Profiling
As we passed Isle of Palms, the Sheriff's boat came alongside and boarded us. Four men, pleasant and polite, but armed. I guess with a name like Calypso they figured we were running a boatload from Trinidad! The representative from the Coast Guard did the safety check. We passed except for the throwable Type 4 life cushion. (West Marine says the Lifesling is an acceptable substitute. I'll follow up with them.) They put their heads together and decided we could skate by this time. Meggie and the first mate must have charmed them.

We bought one at the next stop where we filled up with fuel at the best price within several hundred miles. And then caught the last of the flood tide up a favorite river.