May 22, 2014 Thursday MM357 leaving Grand Dunes Marina

Stayed up late last night trying to upload pictures from the last couple of weeks since we have good wifi connection.  Beautiful morning again, but wind starting to pick up.  Curt fixing his rope on the rudder. My phone says it's 75 but sure feels colder than that.  We'll be in North Carolina today heading more east than north for a while.

May 21, 2014 Wednesday Myrtle Beach Grand Dunes Marina

Left Waccawaa Anchorage this morning, nice calm night again with frogs last night and birds this morning.  Well protected from the wind and waves. 0600  Awake and having coffee, I did some quilting and reading and Curt read his book.  08:30  Pulled anchorage after listening to the birds this morning.  Beautiful anchorage.  Certainly not in Florida anymore, no palm or very few palm trees, lots of Cypress, lots of turtles setting on dead logs on the side of the waterway.  Waterway shallow.  Decided to stop at the Grand Dunes Marina and take a bus to SouthBeach Resort to check it out.  Sure has changed, very nice, and people nice.  Went back to the Marina, since so late decided to spend the night, went to the bar/grill for Happy Hour, yummy clam strips and fries and super nachos.  Took a walk around the place after supper. 

 Morning at the anchorage

 in the middle of the waterway looking back at our anchorage

Looking back down the waterway

houses on the waterway wonder what they do when it floods.

 Pink flowers on bushes in the water along the ICW

 49 ft Grand Banks coming up behind us plowing the water and huge wakes, he slowed down after I took this picture and slowly passed us with very little wake.  Nice guy or concerned about picture documenting the damage his wake would do to us.

 Turtles on the tree log

 His wake wasn't bad

 See the turtles lined up on the tree in the water

May 20, 2014 Tuesday Minum Creek Anchorage MM416

Had a nice anchorage although woke up several times with a bump to the boat and a splash, splash outside.  A bit unnerving but so tired we went back to sleep.  Other boat left the area at 0700, clear skies, no wind, tide going out, temp mid 50"s. 8:45 we pulled anchor after coffee and catching up on our email by smartphone.  Heading to Georgetown.  Rode the tide into the harbor at 11 am.  Docked at Harbor Walk Marina and topped the tanks 7.6 gallons since leaving Charleston.  Left the boat and walked around town, toured the Rice Museum and Maritime Museum before coming back to the boat.  Departed the Marina at 1400.  Rode the incoming tide all the way to the anchorage at Waccawaa River.  MM375 at 1800.  (from Curt's journal)

 Pulling out of the anchorage we look over to the edge of the water, do you see it?  Must have been the alligators bumping the boat and splashing last night.

 Lookout tower by the entrance of Minum Creek

 

 A trawler is already on the way in the ICW

 Ferry crossing over this little water way, one car at a time.

 up and down the waterway, Cypress trees both sides along with some other trees, not sure what they are.

 Ferry boat bringing in people from other Islands

 

 Parked off the waterway

Cute dolls at the gift shop at Rice Museum

May 19,2014. Monday leaving Toler's Cove Marina

9:30 Underway with partly cloudy skies, temps in the 60's and NNE wind at 15-20 knots.  Called the Ben Sawyer Bridge and couldn't understand the bridge tender on the radio.  Someone else came on and restated what she had said then made the comment "Foreigners!".  Not sure if he meant us or her.  We didn't respond but did get thru the opening in the bridge.  Proceeded NE in the ICW right into the wind.  We had to wear hooded sweatshirts or windbreakers to tolerate the cool wind chill.
18:45 Dropped anchor in Minim Creek  MM416, Wind SE 10-15knots. Clear and 70"s  One other boat in the anchorage.  A green hulled steel home built, maybe a Bruce Roberts designs without a mast. Man on board watching us with binoculars as we came in and passed him going down the waterway to a spot much farther away from him.  (from Curt's journal)

 It was a long tiring day, the Captain had to rest.

 While I took watch with the Auto pilot driving.

 Sunset at Minum Creek

May 18th, 2014 Toler's Marina, Sullivans Island

Made it to Charleston, South Carolina, toured the town on bicycles and walking. Beautiful city! On Sunday very busy with tourists. Lots of carriage rides and tours and walking tours. Pulled into Maritime Center Marina.  After tying up boat the waves from the water taxi was so bad we  decided to find another marina that was not so rough. After looking at the map decided to go to Toler's Cove at Sullivans Island right off the intercoastal waterway. Found a beautiful calm protected slip, not a good bathroom only one toilet no showers but better than the boat rocking all night and me getting dizzy. Walked to Poe's restaurant and had what was claimed to be the best hamburger ever. I had the hamburger with crab cake and vegetable roumalade on top which was an excellent crab cake and hamburger..  Curt had a hamburger with fried eggs and bacon on top. They were good. Met a couple from Wrightsville,  South Carolina said we had to stop there on our way up so will check it out when we get closer. When we came in to the marina we saw a lot of fishermen cleaning fish. Once we got up to the fish cleaning station we saw mahi mahi that they had clean. Each was at least 4 feet long. Sure were beautiful fish.