Glad to hear you are making good progress south.
We have stopped in Wrightsville Beach several times. At first we anchored in
the stream between the CG inlet (the inlet near the CG base) and the ICW. The
current was strong but the bottom hard and great holding.
Then we went on through there to anchor around the corner to the NW of the CG
Station over by the sandy spoil area island.
One memorable night we motored very slowly through the east-west marked
waterway just south of the marinas/jbridge/causeway and came out in the bay
behind the barrier island north of the CG station. Only went aground once but
we were going less than dead slow (dead slow being actual idle speed) by taking
it out of gear often. It was a nicely protected anchorage, quiet and pretty.
Our next stop south was Little River. We anchored in the cove on the opposite
side of the channel from where the inlet from the sea comes into the ICW. We
saw a crabber working his traps and bought a half a 5 gallon bucket of crab and
spent the morning (waiting for the tide, we were aground at low tide) feasting
on crab.
After that is a relatively short ride to the sweetest part of the ICW, the
Waccama River. YOU MUST STOP IN BUCKSPORT. It was always the high point of
the entire trip. Bucksport is a little, family owned, village. There was a
restaurant and convenience store when we were last there. Bucksport SC and
Bucksport ME are sisters. The SC town was to harvest trees to supply timber to
the shipbuilding operations in ME. LeGrand was the patriarch. He passed away
a few months after his wife was murdered by some young black who were robbing
his home. The perps were caught and are spending the rest of their lives in
prison. He was a country squire type in the best tradition. Made his life
operating drag lines, pile drivers etc. Wonderful people.
>From there to Georgetown, a half-day trip, is more of the magnificent
>Waccamaw. Stop at Georgetown for a choice of several fine restaurants. Every
>dock is a dingy dock, just part on the shore side of the float. The boaters
>are at the "Yacht Club" actually just a bar. It is unmarked. Ask. It is
>near the SE end of the boardwalk.
After Georgetown, the next stop is Charleston. I anchor across the river from
the Municipal Marina. The watering hole is the Variety Store in the Marina
parking lot. Ask. There is a inside upstairs restaurant and bar, and another,
more informal bar on the ground under the store. The action there is at
quitting time, 5 to 7pm.
Take some time to explore Charleston. I loved the Hunley submarine museum but
transportation there is problematical. It is in what was the Navy Base.
About ten miles south of Charleston, as you approach the 65' Limehouse bridge,
there is a lighted range marked "D". When you are abeam G37 look to the north
and see a creek heading into the marshes. Send us a little good wishes. That
is where Bandersnatch first touched salt water.
The next stop is Beautiful Beaufort SC. Stop there and find your way to
Hemingway's pub. It's owner is Ann-Marie. Have the bartender give her a call
and tell her who you are. She will likely join you for lunch. Enjoy...
After Beaufort we go offshore to Fernandina, Jacksonville or St Augustine. But
with your draft you could easily do this section of the ICW but we can't any
more. A good stop here is Savannah. A beautiful old town. Tie up at the
waterfront. There are plenty of bars and tourist traps along the waterfront.
They run a train along the street from time to time to thrill the visitors.
After Thunderbolt GA there is nothing but marsh until you get to Brunswick.
The next stop is Fernandina Beach. A quiet little town that is worth a stop.
Nice marina. Excellent strolling high street. A good fort/museum a car ride
away and a nice boardwalk/beach in the same state park as the fort.
Next is St Augustine. Perhaps we can meet there.
We used to stay there all winter. The biggest problem was parking our cars.
There is a constant pressure to control boaters with mooring fields etc. The
battle rages as elsewhere in Florida, but the town is worth a few days. Lots
of tourist fun. The sailors bar is A1A Alehouse, a micro brewery, and for a
live band its the Trade Winds. There are marinas and a boatyard up the river
to the west of the town. Lots of HD, Super WalMart, etc, etc. in St Augustine.
St Augustine Marine Supply, reachable by dinghy or about 15 minutes walk has
lots of boat stuff. The hardware store on the high street (King Street) has a
good selection of stainless fasteners.
Norm
S/V Bandersnatch
Lying Julington Creek
30 07.695N 081 38.484W
----- Original Message -----
From: Ed Kelly
To: Norm Johnson
Sent: 11/3/2008 5:55:28 AM
Subject: Thanks for the story about kedging holding the boat
I really liked reading your story.
It is scary how quickly things can go from bad to much worse.
As we came down the ICW today (we did 72 miles from south
of Morehead City, NC to Wrightsville Beach where we are now)
I remembered a picture of a sailboat that got washed up on
a beach on the outside of NC and was buried in sand within a day.
Sue and I love this place, partly cause its got the best breakfast
cafe on the East Coast of the US. . . The Causeway Cafe just
a block East of the ICW bridge at Wrightsville Beach, on the South
side of the road. WONDERFUL PLACE that makes it worth the
trip.
Ed Kelly (& Sue Kelly)
USSV Angel Louise - a Catalac catamaran
Our Skype Phone (202) 657-6357
Email: EdKelly ("at" symbol) netins.net_______________________________________________
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