We are making tracks through Georgia. Beautiful coastal marshes, beautiful weather, calm water, and a bit of help with the currents. There are a lot of islands in the midst of the marshes but not a lot of homes that we can see. This is wild country, seemingly tame, but wild. Courtesy rules on the ICW and is very apparent here. Much of the radio traffic pertains to passing or water depth down the line. Once in awhile someone recognizes another boat and they go to an off channel to chat.

The water can get skinny here. In addition, high tides have been increased by Nor-Ida's remnants and there are reports of coastal flooding in some areas around here. For us, the high water is good, for the folks on shore, not so good. We holed at up at low tide this afternoon just short of the Little Mud River that is notorious for its shoals. PRIM is anchored in South River, Mile 653, with three other boats. We'll take on the Little Mud in the morning at high tide. Chicken? Nope. If we'd made it through this afternoon, the next anchorage is another ten miles down the line. Tomorrow is a shortie anyway. We're putting in at Brunswick for fuel, the usuals, and a dodger repair.

Blackie, Red and I are basking in the sun and we had trouble getting Blackie to come below this evening. For what reason we are not sure. I think he wants to talk to a dolphin. Both of them enjoy being on deck all day, snoozing, playing, stealing Pete's lunch, snoozing some more...you get the picture.

We've enjoyed anchoring through the Carolinas and Georgia and we're getting the process down to a science. Pete picks the spot and hands the helm to me. We use "Marriage Saver" head sets so he can talk me into the spot while he preps and deploys the anchor. The only thing I would really like to do is floor it once in awhile but he said he'd probably be thrown off the deck if I tried it. Rats!

We're planning on three shore stops ahead for some sightseeing, maybe a burger or two and should be in Jacksonville by the weekend. Pete's retired civie DoD card is starting to pay off. We'll be at the Jax Naval Air Station's Mulberry Cove Marina for at least a couple days. You won't believe what they charge for their service. When they said "9-7-5" we thought, "$9.75 per foot?" No, per day for the [whole] slip. Yikes, we may change our plans a bit to take advantage of that one. Thank you DoD. Thank you USACE.

PS from Pete: if you've missed it, dredging at Hell Gate was completed in August. I'm sure the Guide will update that in the next printing. Skipper Bob online has it current. No problems going through there. Not so with the Little Mud, yet. There are some skinny parts in the 630's and 40's at low tide but none less than 6' that we saw about an hour before low tide. There were some longer stretches that were 7-10' within two hours of low tide. Our GPS signal strayed now and then so pay attention to the marks in the water and stay on the ranges when available. When the current is strong, you will see the tide lines - lots of junk in the water from the extra-high tides. Check your strainers. Toodles.