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We departed Dutchman Creek at sunrise trying to beat the forecast for 20-30 knots of north winds. After a beautiful sunrise on the Cape Fear River, the winds began to build and build they did.

We had a steady 25 knots on the bow with an ebbing tide going with the wind. Lucky for us, this made the waves small but the progress very slow. Making only 3 knots of SOG, speed over ground, we plowed our way up the river.

Once we turned into Snow’s Cut, the waves subsided and the current turned towards the Carolina Inlet and pulled us into the cut at 7 knots. Using the back range makers to stay in the channel, we crossed into the Carolina Beach Basin and dropped anchor along with IP440 Charmed.

Radeen and I took the AB dinghy downwind through the harbor to the very end and walked the town. Temps were around 50 degrees and the winds were around 25 knots. The dinghy ride back UPWIND was fun, especially with the AB 10 footer and the high bow. The boat did well and our little 4 hp outboard did the job. This was about a 1 mile dinghy run.

Carolina Beach Basin, we anchored hereGoogle Map of Carolina Beach Basin Area

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The lure of Barefoot Landing proved irresistible as we stopped 10 lanes of traffic (no exaggeration!) to go to a Cracker Barrel for breakfast. By 1100 we were off the dock and across the waterway to Barefoot Marina and Yacht Club for diesel, water and pump-out.

Then we headed through the Barefoot Landing swing bridge to “The Rock Pile,” a narrow, treacherous area of three miles of rock outcroppings above and below the surface. We passed through another bascule bridge at the Little River Inlet and then through the only remaining pontoon bridge at Sunset Beach. It opens only on the hour and we were grateful to be the fifth and final vessel through the 2:00 p.m. opening.

By 1800, (6pm) we had the anchor down near IP440 Charmed in lovely Dutchman’s Creek. See the video of this beautiful anchorage.

View of IP440 Charmed as we approached Dutchman’s Creek
Google Map of Dutchman’s Creek, zoom in…

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Norm P. was soooooo RIGHT when he said…

“Myrtle Beach is the price you pay for the beauty of the Waccamaw River!”

Yesterday we left Georgetown around 0930 after some writing work for school from 0500-0900. We began our trek north into the most beautiful and most scenic area of the ICW, the Waccamaw River. From 0930 to 1420 we were overwhelmed by the beauty of this river. Spanish moss on freshly budding spring leaves set against our new blue high pressure sky wins the “most beautiful” section of the ICW for us. We found several eagle’s nests and spotted five eagles! Over the sound of the engine, we heard the cry of the osprey as the parent was flying into the nest with a fish in their claws landing atop a massive nest at least 4-6 feet across. I kept shooting photo after photo with two different cameras yet none seemed to capture the beauty as experienced. I will process a batch of photos and upload them soon.

Then, as Norm points out, Myrtle Beach comes up and you are inside a ditch with high banks and concrete rubble shore lines with massive homes 3 and 4 stories high towering over the banks, looking like they could fall down their hills into the ICW. Jet skis zipping and fast wake boarding boats zipping by are quite a contrast to the peace of the Waccamaw River.

Overtaken by the lure of commercialism, we stopped at http://BareFootLanding.com, taking a dock at a shopping center of outlet and specialty stores complete with caged tigers on display! The docks at Barefoot Landing used to be free with no services, but now they charge $1.50/ft including free electrical hookup. Once tied up, the dock master recommended TBonz restaurant / pub, serving Happy Hour $2 draft beers and $5 appetizers, so we treated ourselves to chicken wings (legs) and cold raspberry home brew drafts. A quick walking tour around the enormous property and across boardwalks on the 27 acre lake (which is about 6-7 feet above the ICW) completed the day.

Let’s hope the Waccamaw can remain unspoiled and untouched because it is truly pristine and beautiful.

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We departed Charleston in predicted dense fog, trusting our radar and chartplotter to watch for other vessels and to keep us just outside the shipping channels. The fog lifted, also as predicted, at 0900 as we approached the Ben Sawyer bascule bridge. Sixty-five miles later, through much open, empty marshland, we arrived in Winyah Bay and motored sailed in 18 knots of breeze towards Georgetown. Beautiful dolphins continue to elude our photographic efforts!

Prior to the Civil War, over half of the country’s rice was shipped out of Georgetown. Today, it is a small town with interesting shops and architecture, an award winning library, a fresh seafood store on the waterfront and an active steel mill and paper factory. We felt welcome everywhere we went!

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4/11/08 Report and photos soon….

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What a beautiful, charming city! We squeaked under the 56 ft. Ashley River bridge at a very high tide and took a friend’s mooring ball off the Ashley River Marina. There is a safe walkway along the overpass that connects to the city marina or it is an easy dinghy ride there. We hadn’t been to Charleston since 1991, so it was fun to see the historic area again. Dinner and dominoes aboard Charmed with Blaine Parks IP40 Charbonneau made for another great IP evening. The next day found us at the Visitor’s Center, using our car to provision at a wonderful grocery called Harris Teeter and making dinner aboard for Janet Parks. The weatherman was right – a heavy fog blanketed harbor as we headed out the next morning. It lifted, as predicted, at 0900 as we approached the Ben Sawyer Memorial Bridge.

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Report and photos soon…(Thanks to Blaine for the mooring)

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The Lady’s Island Bridge has restricted hours starting at 0700, which dictated our pre-dawn departure with four other boats. Following Charmed, we traveled remote areas of the ICW with names like Ashpoo River, Mosquito Creek, Dawho River, Fenwick Cut and Wadmallow Sound. Near Charleston, we entered Elliott Cut with a positive current while Bob Greaves, IP 38 Black Dog, took photos of us from his backyard. After anchoring with Charmed in an oxbow south of the Wapoo Creek Bridge, we dinghied ashore for a BBQ at Bob and Rhonda’s house. Wonderful IP hospitality!

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Report and photos soon…. (Thanks to IP38 Black Dog owner Bob, we attended a BBQ)

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Post to follow…w/pictures

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