Price Creek Anchorage
Yesterday we did much better and had good elp from the tide for the most part. Came through the south and north Edisto Rivers,dodged the rain for the most part, passed through Charleston and then hit the shallows on the ICW just north of Charleston. We have been through here now several times and it is interesting to see how the depths change year to year. It was at low tide and I could see a sailboat aground ahead of us. As we approached him, he hailed us on the VHF to apprise us of his situation. The depth on our gauge went to 4 feet. We draw 4 feet, so there was no fudge room, but we snuck by and didn't touch. I followed the sonar charts on Navionics through there on Cindy's tablet and it was amazingly accurate on the depth contours. Made camp at a nicce anchorage called Price Creek where we were all alone. This morning we broke camp early this morning to ake advantage of the tidal flow and to hit the McClellan shallows at high tide. They only have 3 feet at low tide so we need to time it.
Engine Hours 5052.0
Genset Hours 5580.6

Damaged Bridge looks like Stonehenge

Charleston harbor full of anchored barges. Ft Sumter is in the background

Very busy Chareleston marina

Charleston waterfront. Old antebellum mansions.

Unsettled Weather
The past couple of days have been a bit on the wet side. Wemoved from Herb River just south of Savannah to north of Beaufort SC yesterday. Put on 75 miles or sobut seemed like we fought current all day. It poured on us just north of Beaufort, and again later in the day. We came through the Ashapoo Cut towards the end of the day. It is a shallow series of cuts between bigger pieces of the ICW. The US Army Corp of Engineers was dredging it, a good thing, but they were blocking the channel, so I hailed them on the VHF to find the best path around them. They didn't answer on the 3 frequencies they should monitor, so I plowed ahead slowly. There was a white buoy between the dredge and the shore and normally that is marking the route. As we proceeded, the depth went to zero and we were mired in the mud. The current was coming at us and pushed us around and I backed out ok and then they led us through with their barge. it was a little exciting though for a few minutes. We went a few miles farther, then anchored in the rain. The anchor set poorly and finally after 45 minutes we got a good set and slept well. Today we will push on to north of Charleston. We need to set up to go by McClellanville at high tide tomorrow morning. If this weather would straighten out, we'd go outside and avoid all this shallow stuff. We are making pretty good progress to set us up for a more relaxing week next week with some exploring in North Carolina I hope.
Engine Hours 5044.3
Genset Hours 5572.2

A pretty cemetery we passed. Appropriate for Memorial Day.

Yesterday we put on about 68 miles, traveling from Rockdedundy River anchorage to Herb River just south of Savannah. Today with the first hour, will be in South Carolina, but the weather is supposed to deteriorate with rain starting from sub tropical storm Alberto. This morning is flat calm and looks fine. We stopped mid afternoon yesterday to let Cindy put on another coat ov varnish and to let the tide raise the water level at Hell Gate, which has less than 4 feet at low tide. We saw a bigger boat pass us before the shallows and listened on the radio. He drew 6 feet and got through ok so knew we would make it. Today will put on as many miles as we can before the rain hits.
Engine Hours 5032.6
Genset Hours 5578.3

Dawn this morning on Herb River

We arrived back to the boat on Tuesday May22. It was just as we left it with the exception of a little mold on the packs stored under one of the seats. Somehow they were damp, but Cindy got them cleaned up. We spent the next couple of days stripping varnish off the rails that had not been refinished and Cindy got the new varnish project started. I had to work Thursday, so not a lot of help from me. We managed to provision from the bikes. A Winn Dixie was only a mile away, but my #3 Duluth pack was heavy on the return trips. We met Jim and Judy Haily, our dack mates on the catamaran next to us. Really nice people and we hope to meet up with them down the line. They are headed north as well in another day or so. We got under way Friday afternoon and put on 33 miles to just south of Darien on the Rockdedundy River. Lots of current at this spot with the tidal swings. Saw an alligator cross our path mid river yesterday but pictures didn't show it very well. Plan to pass a real shallow spot this afternoon, Hell Gate, and may need to wait for the tide to rise a bit when we get there. It is about 3.5 feet at the shallowest and we need 4, so it will depend on timing. It is sure nice to be out of the marina and back in the swamps of Georgia.
Engine Hours 5023.4
Genset Hours 5577.7

Sunrise this morning

Georgia horseflies on the bimini yesterday

Good tidal assist yesterday, 8.5 knots

Cindy fnally able to read a bit after all the varnishing