Memorable Highs:
Southport Marina, NC near Cape Fear - first real docks in several weeks (usually pilings or small wooden docks) in a quaint town that has been the site of several TV and movie shoots such as On Oak Island, Weekend at Bernie's and most recently Nicholas Spark's Safe Haven. The best part was the seminar run each evening by Hank, a retired naval meteorologist to share the most current information, warnings and weather considerations for navigating notoriously challenging sections of the ICW. Invaluable especially as we were soon approaching several areas and shoals where there's less than 6' of water in low tide (we draw 6').
Remembrance Day - Caroline from Lequesteau called us all on the radio at 11:00 to read a reflection commemorating those who served at sea...very touching and memorable from our recently retired Navy friends - thank you to all who served!
Leland Oil Co, McClellanville, SC - small marina with large commercial shrimp boats and small fishing boats. Quaint little town with beautiful old houses and oak trees up to 1000 yrs old (many wearing the flowing Spanish Moss beards). Bought fresh shrimp near the docks and were later given freshly filleted fish (with details on how to cook it) from some of the young fishermen we had fun chatting with about country music and comparing sail and fishing boats - speed, fuel use, travel distances etc.
Lady's Island Marina, Beaufort, SC - 'over the top' helpful and friendly folks managing the marina and arranging group gatherings for dinner at local pub (aka Riverside 2), meeting up with Boomdeyada (from Oakville) and Linda Bryant (from Burlington sailing &boating club).
Food - so many delicious, reasonably priced meals. Our recent favorites are:
• McCellandville - fresh fish; W. Graham restaurant dinner of fried oysters, shrimp, okra and sweet potato fries
• Fillin' Station, Beaufort SC - $5 for 2 BBQ pork chops, scalloped potatoes, beans, corn and $10 steak, baked potato, corn (each more than enough for two)
• Pearlz Oyster Bar, Charleston - steamed oysters (opened through Brad's recently learned shucking talent), fresh made potato chips (still hot) and a fish taco that was out of this world.
Weather - sunny days with temperatures mid 70s - 80s in early November eg, sitting around the pool in shorts and sandals at the Myrtle Beach Yacht Club (despite its name there was no beach in sight). Of course there was no one else around the pool, it was mainly for a photo-op to share with snowed in friends back home (sorry guys!) and the warm weather did bring the bugs out (that's a low).
Touring Yorktown in Charleston (see previous post)
Amazingly helpful, friendly folks, such as the shuttle drivers (Henry and Mac) in Charleston who frequently drove us to locations off their regular routes and the small independent hardware store in Beaufort that provided free replacement part to honor the warranty for an unseen Honda generator.
Dolphins and more dolphins - although they are a daily occurrence, we never get tired of seeing them...and have noticed they'll often surface when we're trying to get through challenging spots.
Tidal ranges of 8-9 feet - we're learning how to use the tides to plan our daily runs and navigate through notoriously difficult sections of the ICW.
Forgettable Lows
Weather - unusually cold temperatures (eg below freezing for a couple of nights)
Getting stuck in the mud twice recently - once while we were following local advice to avoid notorious shoaling spots and another time when we were in the marked channel moving slowing with the current waiting for a bridge opening (thank you once again, Lequesteau ...or is it 'Request - tow')
Extremely narrow 'cuts' with continually shifting shoals such as Elliott Cut, Ashepoo Cutoff, Rockpile and the upcoming Hell's Gate and Jekyll Creek.
As we reflect on all of this, it looks like there have been many more memorable highs in the 'lowlands'. We're now going to be traveling through Georgia, Florida and the Bahamas and look forward to finding the highs and lows they have waiting for us.