Charleston explorations

Brrr, departing Georgetown for sea...

Charleston, South Carolina is always one of our most favorite stops on the AICW. This time, for the first time, we departed Georgetown, SC, at high tide and ran the current out to sea. Exiting Winyah Bay between the submerged jetties with a 3 knot outflow against a 15 knot wind made steep 4 foot waves! Our boat was going vertical, then diving under waves like a submarine, then driving skyward like a rocket. Holding onto the wheel was a task and, lucky for us, it only lasted for a mile or two. Once past the jetty, we turned south and headed out to the 30 foot deep water where the waves subsided and we could motor sail south to Charleston 68 nm miles away.

Sunrise heading to sea, so calm...just wait

At one point we were asking ourselves....WHAT THE HECK are WE DOING?.....as we did not foresee the current against wind situation. Our buddy Reuben aboard svPRIORITY, single handing, was harnessed in and hanging on and so was IP38 MOONDANCE. After a great ocean run, we turned into the Charleston Harbor and up to our favorite little spot, the Maritime Center at 10 Wharf Street. This location is so good because it is right off East Bay Street and very close to the Harris Teeter grocery store.

REUBEN did it! 630 nm single handing to Charleston, SC
L-R Reuben, Bob, Nina, Radeen and Hayden

With our team safely docked in Charleston, it was time to celebrate, as this was the first time Reuben on Buddy Boat IP380 PRIORITY had single handed such a long trip. Three weeks ago exactly, Reuben departed Baltimore by himself and ran with us for 630 nm to Charleston, SC! WOW, that is truly amazing and we are so proud of his accomplishment. Reuben is a fantastic man and we really enjoyed our time together. This was truly a time to celebrate with a bottle of Champagne and good snacks. Cruising is such a great life - it is more about the friends than the destinations that you reach. We really have great friends and we enjoy sharing this life together. From here, the team may be going in separate ways and at different times. Reuben will be having crew arriving Tuesday, Bruce Gregory of IP32 Morning Star. Moondance will be making a direct ocean run for Fort Pierce. Team Island Spirit extended our dockage until Monday as we have some other jobs to work on. For now, we will simply walk the town, enjoy the services, and tour the historic sites. There is nothing on the East Coast like Charleston, South Carolina. To arrive from sea makes it that much better.

Here are some photos

Nighttime photo of the Ravenel Bridge and Island Spirit

Auto Carrier GRAVITY HIGHWAY arrives to offload Korean cars

Gravity Highway auto carrier close to the docks in Charleston, SC

One tug boat docking the Gravity Highway

The Old and the New, Gravity Highway and the schooner Pride

Hampton and Connie of mvSNARK, good friends and former IP32 owners

Fine dining at Oak Steak House with our team, Radeen, Bob and Nina

Our good friend Reuben with Hayden

Fine dining for steaks and good red wine. Thank you, Reuben!
Reuben, Hayden, Radeen, Bob, Nina

The Arthur J.Ravenel, Jr, Bridge opened in July 2005.

Charleston is a major shipping port, this is another Auto Carrier

The car lot offloaded and the train cars ready to load,

Sunset on the Ravenel Bridge with the Charleston Harbor Resort Marina

A tour of Fort Sumter, where the first shots of the Civil War were fired

Fort Sumter has an impressive display of cannons from all eras

Fort Sumter

Walking the Straw Market Place of Charleston, SC

Cooking Shrimp and Cheese Grits for the team's farewell dinner

City Hall, Charleston, SC and the First Bank

Charleston has the most beautiful historic buildings

Sunrise over one of the many churches of the "Holy City"

The manager and horse trainer for Old South Carriage Tours

The HUNLEY was a Civil War submarine with a torpedo pole bomb!
Human powered

Mrs. Charleston, Radeen, in front the replica of the Hunley

To the left is the MEGA dock, to the right is MARITIME Center
The action, East Bay Street is to the right.

We are so drawn to cities and we really enjoy spending time in this one. For us, there is something interesting and unique about arriving at a city via boat. We are living this simple boating life style yet we have the conveniences of a city. For us, it really adds to the boating life.

Wrightsville to Georgetown

It takes 3 days to move 140 miles....

Three days of traveling 7 to 8 hours each day, covering only 40-50 miles a day, but moving each day and touring the towns, really does take up your time. It is amazing how busy we all are doing nothing but driving a sailboat south on the Intracoastal waterway. It is really fun, very easy, usually calm, and there is so much diverse beauty along the way that it is never boring. Just when you think it is all looking the same, up comes a bridge or a beautiful curve with interesting trees or the chaos of Myrtle Beach. Diversity is the key word that describes the AICW for us, and that is why we find it so interesting.

This section is 3 days of the USA East Coast

Yes, it takes 30+ days of moving from Annapolis, MD to Miami, FL, but just imagine the variety we see along the coast. There are so many great waterfront towns and harbors that we are often sad to leave. But if we stay at every place we like, we will never reach Florida! The last three days cover from Wrightsville Beach, NC to SouthPort, NC to Myrtle Beach, SC to Georgetown, SC. Within this section there are beautiful beaches, fantastic seaport villages and chaotic Myrtle Beach with its mega houses on the waterway, mobile homes and billboards. South of Myrtle Beach is the most beautiful section, the Waccamaw River where there are Spanish moss laden trees, no developments and pristine waterways.

The high winds we are waiting out

   The Waccamaw River is a place we have enjoyed anchoring before to take in the beauty, but this time we needed to push on to Georgetown, SC. A full Atlantic Gale and storm was coming and we had reserved dock space for safety. One of our favorite highlights in SC is a visit with Debbie and John. We love to catch up on their family and adventures. Thank you for taking time again to connect with Team Island Spirit as we "fly by."

Photos of the past three days.
(I shot 180 photos with two cameras. These are the best 30 photos.)

Sunrise at Wrightsville Beach, NC

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--- Depart Wrightsville Beach for Southport ---

Google Map: Wrightsville Beach to Southport

Anchored in Southport's small harbor, room for 2-3 boats

Anchored in Southport, a bustling town with a great toy shop

Nina and Radeen at the Yacht Provisioning Company restaurant in Southport

Hayden, Bob and Reuben dining al fresco in Southport

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--- Depart Southport for Myrtle Beach, SC ---

This stretch is due WEST all day long!

Look at the beauty of this TRUMPY yacht

You don't see many of these, a TRUMPY yacht, built in Annapolis, MD

 "Annabelle" heading south from Islaboro, Maine

Docked at Barefoot Landing Marina, North Myrtle Beach, SC

John, Radeen, Debbie and Hayden, met at The Flying Fish

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--- Depart Myrtle Beach for Georgetown, SC ---

Google Map of Myrtle Beach to Georgetown, SC

One of many waterway homes south of Myrtle Beach on the AICW

Look at that stature of three dolphins in front of an infinity pool and waterfall

Another amazing Myrtle Beach waterway home

This home covers three terraced waterfront lots

 Building more new homes in Myrtle Beach

Oh, just what dolphins want....jet skis chasing them!

Traditional AICW waterfront home in Myrtle Beach, before they build a mega home

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---- Exit Myrtle Beach Area, Enter the Waccamaw River ---

Exiting Myrtle Beach is my favorite bridge: Socastee Swing Bridge

Socastee Bridge entering the Waccamaw River

IP38 Moondance rounding a bend on the Waccamaw River

IP38 Moondance passes a dead head log

The Waccamaw is so beautiful

IP380 Priority following IP38 Moondance

Spanish Moss, Waccamaw River

My favorite tree near Georgetown, SC

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--- Arrive Georgetown, SC, Dock for the high winds -----

Docked at Harborwalk Marina. Waiting out gale force winds, Fri/Sat/Sun?

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--- This is our overall plan ---

1. Leave Chesapeake Bay
2. Get the boat to Florida
3. Fly out of Miami to Phoenix for a fun Family Thanksgiving

Then, return to Florida for the Keys and West Coast in
December/ January, Miami in February,
 March/April in the Abacos,
and May back to Chesapeake Bay.