Charleston SC to Southport NC

Wednesday, April 19, 2017 - Charleston to Georgetown

We are finally on the move north!  Here we pass downtown Charleston's City Marina.  The sailboat is 300 feet long.  We didn't learn anything else about it but it was very impressive!

Charleston City Marina

 We have a distant view of the historic district's waterfront mansions.

Charleston Historic District

The Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge crosses the Cooper River between Charleston and Mount Pleasant, home of the USS Yorktown.

Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge

The next few days will be challenging due to extensive shoaling in the Intracoastal Waterway.  Numerous areas have reported depths less than 6' at low tide and we need at least 6' to pass safely.  We have spent many hours planning our passage north to transit the shallow areas with enough tide to not run aground.  We were gratified to meet up with First Snow, another Selene we met in Stuart FL several months ago.  They travel each year between their home port in Maine and Florida, so we will follow them through today's shallow areas as they hopefully know the best path.

First Snow, 57 Selene

After a long day of 70 miles, we arrive at the charming town of Georgetown SC.

Georgetown SC waterfront

 Robert and Boka are both glad to be at a dock for the night.

Georgetown SC

Georgetown is a pleasant, small town with restored historic homes along the revitalized waterfront.

1908 Historic home

 We enjoyed a short walk past these homes to the downtown area.

Historic home

Numerous shops and restaurants line the main street next to the waterfront.

Downtown Georgetown

This boardwalk extends several blocks between downtown shops and marinas.

Georgetown waterfront boardwalk

 Spring in Georgetown.

In Georgetown

A peaceful end to a long day.

Georgetown sunset

Robert did a nice job capturing this photo, don't you think?

Georgetown sunset

Thursday, April 20, 2017 - Georgetown to Bucksport

We get an early start, despite fairly dense fog.  We only hope it doesn't get any worse.

Ocean Highway Bridge, Georgetown

Today we will travel up the Waccamaw River.  We have been told to expect beautiful scenery and we were not disappointed.

Cypress growing in the river

We are still seeing evidence of Hurricane Matthew which raked the US east coast last fall.

On Waccamaw River, still a little foggy

Even though we are in a fairly remote area, we start seeing some very upscale small communities on the barrier islands between the ICW and the Atlantic Ocean.

Homes in Hagley Landing

This photo was taken across from Wacca Wache Marina.  What a great name!  Must have an Indian origin.

Interesting sailboat anchored near Wacca Wache Marina

We have seen lots of Osprey along the river today.  They seem to like to nest on the ICW channel markers, although we have seen a few nests in the tops of the tallest trees.

Osprey near her nest

We will stop at this marina for fuel as they have one of the lowest prices for diesel in this area.  Our plan is to take on fuel, have lunch at the marina's restaurant, then move further north before stopping for the day.  But as we like to say, "we have plans but no schedule".  As we idle up to the dock, we see friends on a boat we met in Jacksonville at Ortega Landing Marina last month.  So we visit with them, have a nice lunch, discover the restaurant is having a grand opening starting this evening with free hors d'oeuvres and live music, and that our overnight stay will be free with our fuel purchase, well ... guess we are here for the night.

Bucksport Plantation Marina, Conway SC

While relaxing at the dock, this unusual structure motored in from the river.  Note that the small boat on the left is not attached.  The "pavilion" with the lattice fence and roof has it's own motor and cruised in to tie up at the dock!

Unusual "boat"

Friday, April 21, 2017 - Bucksport to Southport

We must get an early start to make up for our shortened day yesterday.  Although we begin cruising into the sun, the views are lovely!  Soon we exit the headwaters of the Waccamaw River and enter a dredged portion of the ICW.  Today we will cover 68 miles and pass numerous shallow areas so vigilance is required!

Sunrise on the Waccamaw River

We pass the affluent town of Myrtle Beach and several gorgeous golf courses along the Waterway.

Myrtle Beach SC

Just north of Myrtle Beach lies a notoriously narrow stretch of the ICW known as the "Rock Pile".   The channel is quite narrow and the sides and bottom are rock.  Any course deviation gets costly in repairs to bent props / shafts and crunched fiberglass and is to be avoided at all costs!

The "Rock Pile"

We've been dreading this section, which extends almost 4 miles.  We are behind a group of other boats with a sailboat in the lead.  Ugh!  We usually travel faster than sailboats, but we will be unable to pass along this stretch.  Soon one of the trawlers ahead of us is talking to the sailboat on the VHF radio and we learn the sailboat, named Blueberry, travels this route regularly.  He is fine with the rest of us following him through the Rock Pile, so we are now part of a multi-boat slow caravan.

Boat caravan through the Rock Pile

Not much to see along this stretch; time for a nap!

Boka takes a nap

We have now crossed into North Carolina!  Ocean Isle Beach lies on the barrier island, visible in the distance.  Our route today has kept us very close to the Atlantic Ocean as it curves ENE toward Cape Fear.

Ocean Isle Beach, NC

Signs of civilization as we are within 10 miles of Southport.

Holden Beach Bridge, NC

Another nice waterfront development.

Genoes Point

At last we arrive in Southport, a cute, beachy tourist town with several nice marinas on the ICW!

Southport waterfront from Southport Marina

And we find another waterfront neighborhood with historic homes.

Southport NC

All these homes face the harbor.

Southport NC

Southport NC

Southport NC

We have now met the owners of one of our caravan boats from the "Rock Pile" and have a nice lunch overlooking the harbor.

Jim and Cindy on The Journey

We finally score some great fresh shrimp at this local fish market!  Price is $7/lb for heads on and very fresh.

Potters Seafood, Southport NC

We enjoy walking this small town and relaxing in the waterfront park. 

One service provided by our marina is a daily weather / route briefing by a retired US Navy meteorologist and sailor, Hank Pomeranz.  His briefings were most helpful in regard to upcoming shoaling and how to best navigate the problem areas.  His weather briefings extended our planned 2 night stay to 4 nights as we await a cold front forecast to arrive with heavy rain and high winds.