Day 207: Cruising to Myrtle Beach, NC

Day 207: May 9: The morning was so peaceful and gorgeous. I imagine locals hang out here often. We pulled the anchor and got UW about 8:00 a.m., ready to see what the day might bring.  

The Waccamaw River has to be one of the most stunning areas of the South Carolina waterway due to its cypress lined shore. This body of water is a coastal plain river with extensive wetlands that leach pigments that cause its dark coloration and description as a blackwater; we assumed it was brackish due to the dark color. Historically it was an important shipping route from Georgetown to teh inland settlements and plantations in the northeastern part of the state. We thoroughly enjoyed this segment of the trip. 

Aside from the stunning scenery we also enjoyed looking at the lines and lines of homes and docks as well as some of the many boats passing us by, including a SC public school bus. We were astounded by the miles of homes, condos and town houses all jammed together; never would we want to live like that. 




We stopped at Wacca Wacha Marina for water and fuel; diesel at $3.55 a gallon including tax was the most reasonable for miles. Easy tie up right off the ICW and the dock hands were extremely pleasant. A great stop we highly recommend. The marina store had quite a few items. We stopped in and purchased shirts. Hanging on the wall was this quote; a simple phrase with a wise message for all of us.


We reached the Myrtle Beach area, the state line between North and South Carolina, intending on anchoring in a small cove in Calabash. A popular spot, it was quite busy with tour boats and fishing charters steaming up and down the area. We passed by this busy spot hoping to find a perfect anchorage. Unfortunately it was a small cove; too small and too shallow, so we moved to another spot. 

We traveled a few miles to a barrier beach hoping to be able to tuck in enough to protect us from the ocean opening. Ferries loaded with people were passing by, the current was running, and the wind was blowing. We dropped the hook which grabbed immediately, shortly after the wind kicked up; gusts were blowing about 25 to 30 knots and we were rocking and rolling. Not feeling comfortable, we pulled the anchor up again and traveled about 8 miles further up the ICW, heading for a spot called Shallote Inlet. A sailboat was already anchored there. He yelled over that he had been there since the previous night and the current had spun him around a few times. John motored around until he found a spot he was comfortable with. The wind continued all night; that and the current managed to cause us to drift again. Up at 2 a.m. once again resetting the anchor. Strong currents and wind have certainly created a bit of difficulty this week. I'm looking forward to calmer waters. 





















Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

ABOUT US

Image
We are John and Bonny Gifford from Westport, MA. We have been married for 43 years and have two grown sons, Seth and AJ who are both married with children.  Westport is a small coastal town that boasts farm land, stone walls and the lovely Noquochoke River which lies between Narragansett Bay and Buzzards Bay. As life long residents of Westport our family has enjoyed the river and beaches tremendously.  Now that we are both retired, we are anxious to get underway on the Great Loop on Slàinte Mhath (Slanj-ja-va), our GB 42 CL. Slàinte Mhath comes from the Gaelic and translates into good health. It’s a traditional Scottish and Irish toast that we became aware of many years ago while enjoying a Guiness in the Settle Inn in Stirling, Scotland. Our bartender (George) greeted us with this hearty cheer, inspiring us to name a future boat with this hearty salute!  About 10 years ago we did end up purchasing that “future” boat, choosing the stately Grand Banks Classic. We got a tas...
Read more

Day 53 Continued: Covered Portage Cove to Snug Harbour

Image
 Day 53 Continued: September 9: The trip to Snug Harbour took about an hour as it was just over 6 miles southwest of us. Once again the water was calm. Along the way we noticed what looked like a gravel pit on the shore to our port and what looked liked a sandy beach on the starboard; something we haven't seen yet on this trip.  We carefully made our way into the small cove as the chart-plotter was showing very shallow depths, Reviews that have been written about this spot report that is a great anchorage that is protected from all winds. The cove is very deep especially in the middle, with great depths ranging from 30 to 45 feet. Entering the opening to the cove, we saw we had to watch for the shoals on the starboard side. The shelf comes over halfway across the entrance which is very narrow. We cruised through the cove, noting the incredibly clear water, The shallows that line the shore are turquoise and you can see right to the bottom, especially when the sun is shining. J...
Read more

Day 49, 50 & 51: Travel to Bad River Channel & Beaverstone Bay

Image
Day 49: September 5: We were pretty sure we were anchored on granite here on Bustard Island so we kept checking our position. Our anchor is held by all chain; putting out 75 feet in 16 feet of water under pristine conditions most certainly provides secure holding as long as the anchor has something to sink into. But you can never take anything for granted. Luckily, there must have been just enough mud for the anchor to grab hold but the chain did continue sliding on the granite throughout the night, creating a haunting sound. The anchor alarm went off at one point during the night alerting us that we had swung out beyond the boundary settings. Being that the anchorage is narrow, there wasn't any room for error so John had set the parameters tightly. When the boat moves beyond that limit, the alarm notifies us of the change. Tight quarters are always more challenging if you are concerned about the possibility of dragging.  It was a lovely morning. The bright sunshine and gentle bre...
Read more