Day 19 - Wed 15 Apr 2015
Docked - Georgetown, SC

[photo: the after and before of our book storage]

We enjoyed the best sleep so far on this cruise - no bugs, not too hot or cool, quiet, and no worries. Clyde did his early morning check of the deck, but did not seem interested in getting onto the wet docks. It was just as well because if you stayed in one place for more than a few seconds, the bugs attacked. We don't remember the bugs ever being this bad before.

When first light appeared, it was obvious (as Diane had predicted), that the 2 sailboats that had come in long after us and tied up at the free town dock, had stayed there overnight, despite the signage prohibiting it. I guess if they got word that the rule is not enforced, I don't blame them one bit. They are not getting electricity or water, but just a safe place to tie up and be able to make purchases in town. I saw one sailor carrying a 5 gal diesel jug back and it looked full. Since none of the sailboats we have seen have even had their sails up (why we are no longer sailors), that 5 gals would not get him all that far. With our luck, though, if we had tried to stay overnight where prohibited, we would get a knock from the local Sheriff's deputy to move along at 2200 and then we'd have a time trying to find somewhere to go.

There is another minor issue to address. When Diane lifted the sole board in the galley to retrieve some cat stuff she stowed there, she saw what I later measured as 2 gallons of water in there. I tasted it to find it was fresh, so rather than the cooling pump for the A/C leaking salt water, it is fresh drinking water from our tank leaking at one of the many fittings in there. It can't be a major leak and it was not really apparent, so after vacuum pumping it out and drying the area, I will check it later to see what I can find.

It continued to rain almost non-stop for a while, but I got my hair clippers out and went to the very nice showers ashore to buzz my head and trim the beard. It is hard to do when the humidity is high, so I first sat in the nicely air conditioned marina office with my book to de-humidify. After returning, Diane suggested with a brief lull in the rain that maybe this is the time to try cleaning the forward windows thoroughly with vinegar and then applying Rain-X to help keep them streak free for a while.

I got everything ready to do just that, but after kneeling in one place for 5 seconds, I already had several dozen bugs swarming me. I quickly put all the stuff away and said forget it. I since spoke with a number of other boaters on the dock and they all said it has never been this bad before.

After the latest small band of rain passed, we walked into town looking for 3 things: a small, attractive, sturdy bookshelf, a plastic spring clip to hold a boat key, and a squeegee for the window glass. We found nothing, except a very sturdy basket that looked like it would hold the books nicely. Their return policy was strict, so we took measurements and went back to the boat see if it would fit.

Diane made a terrific shrimp salad with most of the shrimp we bought yesterday and served it on a lettuce bed with sliced avocados and tomatoes. A better or prettier salad you would not find in a restaurant. I am glad we did not give in to the temptation to grab lunch in town. Of course, it rained again, but when that stopped we walked back to the store to buy the basket and then strolled back to the boat. The small marina was filling up fast with boats with owners probably eager to stop navigating in the rain.

We passed a rainy afternoon inside the boat, occasionally greeting the newcomers at the dock, despite the drizzle. Diane enjoyed a nice hot shower ashore, but lamented that the cold rain chilled her quickly on the way back. We had the seafood chowder for supper and then read our books. We watched a little TV before bedtime.

Tomorrow, it looks like we will have a somewhat favorable current with us for a good portion of the trip if we leave by 0700. We will be stopping at another marina in North Myrtle Beach, mainly because there are no good places to anchor anywhere in that vicinity. We will also be meeting up with some friends from our days in the ski club in PA who are living in Myrtle Beach. After that, we will visit Southport, then Wrightsville Beach.