Saturday Morning

Saturday, June 14

We started the day with a bit of excitement. The starboard stern was tied on top of another line- one from the boat behind us. We kept flipping it, trying to get it off the cleat. It finally flew off the cleat- and went free wheeling into the water! Ooops. Then, we had the 'get that line out of the water NOW' drill. Unfortunately, it was caught on something. Today's good news- it was only caught on the rudder, and Peggy was able to work it free. 

And all of this was done in time to get to the bridge opening.

Meanwhile, the current is fierce through here. I could tell that by watching the sailboat behind us as it went through the bridge opening. It was fishtailing. You could see its stern wiggling to starboard.

And now, a few words about yesterday. We had a great day in Beaufort. Terry, Peggy, and Rich went walkabout through the town. They did some historical sightseeing, and they checked out the shops on Bay Street. Meanwhile, the rest of the crew took the loaner car off to do some provisioning. 

The provisioning group went to KMart hoping to pick up both food and supplies. No, you are not allowed to take the loaner car from this marina to WalMart. Why, you might ask? It's across the bridge we went through this morning. Being on the ICW means that bridge gets opened a lot. And, the loaner car must be back in one hour. According to the office, that doesn't happen if you go to WalMart.

The loaner car at Beaufort is a sad little thing. It is definitely showing age and wear. But, we are so thankful for it. It gets you where you need to go, and it gets you back to the marina. At the end of the day, that is all you need. As a result, Beaufort is one of our favorite spots.

To be fair, it is more than the car. The municipal marina is right in town. The showers and laundry are clean and nicely appointed. There is a small book exchange in the laundry. The marina office has a good sized store attached with necessities as well as great souvenirs. Restaurants, shops, and antique stores are just a short walk away. And, there is a lovely river walk should you just want a nice stroll. All in all, it continues to be one of those stops we just don't want to miss.

Today, we are off bright and early headed to Charleston. It will be Rich's last day on the boat.

 His wife will pick him up at the marina. And, we will be down to just the five of us for the rest of this adventure.