Lukins Cemetry

Well, we finally screwed up our courage to throw back the hatch this morning at 0800 hrs, after sitting below through a very drawn out breakfast. We sat below, looking at out newly acquired indoor/outdoor thermometer showing 38F and winds of 20 knots. But up on deck, it was not quite as bad as it seemed from below. So we were off from Wrightsville Beach after three cold nights. But plugged in with both the Espar and our newly-acquired electric heater, we were cozy below. We enjoyed out time at the very welcoming Seapath Yacht Club, using the complimentary courtesy car for four trips to West Marine, Harris Teeter and miscellaneous other stops and tours. So the time came to cast off our lines.
We really enjoyed our forced visit to Wrightsville Beach, complete with visits to The Mellow Mushroom for an excellent lunch, and to the Causeway Café for another excellent breakfast, both local favorites and also excellent.
But the dining out was not the only good eating. During our stay, winds subsided in the evening, allowing us to BBQ great pork chops. And last night, possibly the best shrimp recipe we have yet tried. Here it is:
Ingredients

• 3 c chicken broth
• 1 c uncooked quick grits
• ½ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp pepper
• 2 Tbsp butter
• 2 c shredded cheddar cheese
• 6 slices bacon, chopped
• 2 lb shrimp, deveined and peeled
• 1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 2 tsp Worcester sauce
• 2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
• 6 green onions, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced

Directions

Bring chicken broth to a boil and stir in grits stirring occasionally until thickened, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in salt, pepper, butter and cheese. Set aside.
Cook bacon in skillet until crisp. Remove from pan.
Cook shrimp in bacon fat until almost pink, stirring constantly.
All lemon juice, Worcester sauce, parsley, green onions and garlic.
Cook 3 minutes, add bacon and serve over grits.


Casting off from Seapath YC this morning in a cold north wind, we headed down the ICW with only a few other boats on the same route. Through Snows Cut, we motored out into the Cape Fear River, and motor-sailed down to the mouth to a favorite stop, Bald Head Island.
Tied up at noon, we rented a golf cart and toured the island. We have been here many times before, but still enjoy the sight-seeing. In the north wind, we found warm sunny nooks on the south side on the beach, watching the crashing surf as far as the eye could see out along the Frying Pan Shoals.
Back at the boat, another warming dinner, "Strait-Shooter Stew", a pressure cooker stew that really warms us up. Thanks, Ron White.
So it may be cold, but we are fighting it off.
Tomorrow, out for a short hop across Long Bay to Little River from where we will run through Myrtle Beach, down the Waccamaw River then across to Charleston.
And by the way, I have finally been able to upload pics to the photo albums.