Day 15 - Sat 11 Apr 2015
Docked – Hilton Head, SC

[photo: one of the yachts here to watch the golf tournament next weekend]

This morning marks exactly 2 weeks since we cast off and it surely does feel a lot longer than that to me. Last evening was a bit interesting in that a band of severe thunderstorms barreled across the region after having done extensive damage in the Midwest. I chose to be anchored in as protected a spot as we could find, yet until you know how your ‘new’ boat handles certain situations, there is always some justified anxiety.

I took a nap after supper specifically so I could be awake and alert when they came near us, with hopes of course that we would be spared any strong winds or lightning. I kept checking the RADAR app on my phone to see that our location was right on the edge of a small band. There were huge and dangerous bands to our N, but I am happy to say we only got 20 kts winds for a half hour and 10 minutes of light rain. By 2330, the threat was past and I went to sleep.

We did mess up again by leaving open 2 hatches with screens with the thought that the no-see-ums would not be flying in the winds we were experiencing, but they found their way in anyway after the wind died. It was not as bad as the other night, but bad enough. Covering yourself with the bedsheet as much as possible helped a bit, but I got way too warm and had to get up at 0500. As soon as I left, Diane said they started munching on her instead, so she got up, too.

This is as good a place as any to mention we had a ‘first’ for supper last night. When I added the Cajun spice to the shrimp/veggie medley, I used 2 packets instead of one and it proved to be twice as much as needed. Diane has grown to be quite the lover of spicy, hot food and it was even too hot for her. It was definitely too hot for me, so we ate about half a portion and will use the rest later in a way that dilutes the excess heat.

On our 2012 trip up the coast, we spent 6 nights in GA and this time it will only be 1. We have nothing against the people of the state, but the waterway with its endless twists and turns and all the bugs are not welcoming. We got up extra early and bided our time until it was barely light enough to weigh anchor.

Diane was smart enough to wear a hooded windbreaker to mitigate the no-see-ums, but I was in my typical shorts and light shirt and was attacked. What made it worse, and the two often go hand in hand, was that the anchor and chain was coated in slimy mud and took over 10 minutes to clean off as I brought it up. To let that slime get onto the deck and into the anchor locker is not something you want.

We got underway just before 0700 and had a great run to Hilton Head, SC. We passed a number of slower boats, some for perhaps the fourth time. Just because we passed them the day before, doesn’t mean they didn’t run for 10 hours and passed us after we were already anchored or docked after our 6 hour run. It was a nice, smooth ride all the way.

We topped off the fuel again and pumped out the waste tank, just because it was convenient. The Harbor Town marina in the southern portion of Hilton Head is a first class place. We have paid a lot more for far less in terms of ambience and services. To stay within budget, however, we will likely not be spending any money on food or beverages here.

It is also a good thing we did not happen to stop here next weekend, for the Heritage Golf Tournament is being held and prices for everything go through the roof. After we got settled and walked off the boat towards the pool, we were surrounded by all the preparations: tents, gates, fences, signs, and dozens of landscaping contractors putting in thousands of flowered plants.

The huge pool was at full capacity; in other words, there were a dozen toddlers there. The various groups had spread out across the pool, of course, leaving me with little space to claim where I could kneel by the side and quietly read my book. Fortunately, the kids were young enough that they were not creating mass devastation everywhere as they do once they reach 7 or so, and it worked out OK.

We walked back to the boat, got our shower stuff and then walked the entire length of the marina to the showers, which are pretty first class, too. Normally, we might complain how long the walk was, but this setting is so pretty that you don’t mind the distance. After that, it was time for supper so I pan-seared salmon fillets and microwaved a sweet potato and green beans - simple, but good.

After supper, we rested a bit and then strolled the docks to the lighthouse, restaurant, and shopping area. Along the way, we must have had conversations with at least a dozen folks, some boaters, some not, but they were all very friendly encounters. The woman on the $10 million yacht right next to us seemed just as down to earth as anyone, as Diane remarked.

There was no sunset to see with all the clouds, and the no-see-ums were pretty bad, too. We walked back to the boat, Diane took Clyde out on the dock, and then retreated inside. There was a gentle rain that followed, which was nice to get any salt off the boat. We went to bed early and will do a few chores tomorrow and lots of biking if the weather allows.