amazon.com to be delivered the next day. He’s been practicing every day since and can already play Amazing Grace, one of my favorite songs. The mandolin has such a pleasing sound and is the perfect instrument to keep on a boat.

Thanksgiving dinner was fabulous. Dave prepared apricot-glazed duck breasts and turkey pie along with all the fixings. Imagine having a great captain on board who can also prepare a fabulous meal. I am indeed a very lucky woman.

On Friday, Kevin, Shelley, Kaeli, Ben, and Nathen arrived for a wonderful visit. It was so good to see them all and to spend some time together. After giving the grandkids a tour of the boat, we headed to Tony’s Famous Pizza for lunch. The pizza was terrific and a real treat for us. You don’t often eat pizza when you’re cruising on a boat. After lunch we stopped in the local McDonalds so the kids could run around and play in the gym area since there’s not much room on a boat for three active children. The visit was all to short but very sweet. I’m so happy to have had the opportunity to spend a nice day together.

On Saturday, the 25th, we left Georgetown and headed for an anchorage that our friends, the Schaeffers, recommended in DeWees Creek. We entered the south end of the creek and anchored in the solitary waters north of the ferry landing (N 32 50.132, W 079 43.767). It was a good recommendation; the holding was great in heavy clay and the beach was a nice stop for Joop and Tula. The next morning we headed to one of our favorite anchorages along the ICW in Steamboat Creek. We spent a perfect, relaxing night on the hook with a beautiful star-filled sky. The next morning we waited for the tide to come up for a couple of hours before heading out. The stretch just outside of Steamboat is subject to intense shoaling. We stayed mid-channel and saw no less than 10 ft. two hours after low tide. Our next stop would be “beautiful” Beaufort, SC. Today is sunny and the warmest day of the trip so far, almost 80 degrees.

We arrived in Beaufort on Monday, November 27th and planned to stay for a week. The upcoming weekend promised to be filled with many holiday festivities in preparation for Christmas. Friday night they held “Night on the Town” where they blocked off Main Street and had local performances of school bands, choruses, and dance ensembles. All of the stores remained open and appetizers and refreshments were served. Saturday they held “Blizzard in Beaufort”. This is such a wonderful event for the kids. The Fire Dept. sets up a fenced in area in the park and blasts the kids with snow from a snow-making machine, followed by a group snowball fight. Boy did I want to join in the fun. Beaufort ends the holiday weekend festivities with a Sunday afternoon Christmas parade down Main St. Unfortunately the next storm system blew through on Sunday so we just listened to the parade from the confines of the boat.

As we prepare to depart the SC coast, we decide to go offshore to avoid the shallow waters of Georgia. We have a great, ~70-mile, offshore run out Port Royal Inlet to St. Catherine’s Sound. The winds were calm and the sea was like glass as we made our way offshore. We anchored for the night in Walburg Creek, another favorite of ours. As we sat on deck at sundown, the palmetto forest came alive with sounds from the night creatures that were awakening. Joop and Tula stared with ears on high alert as the wildlife called. The next day we departed early for another offshore run from St. Catherine’s Sound to St. Simon’s Inlet. With winds out of the north, we initially set the jib and made an easy 7-kts. Later, as the winds turned south, we put out main and staysail to ease the rolling and motorsailed along at 7.5 kts. We knocked off another ~65 miles as we passed through the long channel up into St Simons. We were planning to anchor in the Frederica River when we arrived but, guess what; another strong cold front is headed our way. We decide instead to make the trek up the Brunswick River and check out Brunswick Landing Marina to wait out the storm. The storm brings strong winds and very cold weather. Every night since our arrival has seen frost warnings overnight. Temps dipped down into the low 20’s. It’s a good thing that we stayed at the marina where we could plug in and run the heater to stay warm.

Brunswick is a great little old seaport town. Many cruisers leave their boats in this protected marina and make the trek home for the holidays. The marina is really large but every slip seems to be full. The price is very reasonable and the laundry facilities are free–of-charge. I wouldn’t hesitate to leave our boat here if we ever needed to.

Finally, the latest storm system has passed on by. We are now making preparations to get underway tomorrow, Monday, December 11th. For the remainder of December we plan to be anchored out, dividing our time between the wilds of Cumberland Island, the quaint town of St. Mary’s, GA, and (a new stop for us) Amelia Island in Fernandina Beach, FL. Beyond that, we plan to arrive in St. Augustine, FL for the New Year and spend the month of January exploring that great city.

Till next post, we wish you all peace, joy, and a very MERRY CHRISTMAS from the Sailing Sullivans ….

Dave, Sandy, Jupiter, and Tula