Beaufort NC

The past week has brought us thru some beautiful and varied sections of south and North Carolina. We spent 5 nights in Charleston due to stormy weather. A cold front stalled nearby bringing Gale winds and temps going from record hi's to record lo's. Charleston is a magnificent small city, and being there for all the spring flowers was an added bonus. We finally headed out Wed AM as winds were predicted to calm slightly only to spend all day waiting at the first bridge for the winds to fall below 25 mph so they could open. Finally passed thru at 6 pm and anchored for the night close by. (the following day would have been the same as the bridge opened only once)

We have been trying to make about 50 mi a day which is much easier this time of year with the added daylight. The salt marshes of Low country fell behind as we traveled up the Waccama River. Tall trees line the shores and each bend brings another nest of young osprey to keep us entertained. Very little sign of man encroaching on this wilderness.

The beginning of the week was slow going as we were fighting headwinds and currents most of the time so it was a welcome change on Fri to catch favorable currents all day giving us a record 75 mile day. As the ICW passes thru the Myrtle Beach area it is called the ditch, very narrow
canal with not much to offer and it was good to have this pass quickly as we anchored at Calabash and went ashore for their famous fried seafood.

Many cruisers we met were staying put for Memorial weekend due to heavy boat traffic. We felt we wanted to keep moving and have braved all the crazy vacationers out for their first summer weekend. Especially wild was snows cut with it's 3 kt current after fighting the same current for 12 miles up the Cape Fear River with every fisherman returning from a day out on the Atlantic.

Fair winds and open waters have allowed us to sail much of the past 2 days. We arrived in Beaufort (Bo fort) NC early afternoon Memorial Day and spent the rest of the day biking about. Our next stop is a short hop to Oriental to pick up mail.