The next stop down the ICW brought us to a new spot, Big Tom Creek. We left Herb Creek after lunch to time the tide at Hell Gate, a pln that worked out well, then made camp a little later in the afternoon than usual. There were a couple of other boats in this creek, but a ton of room, and deep water. Pulled out early the next morning and traveled 4 hours or so to another favorite anchorage at Blackbeards Creek on the southwest side of Sapelo Sound. It is a narrow protected and isolated spot just inside the inlet and has a great beach as part of the adjacent wildlife area. Cindy got another coat of varnish on with one more to go. Took the dinghy down and took a ride to the beach for a hike. The tide was incoming and the rise was so fast, we could watch the inflow on the beach sand. The tides here are 8 feet or so.

By the time we finished the hike,water was lapping at the back of the dinghy

While at Blackbeards Creek, I did some additional maintenance. The day before, the engine seemed to be running 5 degrees warmer than usual. I checked the raw water inlet and the impeller for wear, didn't find any issues, put a little glycerin on the impeller and yesterday had no issues, engine temp looked normal all morning. We didn't travel more than 3-4 hours yesterday and took a side trip off the ICW 8 miles up the Darien River to Darien, Georgia. There is a "free dock" there. We pulled in before noon and tied up in a pretty big current from the tide. I think we will stay here a couple of days. There is free power hook up and water. Took the bikes out for a ride yesterday afternoon and bought a few groceries, went to a real old fashioned hardware store where I found an O ring for a few cents to fix the leaking shower head on the swim platform. Works like new now. The people in this town are great. The man at the store where we checked in for dockage offered to take us to the grocery store, but with the bikes it wasn't needed. He also informed me of the rules: no swimming because of the swift current and swifter allegators! Went to an antique store, (more like a house) and we couldn't get away from the woman that ran it. Last night ate out at Skipper's Fish Camp, great seafood, shrimp, oysters, scallops, Mahi all fresh, but pretty bad slaw and cheese grits. Ate the seafood and left the rest. Today will tour the circa 1700's old Fort King George and maybe try to catch a fish.

A flat morning motoring up Sapelo Sound at sunup

The free dock in Darien

Really old waterfront building where we are tied up.  Constructed with "tabby", a cement made from shells