It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas

Church Creek to Beaufort  |  6 Hours  |  42 Miles 

A cold and windy morning had me back in four layers of clothing as we exited Church Creek and headed south. The wind held steady at over 20 knots, with gusts to 30, whipping up small whitecaps. We left at low tide and noticed the water drop displayed on the marsh grasses. This section of the ICW has many turns and small man-made cuts that connect two rivers for more direct navigation. Once we entered the Coosaw River the wind and current combined to create larger waves that yielded more spray on the windshield. At one point we had our wipers running full time. Then, oops. We lost our port side wiper arm. Thankfully it was not the center window wiper and the fix will be quick and easy once we get to a West Marine.

There were many dolphins in the water today and we saw several babies. I didn't even leave the pilothouse to go watch them as it was too cold and I've become spoiled by their daily presence. We did get plenty of opportunity to view many long private docks of various designs and construction methods. We began hearing jets overhead (F35s) and seeing signs along the way indicating we were approaching Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort. We rounded a final bend and spotted the Ladies Island Swing Bridge, the signal for me to get our dock lines and fenders ready. The bridge has a vertical clearance of 30-feet so we cruised on past the two waiting sailboats and under the span. With the wind still blowing and a forecasted low in the mid-30s, we elected to stay at the City Marina and use their electricity to stay warm. We checked in, cleaned up the decks, and then took a quick walk into town. We sat on a bench under a huge live oak in Waterfront Park and watched the bridge open for a large trawler to pass. The Visitors Center in the historic Arsenal was next and we picked up information on things to do tomorrow. Beaufort is South Carolina's second-oldest city and has plenty of museums and antebellum neighborhoods with elegant mansions. We plan on taking a guided tour in the morning for an overview.

We enjoyed dinner at Panini's, located in the converted Beaufort Bank building, then walked up and down Bay Street, looking at all the Christmas displays in the storefront windows.

A few things caught our eyes and we'll return tomorrow for a little Retail Therapy. How did they know to put the UVA and Penn State totems side-by-side? The Grinch will watch over us and make sure we don't get filled with too much holiday spirit.