Our position is 33:21.841N 79:16.939W
ICW miles to go
402.9
We didn’t have to get up too early on Friday as the Ben Sawyer
bridge was closed between 7 and 9am so we left at 8.15 and were rewarded by
arriving at the bridge just in time to join with a group of waiting boats to
take advantage of an opening at 9.10am. Among them was Another Adventure, who
had been waiting for 2 hours as a result of not reading the pilot, but soon the
two of us were outstripping the others and chatting on the radio as we motored
along. We hadn’t planned a
destination but were going to see how far we had got when we had had enough.
There was little wind initially but later we were able to unfurl the jib and
enhance our speed with the wind behind. Around midday we decided it was too hot
to carry on without the sunshade (which we had taken down when we sailed outside
and not re-erected) so Ted soon had it up on his own while I sailed the boat. Of
course almost immediately the sun was overtaken by clouds, which stayed around
for most of the afternoon.
After lunch we were making good progress, so agreed with John and
Travis to continue to Georgetown, aiming to arrive at around 6pm. The
pilot books claimed the Cape Romain National Wildlife Refuge would provide
amazing opportunities for seeing more different birds than anywhere else, but we
found it disappointingly bereft of wildlife of all kinds except flies. They were
unaffected by repellent,big, biting and far too numerous. By late afternoon
we were out of the narrow section and into the wide surrounds of Winyah Bay,
heading towards the channel to Georgetown. In spite of all the space we had to move
over to make room for a large ship.
The day’s intense pilotage had been made much easier for us by
having Another Adventure to follow and we were very grateful to John and Travis
for taking the lead. It is very reassuring when the depth is shoaling fast, to
half a metre under the keel, to know that the boat in front draws 6 inches more
than you do.
The anchorage was fairly crowded but we both managed to find a
space and John and Travis launched their dinghy (ours was still deflated) and
came across to pick us up to go ashore for a meal. Drinks in a bar accompanied
by a plate of nachos were followed by a delicious meal at Limpin’ Janes, where
southern cuisine dominates the menu and the food is locally sourced, they even
have their own small holding to provide vegetables.
Ben Sawyer
Bridge
This little sailboat managed to get stuck even with his rudder and centre plate
up
Following
Another Adventure under The Isle of Palms
Bridge
Lots of smiles in South Carolina
Most peoples
lives are linked to the swamps creeks and
rivers
These boats' floatin' days are over
Not all the
inhabited islands have a
bridge
Commercial traffic in Winyah Bay
Following
Another Adventure into the Georgetown
Anchorage
Another day at..... for this sports fisher
Limpin' Jane's
(Kay had chicken liver etoufee and alluh
grits)
