This week was a combination of marinas and anchorages and rural and industrial views. Our least favorite spot was Beaufort, NC – not to be confused with Beaufort, SC that we loved. We found Beaufort, NC to be overpriced with not much to offer. It was the most expensive docking by far of our whole trip. Our favorite spot this week was Elizabeth City, NC, which was a quaint little town with a thriving waterfront and friendly people. The end of the week brought two special guests.

Monday, July 25, 2022 – Beaufort, NC (Beaufort Docks Marina) to near Byboro, NC (Gale Creek-1 anchorage)

Since we will be anchoring in the middle of nowhere for the next two days, we took advantage of still having civilization on our doorstep, by walking a block away to get coffee at Marmalade’s Cafe and Bakery. A chocolate peanut butter bar also spoke to Tim. The house is cica 1856 and upstairs is the Angel’s Share Inn.

We pulled out of Beaufort around 9:00 a.m into waters once sailed by Blackbeard in his flagship Queen Anne’s Revenge. The maritime museum was closed, so we missed seeing the Blackbeard artifacts.

The theme today was commercial fishing. As we headed up the ICW from Beaufort, we passed by oyster farms. One Beaufort company, Oysters NC, calls this “sustainable aquaculture” and explains that “from spat to plate and larva to reef just one Oyster filters 50 gallons of water each day.” There are millions of oysters on the farms. Oysters are an excellent source of protein and vitamins. With that said, I have not tried one and they would probably kill Tim, with his shellfish allergy. However, it is nice to know that oysters are helping our environment.

After leaving this open water of the Newport River, we continued through the narrower, tree-line waters of Core Creek and Adams Creek.

A US Army Core of Engineers (USACE) boat passed us several times. We assume he was going back and forth surveying the depth of the channel. USACE is part of the nation’s military and is responsible for monitoring the depths of the channels and dredging when areas become shallow due to shoaling. Its mission is to “provide safe, reliable, efficient, effective, and environmentally sustainable waterborne transportation systems (i.e channels, harbors, and waterways) for movement of commerce, national security needs and recreation.” Specifically in Beaufort, they received over $500,000 from the federal government’s Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to dredge Beaufort Harbor. The USACE has noticed that shoaling in the channel is more frequent and may need more than yearly dredging. For these coastal areas that are reliant on the waterways for commerce and tourism, navigable waterways are essential for their livelihood.

After the narrow section of our cruise with 9-foot depths, we emerged into the deep and open waters of the Neuse River.

Once we got to the the Neuse River, we were the loan pleasure craft amongst the commercial fishing vessels. I counted 12 fishing boats at one point. Tim turned on our radar and we just stayed out of their way.

After turning off the Neuse River into the Bay River, we noticed a Coast Guard boat hovering up ahead. Tim finally radioed them to see if they were planning to board us. They radioed back and said that they were just training and that we could carry on. About 10 minutes later, we got a call on the radio saying that they would be boarding us. We were obviously a training opportunity that popped up unexpectedly. Tim helped them board, while I and the Coast Guard boat driver continued on our path. They only looked at our paperwork and left. They said the driver of their boat had only been driving the boat for a week, so it was more of an exercise for him.

With that finale, we continued on for another few miles to our anchorage. Considering we hadn’t anchored since Georgetown, SC – nearly 4 weeks ago – it only took us one try to set the anchor. The only hiccup came later in the evening when Tim turned on the generator and no water flowed out. Luckily, It had just lost it prime. We haven’t used the generator in nearly 4 weeks either. We ran the generator for about 2 hours while we charged HOMES’s batteries, made ice and watched some TV. The breeze and sound of lapping water on the sides of the boat made for a great night’s sleep. It was nice being out of civilization, after last week’s marina hopping.

Tuesday, July 26 – Near Byboro, NC. to near Fairfield, NC (Anchorage at Alligator River Point)

We pulled up anchor around 8:00 a.m. and continued up the ICW past some docked fishing boats and the Coast Guard Station – no wonder we got boarded yesterday.

Our journey began in a narrow stretch with wooded areas on both sides. What piqued my interest today were the very tall pine trees with very few lower branches. A quick Google search later, I discovered that these are longleaf pines. These are native to the south and were here long before the European settlers. They grow straight and tall – from 80 to 100 feet- and self-prune their lower branches. The trees began to thin out after the European settlers in the 1700s cut the trees down for homes and buildings. They also sent the logs back to England for the building of ships, since England had cut down most of its forests. In the 1800s they were used to build railroad tracks and made many of the South’s cities and towns. They were also used for ”naval stores,” which are tar, pitch and turpentine used in shipbuilding. The cleared land was used mostly as farmland due to the lack of knowledge on how to regenerate the longleaf forest. By the early 2000s, less than 3% of the historic longleaf pine forest remained. Now, North Carolina is making the increase of the longleaf pine forest acreage a top priority, due to its value as a source of high-quality, sustainable forest products — and a beautiful scenery for passing boaters like us!

Once we emerged into the the Pamlico River heading toward the Atlantic Ocean, the water turned big and deep. We only saw about three boats on our whole journey, one being a tow boat with a home port of Charleston, SC. We radioed him for a pass and he said to come around on his port. He said the barge he was pushing was being ornary! However, to the barge’s defense, it was really windy as we crossed Rose Bay, before entering the Pungo River.

Our afternoon journey was along a 21-mile canal linking the Pungo River and the Alligator River. I must say that it was a little tedious. It was long, straight and we saw no other boaters. The wildlife is supposed to include black bears and alligators, but all we saw were three bald eagles and a wild turkey – none of which would cooperate for photos. Hopefully there are no continuing hard feelings about who got picked to be the national bird. I do wonder how Thanksgiving would be different if Benjamin Franklin got his way. 😂

Once we finally exited the canal (around 3 hours later), we were in the Alligator River and not too far from our anchorage. The Alligator River is wide, but we found an anchorage that went back about a mile and was surrounded by wooded land on three sides. The land wasn’t close, but it did seem to break the wind some. About seven fighter jets flew overhead while we were anchoring. We are surrounded by military bases in this area.

Once we were anchored, a storm rolled in. We turned off the engines and started the generator before taking our showers. Large waves make taking a shower much more challenging! 😂 Unfortunately, the big waves must have caused the generator’s water intake to come out of the water and lose its prime – causing the generator to overheat and shut down. However, before shutting down, the impeller was destroyed. Being the good boater that he is, Tim had an extra impeller onboard. But, we decided to take on that repair job in the morning. We essentially went off the grid and only left on the refrigerator and the anchor alarm. It was a calm evening after the storm went through, cooling everything down. We had a peaceful night’s sleep after being under way today for just over eight hours and traveling 51.8 NM at an average speed of 6.3 knots.

Wednesday, July 27, 2022 – Anchorage at Alligator River Point to Elizabeth City, N.C. (Mid-Atlantic Christian University Free Dock)

Tim fixed the generator first thing this morning – partly because it was cooler, but mostly because he wanted electric to make a cup of tea! It only took him about 30 minutes to install the new impeller. After his shower and a cup of tea, we were on our way.

While most of yesterday’s journey was in a narrow, shallow canal, today’s journey took us across big open water. The Alligator River was wide, but the Albemarle Sound looked liked the ocean! We entered into the sound after going through a swing bridge. As we approached the Alligator River Swing Bridge, there seemed to be very little traffic on Rt. 64.

However, by the time we made it through the swing bridge, we had traffic backed up about 20 deep on both sides, making for some unhappy people, I’m sure.

When we were in the middle of Albemarle Sound, we had 4-foot waves with an occasional 6-footer. HOMES took the waves like nothing thanks to her design and the Gyro-Gale Stabilizers. Before we owned HOMES, she was in YouTube demonstration taken by the Gyro-Gale company showing off their stabilizers. I couldn’t get the link to work, but if you Google ”Defever Euro 52 Trawler-Gyro Gale Fin Stablizers- On/Off,” you can see the video. An owner in the company came on the sea trial portion of our survey back in March to show us how they work.

The closer we got to the opening of the Pasquotank River, the wind and the waves calmed down, but then we had the joy of dodging crab pots. We had never seen so many crab pots and so close together! As you can see in the pictures, they aren’t always easy to see. But, we successfully maneuvered through the crab-pot mine and re-entered the ICW on the Pasquotank River.

As we made our way up the Pasquotank River to Elizabeth City – our destination for today – we notice a structure that dominated the landscape. Tim guessed that it was a blimp (aka dirigible/ airship) facility. So, I Googled and discovered that this 20-story tall, 1000-feet wide silvery dome in Weeksville, NC is the only remaining steel blimp hanger built during WWII. Built in 1941, it was a Naval Air Station until 1957. It played a vital role in German U-boat spotting during World War II, helping to minimize losses to the East Coast shipping. It is currently owned by TCOM Corp., a local defense contractor, as a manufacturing and test facility for airships and is again an active airfield for lighter-than-air aircraft operations. There used to be a second hanger built of wood, due to steel rations during the war. It was the largest wooden structure in the world until it was burned to the ground in 1995 by a fire started from a welder’s torch.

As we continued toward Elizabeth City, the sky turned ominous. After making our way around the bend into Elizabeth City, the sprinkles began. By the time we made it through the draw bridge and neared our dock, the heavens opened up for about 15 minutes. Perhaps it was just pelting rain, but when I was on the front deck it felt like hail! After only two tries, Tim got HOMES over to the dock where I could throw off the lines and step onto the dock to tie up. By this point, the worst of the storm had passed and Tim came down to help me. Tim can put HOMES on ”hold the dock” setting and by using a remote control, he is able to get off the boat and help me, once I have HOMES initially secured. Since I was already drenched, I decided to mop the decks. No use wasting the fresh-water rinse provided by Mother Nature.

Unfortunately, the rain killed our headsets. Hopefully they’ll work again after drying out. We turned on the generator and started a load of laundry and I did some vacuuming. After taking showers, it was only 4:30 p.m., despite feeling much later. So, we donned dry clothes, and walked the short distance into the historic downtown of Elizabeth City.

Tim was tired of left-overs, so we had a delicious dinner at Hoppin’ Johnz and then walked across the alley to Ghost Harbor Brewing Company for a drink. We stayed on the patio due to a very, very loud band. We noticed an older lady go in and come back out after about 10 minutes. Tim laughed and said, ”is that all you could take.” She laughed and said that the kids in the band are her neighbors, so she was just being supportive. She lives in a historic building across the street. When the kids practice their music, she said they leave beer at her door as a bribe. Turns out, our new acquaintance, Kathy, knew most people who walked by and she introduced us to them. One owned a bed and breakfast nearby. Most knew all about the Great Loop because many Loopers stop here. Kathy filled us in on the farmers’ market and other breweries in the area. Her son wants to do the Great Loop when he retires from the Coast Guard.

We walked back to our free dock at Mid-Atlantic Christian University. The earlier rain cooled down the temperatures, so by 9:30, it was down into the mid-70s with a nice breeze. It was a busy day, so I was out like a light!

Thursday, July 28, 2022 – Elizabeth City (Mid-Atlantic Christian University Free dock)

Today, we’re staying put. Tomorrow, our friends, Robb and Tracy, are meeting us here and we’ll drop them off in Norfolk on Monday. We’re excited to have our first live-aboard guests. We took advantage of this free day by doing some exploring and chores.

We started the day early with coffee at The Kraken Coffee House, where I called my mom and wished her a happy birthday. Then, Tim got his hair cut at Sammy’s Barbershop. The barbershop looked like something out of history, it was narrow and long, filled with antiques and old news clippings and pictures on the walls, some autographed to Sammy – even one on from our last president. Then I saw something that hit me like a ton of bricks — two signs (see below). I love to read about history, watch documentaries, and browse through museums, but It all seems so academic and distant. However, seeing pieces of history, acquired by an individual, in this setting, made history very real. To those elderly black ladies who we talked to in the park an hour before, these signs are more than history. The sign on the left is from Atlanta, GA dated Aug. 1934 and the sign on the right is from the “Knoxville, Tenn Bus Depot” dated Aug. 1, 1935.

After Tim’s new short haircut (the heat, wind and shower clogs caused him to rethink his long hair), we headed back to HOMES to tackle some chores. We started by running to the store – boat style; a dinghy ride to a neighboring marina, to purchase some steering fluid.

By the end of this 97-degree day, Tim had fixed our water maker – an Aqua Whisper. Tim thought the seal was bad. When we were home, he ordered a whole new head, because the seal was on back order. After diving into the repair, he discovered that the only problem was that the spring in the head unit was seized from not being used since the boat survey in early March. He installed the new head unit anyway and saved the old one as a backup. My tiny hands came in handy for the installation. We were excited to make our first water. We tested it before hooking it to our water tank. See the crystle clear water that just came out of the Pasquotank River! It tasted as good as it looks.

We completed our chore day by defrosting the freezer. If you are over the age of 40, you should remember a day when refrigerators did not self-defrost. If so, you may remenise after seeing these pictures. While you may have used a hairdryer, Tim opted for a heat gun. 😂

Tim decided to have his frozen White Castles, which we found at a Save-A-Lot in Titusville, FL, for dinner before we showered and headed to town for a drink at the other downtown brewery – Seven Sounds.

Once we got back to HOMES, we pumped up my paddle board and I took my first paddle around.

A family from Maritime Ministries at Mid-Atlantic Christian University came aboard for a tour. Aaron and Laura and their three kids wanted to see HOMES. Laura said the engine room was the boys’ favorite. This is a great family, so if you have time, please check out their blog and Laura’s Etsy shop.

Since HOMES was all lite up for the tour, we took these pictures from the dinghy.

Friday, July 29, 2022 – Elizabeth City, NC to Camden, NC (Lamb’s Marina)

We had two special guests for a long weekend! Robb and Tracy – our first cruising guests – arrived around noon. They parked their car in Norfolk, VA and took an hour Lift ride to Elizabeth City. After a tour of HOMES, we walked to town and had lunch at Hoppin’ Johnz. Then we had a drink at Seven Sounds Brewing Company on the waterfront, at which time we realized that we had no cook screw to open the wine that Tracy had brought. We tried the little pharmacy across the street and found wine stoppers, but no cork screws. We were having a laugh about the irrony of that with the clerk and another customer. As they were thinking about other possible stores within walking distance, that other customer was telling us how much he loves wine…then, as if a bulb went off in his head, he said, ”I may be able to help.” We followed him to his pickup truck, parked on the curb. He rummaged behind his seat and came out with a cute little cork screw. I guess that’s why Elizabeth City is known as the “Harbor of Hospitality.”

After that, Tracy and I checked out the Visitor’s Center and Museum of Albemarle, while Tim and Robb went back to get HOMES ready for shove off to Lamb’s Marina. It was only a 30-minute cruise up the river. Why such a short cruise? We loved Elizabeth City, but we needed electric! It was 97 degrees again today and only getting down in the 80’s tonight. Air conditioning was a must!

Lamb’s Marina is owned by Larry Lamb, who answered the phone and helped us at the docks. We’re finding that most privately owned marinas are being bought up by large marinas like Safe Harbor or Morning Star. We always enjoy the little marinas like this one – although Kilkenny Marina in Georgia (see blogs from weeks 2 and 3) is still Tim’s favorite. We filled up all of our fuel tanks. Larry’s prices were higher than the next marina, but this is how we can possibly help keep privately owned marinas alive.

Lamb’s grocery store and attached restaurant were not open. The dock hand said that the new Dollar General and the gas station up the road have hurt business. So, out of necessity, we walked to the Dollar General for some groceries and ate at “Track I” restaurant. Several rain storms went through while we ate, but we got in a nice dinghy ride before the night-time storms came.

Saturday, July 30, 2022 – Camden, NC (Lamb’s Marina) to Chesapeake, VA (Top Rack Marina)

Today is Tracy’s birthday and we’re headed for a swamp! Tim has been looking forward to the Great Dismal Swamp since we decided to do the Great Loop. There is a lock into and out of the swamp – our first locks! Tim made breakfast to start us out on our 8-hour trip. We went 35 NM at an average speed on 6 kn.

The Dismal Swamp Canal is 22-miles long and is the oldest continually operating man-made canal in the U.S., opening in 1805. Robb and Tracy were a huge help through the locks. We docked at the Dismal Swamp State Park Visitor’s Center, which is within the lock area. Tim also took this time to clean the duckweed out of the engine strainers. You can see the green duckweed in most of the pictures.

It was a beautiful day for cruising. The duckweed, which floats on the surface of the water, was heavy most of the day – but pretty in its own way. It cleared up as we exited the canal at Deep Creek Lock. We had considered staying inside the canal at Elizabeth Dock, just before the drawbridge at Deep Creek Lock, but Tim was afraid to turn on the generator in the duckweed-filled water. So, we pushed HOMES harder than usual to make the 3:30 p.m. drawbridge opening – the last opening of the day. We made it with 7 minutes to spare!

Between worry about the duckweed clogging the engines and the shallowness of the canal- mostly 6’ and under, with us hitting bottom twice- we’ll call this a great adventure, but probably won’t do it again. There is an easier route, called the Virginia Cut. However, we wanted to say that we did the Dismal Swamp…and now we can! Only about 2,000 people a year go through.

This sign inside the lock made us realize how far we have come. Only 451 miles to New York!

After heading out of the lock, we traveled toward the Elizabeth River and turned right. Within minutes, we came to our destination for today – Top Rack Marina.

Earlier in the day, when we realized docking in the canal was a bad idea, I made a reservation at the marina and dinner reservations at the on-site restaurant, Amber Lantern, where we celebrated Tracy’s birthday with seafood (Tim had pork chops) and dessert. Tim hooked up the chair Tracy brought and we watched the sun set and spent a nice evening on deck.

Sunday, July 31, 2022 – Chesapeake, VA (Top Rack Marina) to Norfolk, VA (Waterside Marina)

We had a lazy morning since our journey today was just over an hour at 7.1 NM with an average speed of 6.4 kn. I worked on my blog, Tim cleaned out the engine and air conditioner strainers, which had not only duckweed, but a jellyfish. Tracy and Robb were entertained by the marina fork lift taking boats off racks and putting them into the water.

Before leaving, we topped up our fuel and had our waste tanks pumped out. We headed out around 11:00 a.m. for our short trip to Norfolk, VA. It was a short ride, but there was a lot to see! We went under bridges and saw barges, military ships, tall ships and even a docked submarine!

We walked up the dock to Blue Moon Tap House and had some appetizers for lunch. Robb and Tracy then took us to the grocery store in their car. We took advantage of having a car and stocked up on everything!

Later in the evening, we walked up the dock in the rain to Stripers Waterside Restaurant. Tracy and Robb have gotten their fill of seafood this weekend! The weather has cleared and we’re enjoying our last night on the back deck together.

It was another adventurous week! Tracy and Robb will head home in the morning after breakfast. We all had a fun time over these past 3 days!

Tim and I will catch up with you next Sunday! We haven’t done any planning after Norfolk, so we’re staying here at Waterside Marina tomorrow night also, so we can plan out our next few days. Have a great week!

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We had a nice visit home from July 6 through July 17, but now it’s great to be back cruising. As Phil Collins would say, ”Take, Take me HOMES” – or something like that! 😁

This week, we made it to North Carolina! This stretch of the ICW doesn’t have many anchorages, so we hopped from marina to marina all week.

We last left you on Sunday, July 3rd, when we were docked at Wacca Wache Marina doing chores and planning our visit home. On Monday, we checked off the top four things on our To-Do-List. We: 1) washed the boat; 2) took all of the anchor chain out, so that we could see how much rope was at the end of the chain and to make sure the anchor locker drain hole was clear; 3) installed the UV filter on the water tank, so we now have drinking water from the tank; and, 4) repositioned the bar stools to be closer to the bar.

On Tuesday, July 4th, we took an Uber to the Myrtle Beach International Airport to pick up our rental car. Once we had wheels again, we had lunch at Tidal Creek Brewhouse near the airport. They had a coffee bar AND craft beer – our favorite things in one stop!

On Wednesday, we were on the road at 5:00 a.m. and pulled into our driveway at 3:00 p.m. It wasn’t a bad drive at all.

We had a whirlwind 10 days of seeing family and friends, selling our Tesla, buying miscellaneous things for the boat, and of course, getting my haircut. I also got a new iPhone 13 Pro Max, so maybe my photography will get better. 😁

On Saturday, July 16th, we picked up the rental car for the trip back. On Sunday morning, we made breakfast with Nick and then headed out around 8:00 a.m. When we got close to the marina, around 7:00 p.m., we stopped at Publix to stock up on groceries. It took 3 trips to unload the car full of stuff, plus groceries. It was a long day, but it felt good to be back. On Monday, we took the rental car back to the Myrtle Beach International Airport and got an Uber back to HOMES.

Tuesday, July 19, 2022 – Murrells Inlet, SC ( Wacca Wache Marina) to Little River, SC (Myrtle Beach Yacht Club)

At 10:00 a.m., we excitedly pulled out of the marina and headed up the Waccamaw River, traveling through the Waccamaw National Wildlife Refuge. The refuge was established in 1997 to protect the coastal river ecosystem, which is an important habitat for migratory birds, fish and other wildlife – unfortunately, we didn’t see any alligators. Airboat rides left out of the Wacca Wache Marina and the public boat ramp was constantly in use with fisherman and families. It was nice seeing everyone enjoying this protected area – which was in stark contrast to our afternoon cruise through Myrtle Beach. Once we veered to the right out of the refuge, the last leg of our journey was cruising between houses, restaurants and shopping centers. Where ever possible, the trees and sand dunes are being cleared along both sides of the ICW and housing developments are going up.

We have been traveling along the Grand Strand portion of the ICW since around Georgetown, SC (our stop before the Wacca Wache Marina). The ICW is the back side of the Grand Strand – a 60-mile coastal strip of South Carolina with uninterrupted beaches. The primary city is Myrtle Beach. This area began to be developed in 1901. Developers held a contest to name the new vacation hotspot and ”Myrtle Beach” was selected because of the colorful crepe myrtle trees along the coast.

The Waccamaw River and Socastee Creek are connected to the Little River (where we’ll end up today) by a nearly 22-mile, man-made canal. This canal was completed in 1935. According to the Horry County, SC Historical Society, this was the final leg of the ICW to be completed, after nearly a century of work on the ICW from Maine to Florida. They also say that it is the longest man-made canal in the ICW. The canal area around Myrtle Beach is also called the ”Rock Pile,” because the channel was blasted out of solid rock, leaving abrupt ledges on each side.

We encountered two swing bridges. Both bridges opened on demand, so we just radioed the bridges when they came into sight. The first bridge, Socastee Swing Bridge (near the Rt. 501 on the above map), was built in 1935 and is listed in the National Register. It was built to help connect the county seat of Conway to Myrtle Beach.

The second bridge, Little River Swing Bridge, was also built in 1935, and connects the city of Little River to North Myrtle Beach. In 2018, this bridge was renamed ”Captain Archie Neil Poo McLauchlin Swing Bridge,” after a local captain, but we opted to use the original name when we called the bridge on the radio. 😂 This bridge was very close to the Myrtle Beach Yacht Club in Little River, SC – where we ended our day.

We traveled 34 NM and were underway almost 6 hours, with an average speed of 5.9 kn. After making dinner on the boat, we went for a walk and had a drink at Clark’s Seafood – a restaurant beside the marina. We enjoyed chatting with a couple who were also boaters. The man was originally from South Africa and shared some sailing stories. When we got back, the neighboring boat had blue accent lights, which gave HOMES a nice glow.

Wednesday, July 20, 2022 – Little River, SC to Southport, NC (Morningstar Marina)

We crossed into North Carolina after about forty minutes into our cruise. Today we traveled 32 NM and were underway almost 5 hours. We averaged 6.8 kn. (7.83 MPH), since we had the current with us for most of the day – quite speedy for us!

We came in and out of wildlife areas and residential/tourist areas. So, we had another day of boats and jet ski rentals buzzing around us like mosquitos at times. However, we also had quiet areas with fishermen tending their crab pots and pelicans diving into the water for lunch. We even saw a few dolphins, since we are back in salt water. We could often see the Atlantic Ocean on our starboard, especially as we passed multiple inlets.

We pulled into Southport, NC (Morningstar Marina) at 2:40 p.m. Both yesterday and today, we docked on a ”T” dock, meaning we pulled along side a long dock, as opposed to pulling into a slip, like at Wacca Wache Marina. Both days, Tim docked us like an expert, using the engines, wind and thrusters. We have both bow and stern thrusters, which push HOMES sideways. I am also getting more comfortable handling the lines and putting out the fenders.

Once we got settled, we walked the short distance into historic downtown Southport. Most of the stores closed at 4:00 p.m., but we found an open coffee shop, Port City Java, and took a self-guided tour around the town.

The City of Southport overlooks the Cape Fear River as it flows to the Atlantic Ocean. Fort Johnston is at the center of town. The original fort was established by the British in 1745 and was the first fort in NC. In response to the 1766 Stamp Act, the Patriots of the Cape Fear Resistance burned down the fort on July 18, 1775. The governor fled, ending the Royal Government in North Carolina. At the outbreak of the Civil War, President Lincoln proclaimed a naval blockade of all federal ports and extinguished all North Carolina lighthouses. This Cape Fear inlet at Southport, which goes up to Wilmington, was known for blockade runners bringing military supplies to Wilmington, where railroads transported the supplies to Gen. Robert E. Lee’s Amy of Northern Virginia. Eventually, the Union sealed every southern port except Wilmington because of Fort Johnson and other fortifications on the Cape Fear River.

Our walking tour also took us past an 800-year-old live oak tree believed to have been bent by the indians when it was a sapling to mark their fishing and hunting routes. We ended our tour at Southport Tap & Cellar. No, it wasn’t on the walking tour, but it’s Tim’s treat after all of the history. 😂

Thursday, July 21, 2022 – Southport, NC (Morningstar Marina)

We opted to stay put today because of 18-20 MPH winds. It also gave us time to see more of Southport. Marlin, one of the dock hands, told us how Hurricane Hazel devastated this area in 1954 and how, in 2018, Hurricane Florence damaged his house and destroyed the marina. He recommended we take his friend Rev’s golf cart tour of the town. So, we headed into town. After a delicious breakfast at Cafe Koa, we visited the Maritime Museum. Outside the museum, we saw Rev’s golf cart. We told him that Marlin sent us and asked if he had room for us on his next tour. Luckily, he did. Rev and his wife completed the Great Loop and came back to Southport many times before retiring here. He used to be a pick-up artist in Chicago for years and played with many famous musicians, including Tina Turner. Rev was a funny and informative tour guide. Many movies were made here, but since I’m not a movie or TV buff, I only recognized “Matlock” and “Weekend at Bernies.”

We saw the old River Pilot’s Tower, built in 1940, replacing the old wooden tower. Since the 1700s, pilots from Southport have guided ships on the Cape Fear River between the port of Wilmington and the Atlantic Ocean. Many became blockade runners during the Civil War. The tower houses the Cape Fear Pilot’s Association, from where they continue to be dispatched to aid incoming and outgoing ships negotiating the river channels on the 28-mile trip upriver to Wilmington. They continue to scale up and down the sides of these huge ships using a ship’s ladder

At Rev’s recommendation, we ended our day at American Fish Company, which is a club that you have to pay $1.00 per year to join. We paid our $2.00 and enjoyed a drink, while watching birds, boats and even sighted a few dolphins. The wind finally got the better of us and we headed back to HOMES – very glad that we didn’t try to move on this windy day.

Friday, July 22, 2022 – Southport, NC to Hampstead, NC (Harbour Village Marina)

This morning we headed up the Cape Fear River and cut back over to the ICW through Snow’s Cut and continued up the coast. We had two bridges to deal with today. The first bridge, Wrightsville Beach Bridge, has a closed height of 20 feet. We planned our departure this morning so that we would hit the bridge on the hour. About the time we got to the bridge, a huge rain storm hit, but Tim held HOMES steady for the 8 minutes that we had to wait for the bridge to open.

The second bridge, the Figure Eight Island Bridge, is a swing bridge with a closed height of 21 feet at high tide. We need a clearance of 21 feet, so we got HOMES up to 9.4 knots to make it to the bridge by 3:30 p.m. We called the bridge tender and asked for an opening and he said: “I got 22 feet right now, so come on under. I’ll keep an eye on you.” So, I put down the antennas and Tim eased under the bridge with a foot to spare. Bridge tenders don’t like to stop road traffic if they don’t have to.

The rain went as quickly as it came and we pulled into Harbour Village Marina around 5:00 p.m. with sunshine. We made dinner, took a walk around the marina, then settled down to watch TV. We were underway 5.22 hours and traveled 36.3 NM today, with an average of 6.8 kns (7.83 MPH) – HOMES was flying today!

Despite the rain storm, it was a nice cruise with pretty scenery and entertaining pelicans diving for their lunch and flying around the boat.

Saturday, July 22, 2022 – Hampstead, NC to Swansboro, NC. (Church St. Dock)

Our 5-hour (33 NM) cruise today, had some challenges, but ended with us listening to live music on the front deck. We began our cruise early because the marina wanted us out by 9:00 a.m. Low tide didn’t come until 11:30 a.m. The charts showed plenty of water; however, in reality, it got very shallow around Sneads Ferry, NC, where the New River meets the ICW – which we got to at exactly low tide. For a second, we hit a sandy bottom, as the depth finder showed 4 feet. That’s 8 inches too shallow for us! HOMES powered through that little spot and we popped back into 7 feet and had no other issues.

We got to Onslow Beach Swing Bridge and requested its noon opening. Its always fascinating watching swing bridges open.

We also cruised past Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune. The chart said that the area can be closed for shooting practice, so we called the number and got an answering machine message saying everyone was busy. Luckily when we got there, the lights were not flashing, so we cruised, without incident, past the area littered with old tanks and cutouts of people – which we assume are for target practice.

The last unwelcome surprise of the day was a boat sitting in our reserved dock at the Church Street Dock in Swansboro. This is a city dock and not a marina, so there is no one on duty. However, we did pay for the slip and there were signs saying reserved. When we reserved the dock, the guy said to call if there was someone in the spot. I guess that should have been a clue. So, we called and the women who answered the phone had no idea what to do about it. Tim kept us hovered outside the dock for about an hour, giving the patrons of the two waterfront restaurants something to look at over lunch. The women did finally come to the dock and was on her phone, but I think it was just luck that the people finally came and moved their boat. She scrammed as soon as the boat left, but two nice boaters on the dock helped us with our lines. We had a lot of people come by the boat to talk – a few who were at the restaurants and saw us patiently waiting.

After exploring the town and getting a coffee and muffin at a coffee shop/ pet store called Muttigans, we came back to HOMES and made dinner. As we were eating dinner on the back deck, a boat came along side and yelled O-H and we did the obligatory I-O (Tim is not an OSU fan after 27 years as a Columbus firefighter dealing with fans setting things on fire after games). This couple now live in Swansboro, but used to live near Cincinnati. We had to even do the O-H-I-O hand movements as they moved on after our chat. It was actually fun.

Our plans to have a drink at one of the 3 waterfront restaurants failed because the visitors swelled as evening came and filled all of the restaurants. So, walking back to HOMES, we passed a tiny “grocer” store (15’ x 30’- two short aisles) where Tim bought a 6-pack of blond ale for $18.00. The Saltwater Grill had seating that spilled out onto our dock, so we took our drinks and sat on the dock. The Saltwater Grill had a 1980s coverband playing until 10:00 p.m. If you know me, you know that I love 80s music! I had an enjoyable time singing along, even later as I sat on the front deck after my shower. Trust me I sounded just like Pat Benatar and Ann Wilson of Heart.

Sunday, July 24, 2022 – Swansboro, NC to Beaufort, NC (Beaufort Docks Marina)

We started out of Swansboro around 8:30 a.m. The dock was empty of boats. The restaurants were closed and not a soul was on the waterfront. A fishing boat did pass us as we headed back up the ICW.

We only had a short 24-mile cruise to Beaufort. We left early to time the tide for the shallow spots that we saw on the chart. A fellow looper, passing us going south, called us on the radio. He gave us some information about the shallow spots up ahead. He was a talker, so he recommended some places to stay and things to do from here to New York City. I took notes.

In just under 4 hours, traveling an average of 6.6 kn., we pulled into Beaufort Docks Marina. Tim did another phenomenal job docking. He had to back into the slip – where the two guys are standing in the picture. He slid it in with not so much as a bump on the dock.

We had lunch at The Dock House, which is also where the marina office is. I had a tasty flounder sandwich. My first seafood of the trip. Tim is allergic to shellfish, so we tend not to eat at seafood restaurants. I’m not generally a fish person, but today it sounded good for a change.

After lunch, we walked around the town. The maritime museum was closed, but its Watercraft Center was open to look around. It’s nice to see the old craftsmanship still being used.

Tonight we’ll walk up the dock to one of the waterfront restaurants for a drink to toast my dad on what would have been his 86th birthday. It’s hard to believe that he has been gone for 20 years…but not forgotten.

We’ll leave you here until next Sunday. Bye for now.

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This week, we were in no great rush, because our destination was only 74 nautical miles away (64 road miles). This was a good thing because, as Anne Lennox of the Eurythmics would say, ”Here Comes the Rain Again!” However, it was just rain most of the week – like a rainy spring week at home. Fortunately, the rain brought cooler than normal temperatures – mid to high 80s in the daytime and 70s at night – while we were in Georgetown, SC. It got back up into the 90s for the Fourth of July weekend.

Monday, June 27, 2022- Safe Harbor-Charleston City Marina

Three weeks ago, we sold the sailing dinghy that came with HOMES. Today was the day that the buyer came to pick it up. When we bought HOMES, she came with two dinghies: 1) The one we use – a 2021, 13-foot Zar Mini, hard bottom dinghy with a 30 HP Suzuki outboard motor; and, 2) a Norseboat 12.5 sailing dinghy.

We are not sailors, so we were never going to use it. Tim and Nick took it out once on Spring Break, but didn’t try to sail it. So, we listed it with a Norseboat broker who sold it in three weeks to a guy in North Carolina. That guy was very happy that we were heading up the coast and could drop it off.

Luckily the Charleston City Marina ”Mega Dock,” where we had been staying since Friday, had golf carts with hitches. A dock hand drove the buyer’s trailer down the dock to HOMES and Tim craned it onto the trailer.

Now we’ll have to figure out something to do with all of that deck space!

While Tim was dealing with the sailing dinghy, I spent the morning and afternoon cleaning and doing laundry. It was a steamy day outside, so staying in the air conditioning was preferable. I like to do big cleaning jobs and washing sheets and towels when we are at a marina and hooked to their water. I washed all of the windows. The porthole windows and screens took the longest because they were covered in dried-on saltwater spray.

After our respective work days, we had an early dinner on the boat (Tim is a master with his Instant Pot!), then headed out to walk the town one last time. I still wanted to see the Old Exchange Building and Rainbow Row. The Old Exchange Building, which was completed in 1771, is a Charleston landmark. It has been the property of the British, United States, Confederate and Charleston city governments. It is where, in 1788, the South Carolina leaders debated and approved the U.S. constitution, ensuring liberty for all. Ironically, inside and just north of the building is where thousands of enslaved people were sold as early as the 1770s. Charleston was one of the largest slave trading cities in the U.S.

Rainbow Row is a series of 13 brightly-colored houses along the waterfront dating back to about 1740. After the Civil War the area became a slum, but in 1931 the neighborhood was revitalized. Some theories for why the houses are painted various pastel colors are: so that drunk sailors might find their home easier; it was how a merchant indicated what items he sold; or, the light colors helped to keep out the heat.

I think Tim’s favorite part of our history walk is when we found an alehouse dating back to 1803 – The Blind Tiger. We enjoyed a local craft brew and cider, before the long walk back to HOMES.

Tuesday, June 28, 2022 – Charleston, SC to near McClellanville, S.C.

It was nice getting underway again, after being at a marina since last Friday. We headed out across Charleston Harbor and past Fort Sumter imagining the horrors of this area during the Revolutionary War and the Civil War. However, we were quickly brought back to reality because of two big freighters and a Coast Guard boat that we had to negotiate around. Those big boats move much faster than we do!

We traveled 42.9 NM today and were underway for a little over 7 hours. We took it slow because, despite leaving at high tide, it was 7-8 feet in some places. The weather forecast was calling for rain all day, be we only got into a little light rain for a short time – long enough for Tim to drive from the lower helm for the first time.

If you drive Route 17 from Charleston to McClellanville, near where we anchored today, you could do it in about an hour. However, our 7-hour trip took us through Francis Marion National Forest on our port (left) and and sea islands on our starboard (right). The National Forest is named for a Revolutionary officer who was nicknamed the Swamp Fox and is considered one of the fathers of modern guerrilla warefare. The forest is a subtropical coniferous forest, meaning it is made up of conifers (con-bearing seed plants) like cedars, Douglas-firs, and cypresses, whose needles are adapted to deal with the variable climatic conditions. In 1989, the forest was nearly destroyed by Hurricane Hugo. Today, most trees in the forest do not predate that hurricane.

We anchored off Cedar Island in the South Santee River/ Santee Coastal Reserve. Being all alone in the middle of a wildlife reserve was nice after being at the ”Mega Dock” for four days. Reviews for this anchorage said that people have seen alligators. Unfortunately, we didn’t see any alligators, but our luck would change tomorrow.

Wednesday, June 29, 2022 – Near McClellanville, S.C. to Georgetown, S.C.

We were awakened at 4:30 a.m. by heavy rain. We shut the windows and went back to bed, since we had no intentions of leaving in the rain. When we did get up, we found that HOMES has a leak somewhere in the helm. We’ll investigate once we get to the marina where we’ll be staying for a few weeks. The rain moved out around 9:30 a.m., so we pulled up anchor and headed out for our 3-hour trip to Georgetown – only 16 nautical miles away.

We cruised through the Tom Yawkey Wildlife Center – 24,000 acres of marshes, wetlands, forests and beaches, donated by a long-time owner of the Boston Red Socks, who inherited the property in 1925. We went past the pontoon swing bridge that connects the two sides of the wildlife center. The swing bridge, which replaced the last operational ferry in Georgetown County, is the only means of access to Cat and South islands. Before the islands were owned by Yawkey, they were home to at least seven plantations. The swing bridge is pulled across the ICW by cable. It is operated by the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources and used infrequently by park personnel. Not surprisingly, we didn’t get to see it swing.

Just as it began to sprinkle again, we anchored right off the banks of Georgetown, on the Sampit River. What a great anchorage and town!

Georgetown is the third-oldest town in South Carolina. Last week we visited the first (Charleston) and the second (Beaufort). We braved the sprinkles and took the dinghy in for coffee and a walk around the historic downtown. We ended our walk at Buzz’s Roost. Tim got a flight of local craft brews and we enjoyed talking with some other boaters. The highlight today – I saw two alligators!

Thursday, June 30, 2022 – Georgetown, S.C.

Today was a non-moving day, so that we could explore Georgetown. We headed in for breakfast at the local cafe – Thomas Cafe. As we were leaving the cafe, we ran into a boating couple who we met in Titusville, FL and saw again last week at Charleston. They are ages 78 and 80 and will be selling their Defever trawler for a sailboat in the fall because power boating is too easy. We took this trip now because we thought we were getting too old to do this. 😂 We made plans to meet them for dinner, along with another couple from the marina where they are staying. They said that couple wants to meet us because they lived in Ohio before moving to Florida.

After leaving the cafe, we took a tour of the Kaminski House and museum, which we can see from HOMES. The Kaminski House is a plantation house named for the last owners who donated it to the town. It was built around 1769 by Paul Trapier, one of the wealthiest merchants/ planters in the colonies, for his unmarried 23-year-old daughter, who was considered a spinster. She did eventually marry, but had no children. She left the house to her niece in 1817, and then it was sold to a widow in 1855. So, unique for that time, the first three owners of the house were women.

After spending the afternoon on HOMES, we headed back into Georgetown to tour the Georgetown Maritime Museum before meeting up for dinner. The museum was packed with history. I took this picture of Georgetown in about 1920. The big 4-masted sailing schooner, built during WWI, is loading lumber at the Sampit River Sawmill. Fast forward to today, HOMES is anchored just at the curve of the river.

We met up with the other two couples for dinner at Buzz’s Roost. The couple on their boat ”Freedom” lived in Marble Head, OH for 21 years. That area was our home away from home for all of the years we had our other boat (Slow Poke) at Lake Erie, and Tim for many years before that on his first boat. So we enjoyed reminiscing and exchanging current cruising stories. They have done the Erie Canal twice and many other places where we want to go.

We enjoyed our last evening at Georgetown, watching an alligator float by the boat, fish jumping out of the water and listening to live music from the nearby restaurant.

Friday, July 1, 2022 – Georgetown, S.C. to Murrells Inlet, S.C. (Wacca Wache Marina)

We were again awaken by rain. However, a little rain wouldn’t deter Tim from getting the biscuits and gravy at Thomas Cafe that he didn’t order yesterday. So, we took a soggy ride in the dingy for breakfast. It was well worth to the trip! We pulled up anchor around 9:30 a.m. and headed out, passing the boats of the two couples who we had dinner with last night. They are both staying here because they want to be off the water for the Fourth of July holiday.

We noticed during our 18 NM trip today on the Waccamaw River that our scenery is changing. The Waccamaw River is a fresh water river. We still see palm trees and moss on trees, but now we see alligators and trees that look a bit more like the trees we see at home.

We had a short 18 NM trip, so after 3 hours, we pulled into Wacca Wache Marina at Murrells Inlet, S.C. The name Wacca Wache derives from the language of the Waccamaw Indians and means happy waters.

The waters may be happy, but the rain continued for most of our cruise. Tim drove from inside. I was the back-seat driver and worked on my blog.

We’ll be staying at Wacca Wache Marina for a few weeks, because we don’t want to be on the water over the Fourth of July holiday week. We had always been planning on coming home in July for a visit after this ”shakedown” cruise, so now is the time.

The marina isn’t within walking distance to anything. However, we are just here to complete a few projects and leave HOMES somewhere safe while we go home. The Wacca Wache Marina has been here for 70 years. The marina originated in 1954, built from remnants of local houses and cottages that floated down the waterway after Hurricane Hazel. We are enjoying the retro feel of the marina’s restaurant and bar.

Tim started the project to find the leak in the helm right away. He temporarily resealed the skylight that was causing the problem. We’ll bring back from home what we need for a permanent fix.

After dinner on the boat, we walked up to the marina restaurant for a drink. After all of the fun exploring Charleston and Georgetown, we’re ready for some time at HOMES.

Saturday and Sunday, July 2-3, 2022 – Murrells Inlet, S.C. (Wacca Wache Marina)

Saturday brought our first tropical storm scare. Tropical Storm Colin formed early Saturday morning, surprising forecasters. It was supposed to hit our area with gusty winds up to 40 MPH and produce 1-2 inches of rain. Luckily none of that happened. The locals all carried on as normal. The boat ramp that we can see was busy all day long.

Tim spent the day washing the dinghy. I stayed in the air conditioning – too steamy for me! I worked on my blog and read a book. We never got any wind and very little rain.

We went into the marina restaurant for a drink in the evening. We sat at the bar and enjoyed talking with an elderly couple. They had just come from church in Georgetown – 20 minutes away. Yes, it took us 3 hours in the boat! They live up the road from the marina, but she had a strong New York accent and cussed up a storm. I asked her about the nonchalance of the locals when a tropical storm was headed our way. She laughed and agreed that they watch the storm before getting too worried. There are three things to watch for…but she couldn’t remember what those three things were. 😂

Today, we routed the next few legs of our journey, which we’ll resume after a short visit home. I won’t do any blogs for the next two Sundays, since we won’t be moving. So, I hope you pick back up with us on Sunday, July 24th!

Happy 4th of July!! 🇺🇸

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We made it through Georgia and spent the week cruising through the Sea Islands of South Carolina’s Lowcounty. It is called the Lowcounty because the land sits just above sea level. While the salt marshes are important for biodiversity, it was pretty much the same scenery everyday, with an occasional dolphin to spice things up. The Lowcounty begins at Daufuskie Island (the southern most tip of South Carolina) and ends just south of Myrtle Beach. Daufuskie Island was our favorite stop this week! As Madonna would say, it was a ”La Isla Bonita.”

Monday, June 20, 2022 – Kilkenny Marina, GA to Wilmington Island, GA (near Savannah)

Today was more like a Friday evening for us back home. Our goal today – getting fuel and going grocery shopping. We finally found an anchorage with a Publix Super Market and ACE Hardware Store within walking distance. We last bought fresh fruits and veggies in Titusville last Saturday evening.

We bade farewell to Kilkenny Marina, after getting 166 gallons of diesel. Tim manned the pump nozzle and I sat in the engine room and let him know when the fuel rose to the top of the tube (in the picture it is halfway there). This marina’s diesel was $1.00 cheaper than the next marina, so we topped off both tanks.

It is safe to say that this was our longest trip to the grocery store – 4.5 hours and 25.5 NM (29 road miles). We anchored off Wilmington Island (near Savannah, GA) and took the 10-minute dinghy ride into Hogans’ Marina where we tied up our dinghy for $10.00. See… parking prices in downtown Columbus aren’t so bad! The ACE Hardware store was a short walk up the road. Tim bought some plumbing pieces to hook up our UV filter to the kitchen sink. The Publix Super Market was basically in the parking lot of the marina. We ran into a couple who we met at Kilkenny Marina and talked with them for a while (yep, just like grocery shopping at home.) We bought our groceries, stuffed our backpacks and insulated cooler bags full and headed back to the boat to make dinner and plan our trip for the next day.

Tuesday, June 21, 2022 – Wilmington Island, GA to Daufuskie Island, SC

Shortly after we began our trip yesterday, we passed that magically 32-degree latitude line that our insurance company required us to cross before July 1st – the beginning of hurricane season. We were not excited about the anchorage we had picked out near Hilton Head, so when we were cruising past Daufuskie Island and saw on Navionics (our navigation system) that there was a marina and anchorages. I quickly Goggled the island and a coffee shop popped up. Decision made! We did a U-turn and anchored just off the public dock.

Daufuskie Island is the southern most inhabited sea island on the tip of South Carolina and is only accessible by ferry or boat. It is 5 miles long and 2.5 miles wide.

Here is a link to Daufuskie Island’s website. The Island has an extensive history beginning with the Yammacraw Indians 10,000 years ago. The Spanish and English explorers came in the 1500’s and 1600’s, with English settlers coming In the 1700’s. Indigo was the main crop before the American Revolution. We visited a store where the women were still using indigo to dye clothes.

Sea island cotton was the main crop after 1790. In 1861 when Union forces arrived, the planters abandoned the Island, leaving property and slaves behind. The remoteness of the Island has allowed the Gullah culture to survive through the present. The Gullah language is a legacy of the original slaves and is blend of West African and rural English.

We took the dinghy into the free public dock. It immediately gave us the feel of Kelleys Island. A young couple, sitting in a golf cart, were waiting for us to walk up the dock. They were admiring our boat as we came in and wanted to know about it. They live in Savannah (30 min. away) and had a vacation house on the island. They are planning to do the Great Loop too, but they have 20 years to go. They had lots of questions about our travels so far, and in return they gave us lots of information about the island. They offered to let us use their golf cart, but since the rental booth was right there at the dock, we thanked them and rented one.

Tim wondered why the golf cart tracked so badly, then we got on the road and saw why. The roads were dirt/sand that bumped you along. We passed the oldest building – The First Union African Baptist Church, still in use today – on our way to School Grounds Coffee. The coffee and scone were delicious!

Our next stop was Silver Dew Winery, where in 1883 there was a skeleton light used to guide boaters. We did a wine tasting of two of their wines, walked around the grounds that contained a plantation house (now a museum), the remains of a single log dugout longboat carbon dated 1750-1810 and a live oak tree that was around 300 years old. In colonial days these trees were used to build ships, including the U.S. Constitution. When the live oak tree grows out and its limbs hit the ground, it roots and grows up again. When this happens the tree becomes an angel oak. This can take hundreds of years – like the one behind us in the picture.

We rounded out our our day at Freeport Marina for a drink before returning the golf cart and heading back to HOMES to make dinner and plan our next day.

Wednesday, June 21, 2022 -Daufuskie Island, SC to Beaufort, SC

Today, we cruised 29 NM and about 3 hours, going past Hilton Head Island, as well as Parris Island – the Marine base where my dad did his basic training in the late 1950s. We are getting more comfortable with HOMES. Today, Tim fine tuned the autopilot and is now happy with how it tracks. He used it a lot today.

We anchored at Beaufort, SC on Port Royal Island. It is the second oldest city in South Carolina. We will end this week at the oldest city in South Carolina. Beaufort is known for its antebellum (pre-Civil War) mansions. The famous movies shot here include Forrest Gump, The Prince of Tides and the Big Chill. The bridge in the background with HOMES is the one Forrest Gump ran across.

Thursday, June 22, 2022 – Beaufort, SC to near Madmalaw Island, SC

Since we needed to wait for a rising tide, we took the dinghy into Beaufort for a coffee and another walk around town. We found a beautiful old church. St. Helen’s Church was dated 1724. It was used by the British to stable horses during the Revolution and as a hospital in the Civil War. Among those buried in the churchyard are 2 British officers, 3 American generals and many confederate soldiers.

By the time we got back to the boat, around 8:30 a.m., the tide was rising, so we pulled up anchor and headed out under the ”Forrest Gump” bridge.

The tides in this area are 6-8 feet, so it is important to plan our trip around them. The ICW channel should always be 12 foot, but we’ve seen 6-7 feet. So, you can see how a 6-8 foot tide can change the comfort level of a trip – mentally, if not physically.

Our trip today was tedious. We went almost 47 NM and traveled through more salt marshes for about 7 hours in very windy conditions (18-20 kn./ 20-23 MPH). Our destination was only to get closer to Charleston for our next day’s journey. The anchorage that we picked said it had an “open mooring ball.” We thought that would be good practice since we had never tried one. A mooring ball is a floating ball permanently anchored to the riverbed, which has a line with a loop at the end. You are supposed to grab that line with your dock pole and then tie your lines to that loop. Well, since this particular mooring ball was in the middle of nowhere, no one must maintain it, because when I hooked the line with my dock pole, the line was about 5 inches in diameter due to being covered in barnacles! My hook got caught on the barnacles and I almost lost my dock pole. Instead, I held on tight and bent the dock pole. After that drama, we just went a few 100 yards away and anchored, but it still wasn’t easy because of the wind and current. We were quite glad to be done for the day! Tim was able to straighten the dock pole some, but he will have to cut off one section. So, now we have one short dock pole.

We did pass something interesting right before the anchorage. It was a barge called American Wind Symphony Orchestra – a floating concert venue. Something new everyday.

Friday, June 24, 2022 – Near Wadmalaw Island, SC to Charleston, SC

We had a leisurely morning, since we only had about a 3-hour trip (16 NM) to get to Charleston and we couldn’t check into the marina until 1:00 p.m. So, we sat on the back deck and had breakfast. I even had time for some yoga and to work on my blog. Around 10:30 a.m., we pulled up anchor and headed out for another windy day on the water.

We will be staying in Charleston until Tuesday, because we sold the sailing dinghy that is on the top deck of HOMES. The buyer is picking it up on Monday.

It only took us about 3 hours to pull into Safe Harbor-Charleston City Marina. However, the wind, currents and tides made for a hair-raising docking experience. We radioed the marina for directions to our slip. They said it would be a starboard tie, so I got all of the fenders and lines to the right side of HOMES. When we got closer, we saw that a starboard tie meant that Tim had to back into the slip…in 15 kn. wind and currents! I put out the fenders and tossed the lines to the waiting dock hands. Tim did an amazing job! The dock hands said they were impressed. After getting settled in, we walked around the “Mega Marina.” It is called that because it hosts the big, expensive megayachts. Therefore, the docks are huge! We are on the very end of the far dock, looking out into Charleston Harbor. It is about a 10-minute walk to get off the dock. Of all of the megayachts that we walk by to get to HOMES, we like HOMES the best!

Saturday, June 25, 2022 – Safe Harbor-Charleston City Marina

We used this non-moving day to give HOMES a good bath. The temperature was only in the mid-80s, so it made working outside nice.

We also scheduled a pump out of our blackwater tank, aka toilet tank. They pulled up along side HOMES and carried a hose over to the blackwater deck fitting, hooked it up and turned on a vacuum pump. I loved the name of the boat – “Bow Movement.” It only cost $5.00! I thought the guy was joking. He explained that they get a grant from the state to encourage people not to dump waste.

After a morning and afternoon of boat chores, we headed out for some exploring. We took the marina’s free shuttle van to King Street. We walked all through the historic district. The Charleston City Market was erected between 1788 and 1804 as a public market with beef, vegetables, fruit and other provisions. Now, it contains stalls of venders and artisans selling their wares.

Tim found “Tommy Condon’s Irish Pub” for dinner, before walking back to the marina. We could see HOMES as we were walking up the street toward the harbor. unfortunately, from where we took this picture, we had to walk about 10 minutes to the marina and another 10 minutes out on the dock where HOMES is. However, that is better than swimming there. 😂

Sunday, June 24, 2022 – Safe Harbor-Charleston City Marina

We got up early today and had an enjoyable walk into town and found a little coffee shop with excellent banana bread. It was nice walking around the city before the hoards of people came out. Charleston is a very busy city. The harbor looks like I-270 at rush hour at times.

After our walk, we came back to the boat to do some planning for the next few weeks. We don’t want to be out on the water for the Fourth of July holiday, so we decided that would be a great time to come home for a visit. We called several marinas and found one a little South of Myrtle Beach where we’ll leave HOMES on July 1st and come home for a few weeks.

Later in the afternoon, we toured Fort Sumter. Charleston Harbor was were the first shots of the Civil War occurred, as a result of a divided county over property rights, human rights, state rights and constitutional rights. South Carolina was the first state to secede from the union and did so in Charleston – the oldest city in South Carolina.

Fort Sumter is a national park. The only way to get to there is by ferry.

I am posting my blog later than usual tonight because we didn’t get back from Fort Sumter until 6:00 p.m., then we had dinner and walked back to the boat. Hopefully you enjoyed this week’s blog and I didn’t bore you with too much history. I love history!

We’ll catch up with you next week around Myrtle Beach.

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No storms this week, but as Glenn Frey would say: ”The heat is on.”

Monday, June 13, 2022 – Daytona Beach, FL to St. Augustine, FL

While “Week One” ended on a disappointing note – literally – a vibration in the starboard (right) engine (after hitting bottom at an anchorage in Daytona), we were uplifted by dolphins that evening and in the morning. We persevered onto St. Augustine. Oasis Marina and Boatyard said they’d lift us out the next morning, after divers cleaned the bottom of HOMES.

It took us 7 hours to go 43 NM, since we kept our speed below 6 knots- where we felt the least vibration. It was a scenic ride along state parks and Palm Coast, with many dolphin sightings.

We tied up at Oasis Marina around 3:00 p.m. and waited out the heat before exploring that evening. Lincolnville Historic District was within walking distance of the marina, so we strolled around the quaint neighborhood of late Victorian Era homes, with moss covered trees. We even found Dog Rose Brewing Company for a nightcap.

Tuesday, June 14, 2022 – St. Augustine, FL to Jacksonville, FL (Sisters Island/Clapboard Creek)

This morning brought great news!

The marina’s protocol to have divers clean the bottom of the boat before lifting it out of the water saved us a lot of time and money. The divers found all of this stuff (see picture on the right) wrapped around our props! They said 4 other boats were in the marina for the same issue, also after anchoring in Daytona. After hearing no more vibration, we happily continued on our way.

We opted for a short trip up to Jacksonsville, since we got a late start. It took us about 5 hours to go 36 NM, since we were able to go about 6.7 knots today. It was another scenic ride, but our first experience with confused waters – caused by strong currents, winds and extreme tides near the St. Johns River Inlet. Nothing concerning, just new.

We crossed the St. Johns River and anchored near Sisters Island. After dinner, we explored mainland. That night we were all alone at the anchorage. We sat on the flybridge deck, enjoying the quiet of the night, which was only interrupted by the surfacing of dolphins in the moonlight and the nocturnal hum from the marshland.

Wednesday, June 15, 2022 – Jacksonville, FL to Amelia Island, FL (Fernandina Beach)

This was an incredibly short cruising day – about 3.2 hours and 20 NM. We opted for this short hop to make our next leg up toward Jekyll Island more manageable. Besides, Historic Old Fernandina looked like a fun town to explore. We encountered our first railroad swing bridge on the way. It is held open until a train is coming. I think Tim was hoping to see a train pass. He loves trains!

After the heat of the day passed (high of 92 degrees with 58% humidity), we took the dinghy to mainland. We had a nice stroll around the historic downtown. We had coffee and a biscotti at Amelia Island Coffee and dinner at Amelia Island Brewing Company.

We planned our trips for the next two days, then hung out on deck. It was an incredibly hot night because the breeze died down.

Thursday, June 16, 2022 – Amelia Island, FL to St. Simon Island, GA

We finally made it out of Florida! We travelled 35 NM today in almost 6 hours. There was little wind and lots of wide open water. We saw many pelicans and dolphins and passed by Jekyll Island. We anchored near Costal Marina off of St. Simon Island (near Brunswick, GA). We took the dinghy into the marina and filled our drinking water bottles – Tim is still trying to figure out the watermaker. We had a nice chat with the two dock masters and got some tips about our next few days. At their suggestion, we took the dinghy back to the marina restaurant for a drink that evening.

Friday, June 17, 2022 – St. Simon Island to near Valona, GA (in the middle of nowhere)

We had a leisurely morning waiting for a rising tide before starting out – we’ve learned to consult our tide charts after basically boating in a ditch between two beaches at New Smyrna last Sunday.

I am becoming more of a true first mate. Today, I did the engine checks, turned off the generator and started the engines. Raising the anchor went perfectly – not even too messy.

It was about the same scenery today, so I put in some laundry and did some vacuuming and cleaning. As if that encouraged visitors, we were again pulled over by the authorities. This time, the U.S. Coast Guard. Again, we passed our inspection and the officers were very nice. I did have to wipe down the teak floors again because the two guys left boot prints on my clean floors.

After cruising 31 NM in about 5 hours, we anchored for the night in the middle of nowhere. However, a fishing boat went by, continuing up Blackbeard Creek, so there must be civilization up there somewhere.

Saturday, June 18, 2022 – Stayed at same anchorage

We opted to stay put today for a few reasons. First, the marina where we wanted to spend the night was full because of the busy Father’s Day weekend; Second, when we turned on the radio we heard: “Dude, I’m giving you room…just don’t hit me;” and third, this is the highest wind conditions that we have seen. While 11-16 knots of wind (13-18 MPH) is considered a “moderate breeze” in the boating world, the threat of gusts of up to 20 knots and our inexperience with HOMES, plus the extra weekend boat traffic cemented our decision to stay put.

And, this wasn’t a bad anchorage. Last night we had a pleasant evening sitting on the flybridge deck watching the heat lightening illuminating the clouds like a light show. At 11:00 p.m., a storm rolled through with high winds, but the anchor held well. The only concerning point was when we saw a barge coming up the Intracostal pointing at us, since our anchorage was just outside the Intracostal channel. We turned on all of our lights on and were relieved when it made the curve and continued on up the Intracostal.

In the morning, we awoke to lots of wind and a beautiful rainbow. Also to news of a 3.9 earthquake, which was felt as far south as Brunswick, GA – where we stayed on Thursday night. We’re the blue dot on this map; However, we didn’t feel a thing.

Staying put allowed for some time to relax and do boat chores. Tim got more organizing done. He also, unfortunately, found out that the watermaker doesn’t work. He’ll order a new seal and hope that fixes it.

Sunday, June 19, 2022 – From near Valona, GA to near Richmond Hill, GA (Kilkenny Marina)

We had considered staying at our middle-of-nowhere anchorage yet today, but seeing as the wind is forecasted to be strong all week, we decided to move today. We were bolstered in our decision after finding out that the marina, which was full yesterday had room for us tonight. We left in 16 kn. (18 MPH) winds, but the marina where we were headed had 12 kn. (14 MPH) winds. So, we set off.

There was very little boat traffic on our 26 NM trip, which crossed two inlets – Sapelo Sound and Saint Catherines Sound. The wind and waves in these wide open inlets was intense. We actually hit wind of 28 kn. (32 MPH) and six-foot waves, but HOMES gave us a smooth ride. It gave us confidence in HOMES and our abilities.

After about 4.5 hours, we tied up at Kilkenny Marina, which is slightly less in the middle of nowhere. The nice restaurant near the marina is closed on Sundays, so we opted for the marina’s other culinary option – we ordered pizza and had it delivered.

And so, ”Week Two” comes to an end. Thankfully, much less dramatic than last week’s ending. In the coming week we will continue our trip north up toward South Carolina. We’ll catch up with you then!

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Like Bon Jovi says: “It’s my life; It’s now or never; I ain’t going to live forever.”

Our two tickets to paradise got us into Florida on Sunday, June 5th. On Monday, we stocked up on provisions, returned the rental car, walked back to HOMES and plotted our course for the next day.

A week of firsts!

Tuesday, June 7, 2022 – Delray Beach, Fl to West Palm Beach, FL

We headed out of Delray Beach/Seagate Marina and radioed Atlantic Ave. drawbridge for its 12:15 p.m. opening. It was the first of 8 drawbridges that day. We traveled 17.9 Nautical Miles (NM), which is about 21 road miles. We opted for a short cruising day, so we would have the time and energy for our first anchoring experience. However, even that short distance took us 3 hours because of the bridge openings. Also, we only travel at around 6 knots (about 7 MPH) – trawler life!

We found our first anchorage, which was just outside the channel of the Intracoastal Waterway (ICW). We eased out of the channel cautiously because the anchorage area was from 7-10’ deep and we need 4’ 7” to float. A little nerve-racking hearing the low-water alarm going off. To add to the stress of anchoring, the wind had picked up and a storm was heading our way. It took us a few attempts – me at the anchor controls on the bow and Tim at the helm – but we must have done well, because our anchor alarm never woke us up that night. Once the storm passed, it was a beautiful night.

Wednesday, June 8, 2022 – West Palm Beach, FL to Fort Pierce, FL

We woke up to a gorgeous sunrise. Lifting the anchor was much easier than setting it, so we were on our way by 7:30 a.m., but immediately hit a slight traffic jam. A huge ship carrying cargo containers was heading in from the ocean. We waited for it to maneuver into its dock – more exciting than a traffic jam on I-70.

This day we motored for 7 hours and went 47.9 NM with an average speed of 6.8 knots. We had only one drawbridge.

We anchored at Fort Pierce, near the inlet to the Atlantic Ocean. The current was very strong, but our second day of anchoring went much better. After making our first dinner on HOMES (pasta and a salad), we took our first dinghy ride away from HOMES.

We took the dinghy to a little island park and waded around in the water, which was crystal clear. Then, we motored over to the mainland to “Chuck’s Seafood Restaurant” for a drink. You can see HOMES far off in the distance as Tim enjoys his pineapple blond ale.

Thursday, June 9, 2022 – Fort Pierce, FL to Indian Harbour Beach, FL

Raising the anchor this morning was a little messy, with seaweed and thick sand/gravel hanging on, so I got to use the wash-down hose on the bow for the first time. Tim carefully maneuvered us through shallow water back to the ICW channel. Today was our day for wildlife! Most of the day we motored through wildlife refuges. We saw dolphins for the first time; pelicans diving into the water for fish; and, manatees swirling below the surface.

Today was also my first time doing laundry underway. And, also my first day steering HOMES.

Today, we traveled 7 hours and went 46 NM at an average speed of 6.5 knots. As we approached our anchorage, we got a message on Nebo Tracker from an AGLCA Harbor Host asking if we needed anything. A Harbor Host is a local association member. We did ask him for some marina and anchorage recommendations for the next few days. Earlier in the day, a passing boat radioed to us to chat. He had just finished the Great Loop. The AGLCA is a great community of boaters.

Friday, June 10, 2022 – Indian Harbour Beach, FL to Titusville, FL (The Space Coast)

Last night we had the anchorage all to ourselves. Today started out with an equally messy raising of the anchor. Maybe this is why Tim gave me this job! After maneuvering through multiple crab pots, we were on our way for a short 4.5 hour (31 NM) trip up the Space Coast at 6.5 knots. The Space Coast is the area around the Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral, where all of the NASA-launched crewed spaceflights have departed.

Due to the stormy weather forecast for the next two days, we opted to reserve a slip at a marina for the first time. We called ahead to the Titusville Marina and reserved a slip for tonight and tomorrow night. Once at the marina, Tim maneuvered to the fuel dock for the first time like a pro. The trip into the slip was less graceful, but the rain and wind blew in at just that moment. We didn’t really need fuel, but the marina had a new diesel pump and needed to test it. So, we took on 78 gallons, which they gave to us at cost for doing them a favor. Tim estimates that we are only burning about 4 gallons/hour (1.5 galllons/hour per engine and 1 gallon/hour for the generator). That is the beauty of a trawler. It sips the fuel!

After 3 nights at anchor, It was nice being hooked up to shore electric and water at the marina! Downtown Titusville was a short walk away. After the storm passed, we walked up to Playalinda Brewery and chatted with local residents. When we got back to the marina, the boaters were having their weekly Friday-night BBQ and invited us to join, which we gladly did. Exploring new places and talking with new people were two of our reasons for taking this journey.

Saturday, June 11, 2022 – Titusville, FL (Titusville Marina)

After a walk into the local coffee shop, Tim used this non-moving day to do a variety of chores, including cleaning the sea strainers for the air conditioners and installing the steps he made at home for the ladder into the lazarette (storage area). I used it to do laundry, vacuum, and catch up on drafting my blog.

One of the best things about this marina is that a dolphin, named Carl by the boaters, makes this his home. Carl keeps popping up as I sit here drafting my blog – how cool is that?! As one of the boaters said last night, as Carl was entertaining us, “No matter how bad your day has been, seeing a dolphin makes everything better.”

In the afternoon Tim had a nice visit on the boat with George Roat (a fellow retired Columbus Firefighter), who relocated to Titusville. After George’s visit, Tim and I walked into town and had dinner at a new locally-owned restaurant called Hoffman’s Table. After a delicious dinner we walked next door to Playalinda Brewery for a drink. We met a nice couple and learned more local history.

Sunday, June 13, 2022 – Titusville, FL to Daytona Beach, FL

Our least favorite day of firsts.

We headed out of the marina around 7:30 a.m. and enjoyed the first part of our trip through the scenic Haulover Canal (the green line running parallel) and the Canaveral National Seashore, seeing a manatee tail and a dolphin. However, once we got to New Smyrna Beach, the small fishing/pleasure boats were zipping around everywhere. Then, a Fish and Wildlife Commission Law Enforcement boat pulled us over for a ”Courtesy Stop” to see if all of our documentation was correct and we weren’t dumping our heads (toilets) overboard. We passed our first inspection and the officers were quickly on to the next big boat.

When we got to the Ponce Inlet, it was low tide, so all we saw was sand on either side of the boat. Once we got into deeper waters, a storm came over. These storms come and pass quickly, but it’s still a mad rush to close up the boat. When we finally got to Daytona, we chose the first anchorage. It was shallow and we couldn’t get the anchor to hold, so we decided to move on. Unfortunately, we hit shallow water trying to get back out of the anchorage and heard the bottom of the boat scrape for the first time. We moved on up the ICW to another anchorage and are now safely anchored for the night. Tim just made a delicious dinner in our Instant Pot for the first time — at least that was a good first, after traveling for 7.25 hours and 43.5 NM.

To be cautious, Tim called and left a message at a marina in St. Augustine to see if they can haul HOMES out of the water when we get there tomorrow to check the starboard engine, because he feels a vibration. Hopefully all is well. I did want to spend some time in St. Augustine, but this wasn’t my plan.

Tune in next week to see how it all turns out!

*I dedicate this blog to my dear friend, Lynn Franco, who passed away on Tuesday, June 7th. I worked with Lynn at my first paralegal job – Crabbe, Brown Jones. She was my first friend in Columbus and she and her husband, Jose, were like family. Rest in peace, Lynn. I will think of you when I see a beautiful beach.

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Our flight arrived at 1:30. We got our rental car and shopped our way to the boat with stops at West Marine, The Container Store and Home Depot. Tomorrow we will stock up on groceries and drop off the rental car. Our plan is to start our trip on Tuesday, so next Sunday will be our first cruising blog!

These past 4 weeks have been a whirlwind, between getting together with friends, Nick’s graduation and my retirement. It has been an emotional ride.

Tim retired in 2015. Since we met, he always said that he was retiring from the Columbus Fire Department at age 48 – his earliest possible date. True to form, he did just that. However, with all of his talents, he was busier in retirement than he ever was working.

I, on the other hand, have always loved being a paralegal. I even taught at Capital University’s Paralegal Program for 16 years, along with working at the Attorney General’s Office. For the last almost 23 years, I have worked with the greatest group of people at the Ohio Attorney General’s Office, Court of Claims Defense Section. It was sad saying good-bye, but they sent me off with multiple get togethers and some gifts that I will always treasure.

I am doing this blog as a way to stay in touch with all you – our friends and family. We hope that you will continue to follow along. Please email us or leave comments on the blog. Ready or not, our adventure starts now!

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Why HOMES? Why Kelleys Island, OH??

Wanting to make HOMES a boat with Lake Erie roots, we named her for the five Great Lakes – Huron, Ontario, Michigan, Erie and Superior. There were no other boats with that name registered with the Coast Guard, so our uniqueness strikes again! We picked Kelleys Island, OH as our port of call because we got married there in 1995, after knowing each other for four months.

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In June 2021, after months of looking at boats online, we decided to take the leap and start looking in person. We contacted Denison Yacht Sales and were put in contact with a broker, Morgan Bertram. Morgan is the best broker and the reason why we have HOMES today.

We flew to Florida in late June 2021 for a week traveling around the state with Morgan. We looked at 7 boats in total. Tim fell in love with a 2005 Diesel Duck 58/55 Seahorse Marine, but the draft and the height made it impossible to do the Great Loop. However, it was fun to look at. Tim has read many articles and a book about the boat designer, George Buehler.

Actually, the first boat that we looked at would have been a good fit, but Tim could not get excited about it. It was a 2003 Alden 53. It looked like a bigger version of our old boat, Slow Poke.

The last boat that we looked at, only because Morgan insisted, was a 2006 Marlow 53. It was well above our budget, but it had been on the market for awhile. It was beautiful, but cost prohibitive. So, we ended our first trip to Florida without a boat, but with a better idea of what we wanted.

After being home for a month, and finding nothing in our continuing online searches, we called Morgan and asked him to get a feel for what the sellers would really take for the Marlow.

In January (2022), we decided to refine our search — newer, but smaller boats. So, Tim flew to Florida by himself to look at a 2017, 44 ft. Nordic Tug. While it looked big in YouTube tours, in Tim’s opinion it was too small to live on full time. However, Morgan had another boat for Tim to look at the next day – a 2014, DeFever 52 (spoiler alert…our boat). After I found it online, I called Tim and told him to take a serious look, because it looked like a smaller version of the Marlow. The only drawback was the price. Morgan assured us that it was overpriced and the sellers knew it.

At Morgan’s direction, we put in a bid that we thought was fair. The sellers only dropped slightly in their counteroffer, so we let the contract go. A few days later Morgan got a call from the sellers’ broker with a price that would get it done. We jumped on it and were on a plane to Florida for the survey within a few weeks. As expected, the survey went well… and here we are.

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When we met in 1995, Tim had a 27-foot Bayliner Ciera Sunbridge, which he bought in about 1990. He spent his summers either on the boat, which was on Lake Erie, or at the firehouse.

After we got married, we dreamed of building a house, so we sold the boat. We designed and built our house. We had a contractor put up the framework and then we did all of the inside work -from building all of the cabinets to laying the tile. Our house is as unique as we are.

Once our house was done, we decided to start looking for boats again. That is when we found Slow Poke at Brand’s Marina in Port Clinton, OH.

Slow Poke was a 1973 Gulfstar Trawler. At 36 feet, it was much roomier than the Bayliner.

We bought Slow Poke in the fall of 2002. At the beginning of the 2004 boating season, we had a new crew mate – Nicholas. We spent all of our weekends and vacations at the boat.

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