Unexpected Excitement And Pleasant Surprises

Charleston to Beaufort  |  8.5 Hours  |  57 Miles  

Startled awake was an understatement. At 5:00 this morning, Barry woke me saying someone was onboard. I removed my earplugs and also heard the footsteps on our deck. He called out to the intruder and slowly made his way upstairs. Turns out, a hired crew member on the Nordhavn in front of us had mistaken boats on her way back from the showers. No harm, no foul, but we could never get back to sleep. Adding salt to the wound, we could not get underway until that same Nordhavn cast off before us. With a strong current on our nose and the wind blowing us onto the dock, we needed a little extra room to peel ourselves away from Charleston. We were finally on our way just after sunrise. As we circled back east, the city skyline and the MegaDock glistened in the morning light.

We picked up the ICW and restarted our southern journey. First, the James Island Expressway bridge and then the Wappoo Creek Bridge were left in our wake. It was a warm and beautiful morning and the water was both wide and deep. We were even getting a welcome push from the current while winding our way through the South Carolina Low Country. Seagrass dominated the scenery until we reached Yonges Island and the Stevens Towing Company. Initially this shipyard seemed very much out of place, but a quick check of Google maps showed nearby access to the Atlantic Ocean through the North Edisto River.

We followed the tug Cape Romain through the Ashepoo Coosaw Cutoff -- and through the very narrow channel -- before passing her. At that point we were in the home stretch to reach Beaufort. We spun around, pointed our nose into the current, and eased onto the dock. I took a quick shower and then we walked the short distance into town hoping to arrive before the stores closed at 5:00. We were a little late for retail therapy, but I found another kind of therapy that was a pleasant surprise so much better. I met Twinkle, a nine year old golden retriever, on the street and visited with her for 15 minutes or so as Barry talked to her human. We didn't see much of the town in the daylight, but had a nice walk nonetheless before heading back to Crossroads for the evening. Rain will fall overnight, but we should have another nice travel day tomorrow as we say goodbye to South Carolina and enter Georgia.