Jan 6-8, 2023 Beaufort, NC to McClellanville, SC

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The cabin was chilly this morning when the alarm went off.  Really didn"t want to roll out of my nice warm quilt with my nice warm puppy snugged up against my feet. But it's a moving day.
 We left Beaufort Inlet around 7:30AM, and were surprised to find 15-18 kts of wind since the forecast was 8ts.  We were making great speeds, but the ride was a bit lumpy

Poor Sam was scared of the strange noises and motion of this kind of sailing, and stuck close to each of us in turn.

She calmed down and took a nap in her favorite seat, but still wanted Lois close by to keep her steady.  Her favorite place seems to be the bunk, but only if someone is there with her.
Lunchtime came around and winds died down a bit as we ate our soup & sandwich. Brent got the boat stabilized and Lois took the watch.  We're no longer making great speed but the ride was much smoother and manageable.  The windows are becoming crusted with salt from swells breaking across the deck. We'll clean them off with a spray bottle of water and a squeegee soon.

 The goal is to round Frying Pan Shoals around midnight, then arrive at Winyah bay around noon.  We have a full moon rising as the sun sets.
The rest of the way was just moving ahead under motor & sail. 

The second day we made the entrance to Winyah Bay just iin time to meet the rush of out going tide.  Pushing through the jetties against the 3 knot current slowed us a bit, but nothing to worry about. 

The purpose of coming off the ocean is to refuel. We probably have enough fuel to sail on to St Augustine. However “probably” is not quite sufficient for comfort. The options for fuel are Georgetown or the little village of McClellanville.  Choosing McClellanville allows us to turn into the inter coastal waterway where the current now pushes us toward our destination. Along this stretch the marsh is thick for as far as one can see.  Occasionally a  hill or hummock holds enough dirt for a few trees to grow. 

McClellanville offers a fuel dock used mostly by the commercial fishing fleet. It ain’t fancy. But we find it charming enough to take a place on the dock for two nights. Tomorrow we'll do some boat cleanup and resting.


 

A walk about town is low country charming. The buildings have been here forever, the trees even longer, and the people are nice.

The Episcopal church
The 1000+yr old live oak:  beautiful and the pride of the town



And speaking of been here forever, how long has this sailboat been sitting in the mud?

Comments

Jane said…
I miss the map…😞
January 9, 2023 at 9:53 AM
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