To Beaufort SC
Beez Neez now Chy Whella
Big Bear and Pepe Millard
Fri 6 May 2011 22:24
To Beaufort, South
Carolina
Well it finally happened last night
at the captains request. We got the quilt from its hidey-hole under the office
bed, shook it vigorously and inserted it into the quilt cover. A first since it
was put away clean in January 2009 when we got to Barbados. We have got used to
a new creature over the last few weeks called - dew, but now it gets really
chippy at night as well. It has been a pleasure not to sleep with a Sweaty Bear;
having to ensure I keep to the shallow end of our bed, but I'm not altogether
convinced, as I had to arrest the quilt from him at one point in the night; when
he had a hot 'flash' as they say here in 'Merica'. So we'll see. This morning we
awoke to silence, save for a few birds tweeting in the reeds, a beautiful day
ahead to Beaufort - twenty eight miles away. Today's planned
route. We got on our way at eight thirty and I have to say I have become
quite ambivalent when it comes to the many friendly horseflies that come to lick
the salt from the pram hood - but doing rudies is
quite another matter - well it's the time of the year
after all. Ideas Eh Captain
???
We had got as far as Port Royal Sound when everything went grey, dark and the
heavens really opened. With our shed up and raindrops on the
sprayhood, visibility went downhill in a big way. Whilst this is our first
serious rain in absolutely ages, it goes to show how difficult a
journey would be if it were one of our wiggly, shallow days, a warning to
us to watch the weather in future. Today was fine though as the sound is vast,
very little traffic (only a few tiny sport fishermen about).
It was a little alarming to see
this trailer being swung over us as we were going
under our last bridge before Beaufort
Marina
The first time we have seen
Hurricane Regulations before a bridge, the bridge is just beyond the marina. Spitting
again
We pulled up on a long pontoon
as instructed at 13:40, Bear had to put off filling Beez with fuel as a huge
downpour began. Opposite a girl called Duct
Tape
Around five we wandered up to
the marina store. I was chuffed with the little crab insignia marking
the drain cover. We asked the ladies in the shop
if they could point us in the direction of a grocery store. "Bedder then tha-at
the courtesy car is outside, y'all can teck it for an hour, give me yurrr cell
number, cos if y'all late I'll dowg leg yer".
Map in hand, we set off the
few miles to Bi-Lo, passing some huge colonial
buildings (exploring tomorrow), our South Carolina
car plate, and in the shop the biggest spring onions
and radishes we have ever seen. Shopping loaded, the car next to us had a
good fun plate.
Car keys safely back to the
ladies, who said we should get up to the waterfront for the yearly food tasting
festival, complete with band and disco. The tide was out so
the marina cart was a bit of a handful going down the
steep slope (memories of
France), all well though. Shopping stowed on Beez, a quick change
and off to have a wander.
Well Lucy (Flying Cloud) had told us
all about shagging, well here we were in front of a
sign
We explored the Waterfront, had supper out (a treat for
me as it is Mothering Sunday in the US in a couple of days) and looked
around the various food stalls. Then it was time to
watch some people Shag. The
compere told everyone that the local shaggers met every Tuesday and all were
welcome "Always looking for new people to join - no matter if you haven't
shagged before, we'll take you reeeeaaaal slow". We did NOT join in - we
want to save ourselves until we get to Myrtle Beach where it all began; to loose
our virginity as Shaggers. Feeling quite wrung out, it was time for
bed.
A pretty night, Beez is the mast on the far right
ALL IN ALL WHAT
A GREAT PLACE, EVERYONE SO
WELCOMING
|