April 1, 2013 to April 14, 2013
Beaufort, SC. to Colonial Beach, VA.
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| April 1, 2013 | Town Docks, Beaufort, SC | |
| We left Savannah at 9 am and headed for Beaufort, SC. A nice and easy trip of just over 48 miles. Rob and Kathy on Scot Free were part of the trip to Beaufort. We arrived at just after 2 pm. Carey, Kathy and Mark quickly reserved the courtesy car and headed to provision at the stores ... vodka and wine were in short supply! After the stores run everyone did a few chores and we headed to Emily's for dinner. We enjoyed walking the streets and viewing some very beautiful homes in town. A good afternoon and evening. We're now back aboard and ready to head further north tomorrow. | ||
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| April 2, 2013 | Isle of Palm Marina, Isle of Palm, SC | |
| Up at Beaufort, SC this morning we got underway at 9 am. We were headed north, planning to be in Georgetown SC by Wednesday night. As we traveled toward Charleston we learned that low tide in Isle of Palms was 8:30 am Wednesday morning and would stop us from moving north until noon on Wednesday. We decided to move north of the shallow waters in Isle of Palm and stayed at the Isle of Palm Marina that was actually north of the shallow area. We arrived at 5:30 pm, a 78 mile day. We had a great dinner at the on site restaurant and are now on board getting ready for a 50 mile trip to Georgetown that we can start as soon as we wake up. We'll stay in Georgetown for two days. Mark drove most of the day and we passed a sunken sailboat along the way. All that was visible was the mast that tilted at a sharp angle. The last two pictures show the view from the restaurant and the inside of a happy and hopping place. | ||
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| April 3, 2013 | Harbor Walk Marina, Georgetown, SC | |
| We slept late and finally got underway at 9 am for our 53 mile trip to Georgetown, SC, one of our favorite stops on the ICW. It was an easy trip with a rising tide that kept plenty of water under the boat all the way north. We arrived at 2:30 pm and quickly tied up. Carey did laundry and I washed the boat. Mark helped Carey with the laundry and went for a walk. We had dinner on board. A great pork rib dinner and are now relaxing. Tomorrow we will visit with Gary and Nancy Vineyard who are down in the area in their new vacation home on Pauley's Island. A strong cold front is coming through so we don't want to be on the water tomorrow, not with the predicted 30 knots of wind and lots of rain. Today we saw the beginning of the front with over 20 knots of wind but the sky was only a bit cloudy. Glad we are tied up now. Along the way we saw a home made dredge, a crane tied to a barge pushed by an open bow runner with an outboard engine. Once tied up we noted a pretty picnic style boat and a Marine Trader similar to the new boat Dick and Anita just purchased. |
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| April 4, 2013 | Harbor Walk Marina, Georgetown, SC | |
| We did not move today as the weather was bad, rain, wind and cold! We got ready and went to Coffee Break Cafe for breakfast (see first picture below). It was a great breakfast. We walked the streets of the town and saw a fountain or two as we made our way to the cafe and back. Late morning Gary Vineyard came by and picked us up. He took us to the home he and Nancy bought a couple months ago in Pauley's Island, just 15 miles from Georgetown. Nancy fixed a great lunch and we enjoyed their company and the food. Summer, their granddaughter was there with a friend Julie Ann. It was a great afternoon. Later we toured some of the state parks and then went to River Walk restaurant for dinner. Just a great day. We're now aboard and will continue moving north tomorrow as the wind has dropped dramatically. Still raining now, but that's supposed to stop tomorrow by noon. | ||
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| April 5, 2013 | Doc Holiday's Marina, Myrtle Beach, SC | |
| We got up, did some laundry, and changed the oil in the generator, all before 9 am. Busy morning. Finally we got underway at 9:45 am and headed for Myrtle Beach. We called the marinas on the way trying to find the cheapest diesel. We noted 5 marinas within 50 miles of each other and the price ranged from $3.58 to $4.36. It pays to call around. We stopped at Osprey marina early afternoon to fill up at $3.58 per gallon. After fueling we continued north, finally stopping at 5:30 pm at Doc Holiday's marina, mile marker 348 ... yep that's 348 miles from Norfolk, VA. Rob and Kathy, on Scot Free, were already there having left Georgetown an hour before us and who did not stop for fuel. We joined them and walked to Carrabba's Restaurant. Had a great meal. We're now aboard resting. Rob and Kathy will leave early. We'll wait until 11 am to go thru to troubled shoaling spots on a rising tide. I'm just not in a hurry to rush thru a bad area. We'll probably meet Scot Free at Carolina Beach just north of the Cape Fear River later in the day as we travel a bit faster. Along the ICW today we saw some great homes, a couple just being built. | ||
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| April 6, 2013 | Southport Marina, Southport, NC | |
| Carey made a grocery run, Mark went for a walk and I worked on the boat. I have a small fuel leak on the generator due to a failed o-ring on a nut. I can run the generator but must get this problem fixed. Working it hard. We finally got underway at 11 am to cross the two shoal areas of the day on a rising tide. These areas included Shallott Inlet and Lockwoods Folley. We made it through both ok and were headed to Carolina Beach to a Yacht Club Robb found on his way down in the fall, but the 20 knots of wind stopped us from going across Cape Fear River; seas were at 6 feet with what appeared to be a 1/2 second interval. Nasty and choppy. We turned around and moored at Southport Marina. We'll do Cape Fear River tomorrow when the wind dies down. We saw the same ugly pink house we've seen every year and an old Chris Craft under tow by TOW Boat US. Later, after tying up we walked into town and noted some beautiful old homes along the way. | ||
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| April 7, 2013 | New River Marina, NC | |
| We got underway at 8:45 am for our 61 mile trip to New River Marina, just 245 miles from Norfolk. We always stop here to fuel up, this time at $3.38 per gallon. Mark had to have his picture taken next to the Indian chief in the mobile home park next to the pier where we tie up, at $1/ft for the night, the cheapest on the waterway. Earlier today we drove by one of many markers as we moved north. The best of the day was I was able to fix the fuel leak on the generator so all is well again with that issue. |
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| April 8, 2013 | Beaufort Docks, Beaufort, NC | |
| Easy start to the day. We fueled at the now second cheapest fuel stop on the waterway, New River Marina, and left for Beaufort. A short 45 mile trip got us there by 1:30 pm. We tied up and went for a walk and stopped by for appetizers at a cafe on the waterfront. Later we went to dinner at a new Mexican restaurant. We should have stayed with our normal and regular restaurant in this area, Clawsons, but we tried something new. Did not work out this time. We're now back aboard relaxing. We're off tomorrow for Dowry Creek, mile marker 130 (130 miles from Norfolk). Carey has not been feeling well for two days now and we're hoping for a quick recovery from whatever is keeping her feeling bad. She is trying to rest and get well. | ||
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| April 9, 2013 | Dowry Creek Marina, Bellhaven, NC | |
| Carey is feeling better, having slept most of the night. Up at 7:30 am we got underway at 8:30 am and passed thru the Beaufort NC bridge (air height 12 feet) at 9 am. We then had 71 miles to go to Dowry Creek Marina, our destination for the day. We arrived at 3:30 pm, had a happy hour or two then borrowed the courtesy car and drove to Bellhaven for dinner at a local restaurant, a great meal. Now on board. We'll stay here tomorrow to let a cold front pass over the Chesapeake Bay before heading further north. We're now 130 miles from Norfolk and will, most likely travel from Norfolk to the Potomac on Saturday. Pictures include the Beaufort waterfront, the trip underway, a nice Fed Ship trawler and mark walking the piers at Dowry Creek. |
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| April 10, 2013 | Dowry Creek Marina, Bellhaven, NC | |
| No pictures today. We relaxed, worked on the last of the tax stuff, and Carey made a grocery fun with Mark. Carey made a great spaghetti diner proving she is feeling a bit better. We are watching the weather and it still appears the Chesapeake Bay will be good for traveling on this Saturday. We are going to position in Norfolk Friday night to make the trip to the Potomac on Saturday should the weather forecast prove correct. | ||
| April 11, 2013 | Coinjock Marina, Coinjock NC | |
| Out of Dowry Creek Marina at 7:45 am heading at 10 mph toward Coinjock, a 83 mile trip. As we moved up the Alligator River the wind started blowing hard but it came from astern so we moved swiftly, but worried that Albemarle Sound might be a bit rough. Fifty miles into the trip we entered Albemarle Sound and found it ok. The wind died a bit and the waves stayed from the stern. We moved forward, finally arriving at Coinjock, 50 miles from Norfolk, by 4 pm. We walked the Coinjock Marina dock, all 1200 feet of it. We noted the restaurant where we later had a great dinner. Carey and I split a 14 oz rib eye that was 2 inches thick and delicious. Mark had the seafood special. Just before we left for dinner a beautiful 1963 63 foot burger arrived. It was being single handed by a delivery captain for the bank that now owned the boat. The name was First Lady and you see a picture of it below. The price tag on the boat was $197,000. The delivery captain said it was in good shape. It looked good. We went for a tour and fell in love with the boat. Not sure whether all equipment works. We'll see what happens. We can wish can't we. | ||
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| April 12, 2013 | Ocean Marine, Portsmouth, VA | |
| We were up at 6:30 and underway just after 7 am. We wanted to get across Currituck Sound (17 miles) before the 20 knot winds that were forecast for the day arrived. We made it even though we saw 15 knots and 2-3 foot seas. Luckily they were from the stern so the ride was ok. Once in the Virginia Cut the ride was nice and we made it through the Great Bridge Lock, after ensuring our timing was correct to get through two bridges that only open on the hour and half hour. After the lock we decided to stop at Ocean Marine in Portsmouth as the Chesapeake was pushing 3-4 foot seas. Tomorrow's forecast is for 1-2 footers on the Bay. We tied up at Ocean Marine at 1 pm in 20 knots of wind. Keeps me in practice so to speak. We enjoyed a relaxing afterooon and went to a local german restaurant for dinner. We're aboard now, going to bed early and hoping for low winds and seas on the Chesapeake Bay so we can make a 100 statue mile run to the Potomac tomorrow. While returning from dinner we noted boats moored in a free daily tie up spot in Portsmouth .... where the boats were staying the night. We now have a new free dock to use in Portsmouth on our next trip. | ||
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| April 13, 2013 | White Point Marina, Kinsale, VA | |
| Up, ready to get underway at 7 am and the weather forecast showed that the small craft advisory was still in effect for a while. We had an extra cup of coffee and watched as the wind speed reduced throughout the next two hours. Finally underway at 9 am we moved 10 miles up the Elizabeth River towards the Chesapeake Bay. The first hour on the bay, from 10 to 11 am, was a bit rough but it steadily got smoother. Finally, we had a nice ride for the remainder of our 100 mile trip to White Point Marina on the Potomac. We used the courtesy car to pick run to our house to pick up one of our cars and stopped by the Backdraft Restaurant for dinner before coming back to the boat. Carey will pick up our new dog tomorrow as Mark and I take the boat to its summer resting place, the Boat House in Colonial Beach (the old Stanford's Marina). | ||
| April 14, 2013 | The Boat House, Colonial Beach, VA | |
| The trip is officially over. Carey left in the car this morning to pick up our new dog, Maddy. Mark and I moved hte boat to Colonial Beach. We're home for the boat and will travel to our house tomorrow. We had a great time. | ||
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