North to South Carolina

 

When we made our last blog post Khira was anchored in Beaufort NORTH Carolina (pronounced “Bow-fert”), and now Khira is at a private dock in Beaufort SOUTH Carolina (pronounced “Beau-fert”).

From Beaufort North Carolina we went to Point Lookout NC with its lovely sandy beaches, iconic lighthouse, and sheltered isolated harbor. We anchored for several days and spent David’s birthday on the beach where lots of dolphins and a few sea turtles celebrated with us!

We did an overnight from Beaufort NC into Wrightsville Beach NC where we anchored near town, did several morning beach runs in this busy little place where it felt like spring break!  In Wrightsville we met Jeanne and Mark on “Tonic” (a beautiful navy hull 45.5 Bristol sloop), who we buddy-boated with on our overnight from Wrightsville to Charleston. We entered Charleston in the light of morning, entering through the ten-mile inlet with lots and lots of barges and dredges.

We stayed two nights at Charleston Harbor Marina where we did laundry, swam in the pools, and used the fat tire marina bikes to get groceries. We also took the marina shuttle over the high bridge and had a wonderful time enjoying tasty seafood and southern hospitality in historic downtown Charleston.

From Charleston we used the ICW to get further south within South Carolina-staying one night in a lovely quiet remote marsh with no other boats, just lots and lots of dolphins, egrets, ibis, pelicans and herons. I had forgotten how calm and lovely the Carolina marsh sunsets and sunrises can be from the water.

We were in Beaufort SC on a mooring for two nights, which allowed easy access for running the Spanish Marsh Trail, and then we moved onto the dock owned by friends we met 25 years ago on our first cruise. Allan and Kathy Rae (who we saw aboard their boat "Evening Star" in Maine this summer) have generously let us tie up to their beautiful 40-foot dock on Lady's Island SC with a long walkway up to their wonderful waterfront home. We have had meals together, met lots of their cruising friends (some local, and others passing through on boats and in cars), and we have played pickle ball several times with their community of wonderfully welcoming pickleball friends.

We hate to leave Cathy and Allan, but we will depart tomorrow and head to Wexford in Hilton Head to wait out the next front. We are now pacing ourselves based upon boat insurance that restricts travel south of Savannah until post 02 November (based upon hurricane season risk). So, we will spend a few more days in South Carolina, then quickly get through Georgia (likely our only stop will be Cumberland Island), then we'll make fast tracks along the northern Florida coast and prepare for a gulf stream crossing.

We both got Covid boosters and flu shots this week and will be watching the Covid situation and restrictions carefully as we move south and potentially out of the country. Thank you for staying in touch via whatever social medium you prefer. We love to hear from you!

Scooter photos:

Scooter on an overhead hatch screen where she isn't supposed to sit.

Scooter seems content most of the time.