Well. We're here in the Beauford SC area again only this time at a different place the Port Royal Landing Marina - a very nice place and a little cheaper than the one at the downtown dock in Beauford.

The best part of the trip today was that Paula Perkins behaved perfectly. We ran her at 1300 rpm all day and she never went above the high eighties in temperature. Go figure. Maybe she knows that we have a mechanic coming to check her over tomorrow and like someone who is going to the doctor, she is putting on clean underwear.

I really must emphasise how much we have enjoyed cruising the Georgia part of the ICW and how relatively easy the passage has been. Oh sure you have to watch the depths and stay in the channel, but that is the case everywhere. In my previous musings about why some people have gotten in trouble in the ICW in Georgia, I had forgotten about the fact that I have our chart plotter right in front of the helmsperson so it is really easy to stay on the magenta line, and then directly beside that there is the digital depth sounder so the watch has immediate info on the bottom situation. Perhaps the other people that do run aground are trying to stay in the channel by eyeballing day markers, which is a non starter for anywhere in the ICW. In the most cases they are too far apart; in others they are up on land at low tide; in still others they don't take the bends into account; etc., etc. Nope, a recent model DGPS is the best way to go for my money. Then you are usually within an estimated position error (EPE) of 10' which should be good enough to keep you out of trouble.

We have the appointment with the mechanic tomorrow at 09h00 so we'll know more about what is going on with us after that. If it must include a heat exchange flush then we will have to stay for three or four days. In that case our intent will be to make as many big jumps offshore as possible. Screech may take off ahead of us so we'll be looking at catching up with them if not after the first jump then perhaps after the second. We should be able to go from here to Carolina Beach and then from there to Moorehead City; each is a 36 hour sail offshore.

The Port Royal Landing Marina is a nice place, well laid out with not too horrendous rates especially if you stay for a couple of days when they start to give you freebies. They have a courtesy car that will be very useful in letting us get around, very clean restrooms and shower and a marina store that sells some boat parts, beer and souvenirs. Jay and Mary Lou recommended the place and joined us here and are tied up behind.