Friday 23^rd September

Myrtle Beach Yacht Club

When we got up this morning the weather didn’t look appealing, very misty, damp and overcast.  Whereas tomorrow’s forecast is promising –sunshine, and no thunderstorms!  The next part of the ICW goes through a notoriously part prone to shoaling, which means the depths can be variable and not as shown on the chart.  We’ve gathered as much information as we can, and the website for the army that keeps the ICW dredged (supposedly to 12 feet) had some very useful fairly up to date information.  If we get there at high tide, or approaching high tide we should be OK with care.  And we also have our TowBoatUS insurance to rescue us if the shoals have moved again.  To get there at the right time meant today at 10.30, or if we leave tomorrow, at 11.30 – 12.00.  We then have to travel a further 3 hours to get to a reasonable marina.  After much umming and ahhing we rang the other marina to book a place and let them know we wouldn’t be there until about  18.00, which they were fine with.

We then went to the office here to make sure we could stay an extra night, which is OK and to ask about the nearest supermarket.  The lady in the back office said she was going shopping in about 30 minutes and we were very welcome to join her.  The yacht club is hosting its annual fishing competition tomorrow so she had to buy various bits and pieces for that.  We were only too pleased to join her. The hospitality and friendliness of people in this part of the US is quite overwhelming.  People will stop and chat and ask us where we’re from, and also volunteer to take us to shops etc.

Also there is a laundry here, so can catch up on some washing.

Today is Fish Friday at the restaurant – fried flounder, fries, coleslaw and hush puppies, and probably the odd beer or wine..... so we’re booked in for that.  Hope the weather forecast is correct too.