Charleston, SC

 Yesterday, Nov. 27 we departed Charleston after Kurt expertly guided the boat through a 180 degree turn in very tight quarters in the marina with 4kn current against the turn:)  Thankfully one of us has great boat maneuvering skills.

Bathed in light winds and warm temps, we glided through endless miles of marshland resplendent with waterfowl.  Loons fished along every mile, pelicans carelessly crashed upon the surface, great white egrets stood stately on the shore,  and a great blue heron that narrowly missed becoming a figurehead on our bow when he/she misjudged his/her trajectory to an unknown destination. I am reminded that on the way to Charleston we had the treat of viewing the majestic and distinctive flight of a pair of Wood Storks (they are on the endangered list) and I am delighted to learn that each year South Carolina is home to between 800-2,060 Wood Stork nests.

Last night at Beaufort, SC, Kurt got to hone his mechanical skills when he changed the impeller on the port engine that began to overheat 1/3 of the way towards our destination. Thanks to twin engines, it was not a problem that needed immediate attention.  

Today were greeted to a brilliant orange resplendent sunrise that foretold the weather are now being escorted by; the southern leading edge of a cold front. As we travel from Beaufort, SC to somewhere in Georgia the sky is monochromatic gray punctuated with patches of blue that are distance and always out of reach; we are gently rocked by 25-30 kn wind and washed by intermittent showers.  The dolphins and loons keep us company as we approach the serpentine shaped ICW in Georgia.

Daufuskie Island awaits at the confluence of the Calibogue Sound and the Cooper River; the name originated from the early settlers identifying their island as "Da Fus Key" (the first key).  In the book "The River is Wide,"(a great read)  author Pat Conroy chronicled his experience as a schoolteacher on the island when there was no bridge linking the island to the mainland;  he taught a small population of direct descendants of slaves brought from Africa who lived an isolated life, having little contact with the outside world. 

Just entering the Elba Cut across the Savanna River after yielding to a behemoth freighter who recommended that we "wait" for him to cross in front of us.....duh.....

We managed to enjoy our 11 day stay in "Charleston: City of Arrivals."  I am reminded that we started our journey near Ellis Island, NY where countless immigrants including my father and his family who arrived from Kavala, Greece,  were welcomed to a new life, now we are in Charleston an earlier port of entry for many.....from the first American Jews arriving from Spain in 1695, to 4 out of 5 of the African slaves brought to toil on American soil.  

In 1669, three ships of colonists sailed from England to the New World; after enduring hurricanes, only the ship the Carolina, crowded with many of the the passengers saved from the two wrecked ships, arrived in Charleston in 1670 and started a new community, Charles Towne (named for Charles II), in the protected harbor.  

Today Charleston welcomes the visitor with historic homes of antebellum architecture, cobblestone streets, a horizon of church spires and in the distance the distinctive profile of the Ravenel bridge;  a carriage tour of the Battery provided us with a glimpse of the unique architecture and gardens that grace the waterfront.  We had the pleasure of sharing the Charleston experience with Karen and Tom who seemed to enjoy the wonders of the city as much as we do.  The whirlwind tour included house tours of the Nathaniel Russel House, c.1808; Calhoun Mansion, c. 1876 @ 24,000 square feet, stuffed to the gills with antiques and collectibles and a visit to the H. L. Hunley the first submarine ever to sink an enemy ship (USS Housatonic), unfortunately for the crew of eight the Hunley sank; it was not located and raised until 1995 and 2000 respectively.  On April 17, 2004, the Hunley crew members were buried with full Confederate Military honors at Magnolia Cemetery following a 4.5 mile, horse-drawn, caisson procession through downtown Charleston; the "last Confederate burial."

We delighted in the tour of Middleton Place, the grand 18th-century rice plantation featuring 65 acres of gardens first designed by Henry Middleton in 1741, and in 1941 the Garden Club of America recognized Middleton Place as  America's oldest landscaped gardens and the "most interesting and important garden in America." 

                                      

                                     

                             Kurt stands camouflaged against the magnificent Middleton Oak, estimated to         

                             be least 900 years old with a height of 67',  girth of 32.8' and spread of 118.'

                                          

                                     

                                          Centuries-old Camellias bloom in winter months

No visit to Charleston would be complete without a harbor cruise to visit Fort Sumter (I always want to put a "p" after the m). On December 20, 1860, South Carolina was the "First to Act"when it  seceded from the Union, yet Union forces still occupied Fort Sumter and refused requests to surrender. Finally on April 12, 1861 South Carolina Confederate troops led by Major Beauregard fired on Sumter from nearby Fort Johnson in a two day bombardment that resulted in the the surrender of the fort by the Union commander, Major Anderson, and the start of the Civil War. The South held Fort Sumter until 1865; during that time the fort experienced one of the longest sieges in modern warfare, when an estimated 46,000 shells, thought to be more than seven million pounds of metal, were fired at the fort.

                                                             

                                                                        Fort Sumter

In-between all the activities we managed to sample some of Charleston's fine "Lowcountry" cuisine at Blosson's,  Magnolias Hyman's, Jestine'sFrogmore stew; Frogmore is a community on St. Helena Is., SC  identified by the post office that has giant metal frog in front:)  The Lowcountry stew is a seafood boil with shrimp, crab, sausage, and corn on the cob and reportedly was "invented" by the owner of Gay seafood in Beaufort when he prepared a cookout for fellow National Guardsmen.

Georgetown, SC

As we departed Georgetown this morning the sun was peeking over the tree tops, a blue heron, brilliantly juxtaposed against the colorful backdrop of autumn leaves, silently stalked a silvery tidbit as an immature Bald Eagle kept a wary watch.  Mist was rising from the glistening surface of the water, an old wooden shrimp boat lumbered past us as the outriggers unfurled.

Pelicans glide over the bow and commence a surface glide, skimming the tops of the sea chop.  We are in an Audubon paradise where vacant osprey nests claim many of the double-sided tops of channel markers rendering the distinctive apex of the red impossible to discern, there-by making navigation more of a challenge.  Marsh hawks with their distinctive flap, flap, glide pattern of flight survey the endless miles of marsh that is uninhabited by man, yet it displays the remnants of the slave-designed and built flood gates that once were integral to the huge wealthy plantations so prolific before the Civil War.  Bald Eagles glide in circles, blue herons sprout at the edge of the marsh as sentries of the shore as nearby oystercatchers probe the mud,  gaggles of Great White Egrets skim the marsh tops, cormorants hang their wings out to dry, and the occasional bottlenose dolphin gracefully swims by tantalized by riding our bow wave.

Yesterday Kurt brought us through the infamous "Rock Pile," a 19 mile long stretch of canal that was cut (blasted) through Cretaceous limestone that is 65-144 million years old, formed at the end of the dinosaur age.  Because the rock was such a challenge, the engineers who built it in the early 1930s, continued to commensurately narrow the channel making it a challenge for boaters to safely navigate.   Last spring, we met a couple on a trawler who had damaged their hull and props, this year we were told about the 40' catamaran that yesterday sank after putting a hole in one hull.  This cruising adventure requires due diligence, I'm grateful that so far as I have spent too long gazing at the flora and fauna that I have not run us aground.

Our last night in North Carolina found us at  Carolina Beach, Joyner Marina and afforded us a long walk on the full-moon-lit ocean shore where intrepid shorebirds (barely visible) fed in the surf line, scurrying about gobbling tiny tidbits.  This area of beach is available to off road vehicles so the beachfront is decorated with the occasional tent, campfire, fisherman; we ambled up to chat with a couple of "locals" sitting around a camp fire only to discover that they were transplants from Long Island:)

Casper Marina in SC provided for cheap diesel fuel (oxymoron) at $3.60 a gal (including tax).  We loaded up with 576 gals that will see us through the Bahamas and FL Keys and back to Casper for a fill-up.  The sun and cloud cover conspired to put on an unparalleled display of fuchsia, crimson, and gold reflected off the clouds and water.

A delicious dinner of shrimp and grits, washed down with a Cosmo at Snooky's rounded out a perfect day.

Dowry Creek, Belhaven NC

111/11/11, Veterans Day, a gigantic thank you to all of our military! Today ushers in  clear, vibrant, blue skies reflecting off the choppy Neuse River as we gyrate through waves whipped by a frosty 15 kn wind that the cold front ushered in.  The last two days have been gloriously warm enough for sunbathing, varnish touch-ups and boat washing; yesterday short sleeves, today two layers and a down vest, jacket and gloves.  Magestic shore birds stand with heads retracted onto shoulders in an attempt to defeat the wind and cold. A flock of Forster's Terns, their black patch from eye to ear looking like mascara gone awry, nosily complains with distinctive "keer and zreep" sounds.

late afternoon finds us  at Dowry Creek marina with new ornamentation;  it's never a proud moment when the gentleman catching your dock lines says,  "I see you've been crabbin', " as he laughs while pointing to the scarred, white, crab pot buoy bobbing listlessly along-side the bow.  The 15 feet of line attached to the buoy was wedged around the stabilizer shaft and no amount of tugging would free it so Captain Kurt went swimming and cut the line short to the shaft; thankfully the stabilizers still work.

 Dowry Creek Marina just on the outskirts of Belhaven did not disappoint; a quaint, quiet, home to a few long-time boat residents who journeyed for years and settled here where they liked the vistas of ever-changing marshland and views of sunrise and sunsets.  Again we were welcomed to the pot luck supper that is provided each evening by some of the "resident" cruisers and the marina owner Mary; her retired Marine husband passed away several years ago and she is carrying on their dream of owning/running the marina. The rotisseried pork rib roast with all the trimmings (including homemade yeast rolls) became a birthday celebration for Mary, this being our second time arriving for that celebration.  The deliciousness of the meal was secondary to the easy conversation with fellow cruisers who share a multitude of experiences with their travels up and down on the ICW,  the Great Loop and Canada.

Dinner was delayed as we waited for the last boat to arrive; a large trawler (60') that was captained by someone who exercised a lapse of judgement, and attempted, in the long narrow Alligator River-Pongo Canal, to pass one of the "American Cruise Line" ships (200,' with a 60' beam).  Needless to say it did not end well for the trawler with the appropriate name of "Full Steam."  Duh!

One of the resident boaters (the woman who made the delicious rolls) talked about the visit from hurricane Irene that brought 100 mph wind and an 8' storm surge;  she and her husband had moved their truck and motor home to "safe" high ground only to have both destroyed when a hurricane-spawned tornado brought a tree down on top of them.  They were grateful that their sailboat anchored up the creek rode out the storm safely.  The boats were not allowed to stay at the marina due to the forecast  storm surge that would likely (and did) cover the dock pilings.  Unfortunately a beautiful sailboat was across the creek, marooned on the marsh at an angle that would have been fine if it was plying the sea, heeled in unison with the wind and waves.  Mother Nature will reign supreme, good and bad; sublimely beautiful, frighteningly destructive.

Manteo, NC, side-trip off the ICW

Detoured from the boat parade on the ICW to visit Manteo (with a silent t and long e and o) on Roanoke Is near the Outer Banks, an idyllic year round community of boats, fishermen and condos with wrap-around views of Roanoke Sound and the barrier beach.

 On August 18, 1587, Virginia Dare,  the first European Christian to be born in American was born on Roanoke Island; no one knows what became of Virginia or the 120 men, women and children from her settlement; all traces of the colony disappeared by 1591; harsh life for early settlers.

This area of the Outer Banks is known as the Graveyard Of the Atlantic and is home to the "lost" local legend  of Richard Etheridge and the Pea Island Lifesavers. In the 1880's the ocean beaches were patrolled 24 hours a day (on foot) by members of the Life-Saving Service  (LSS),  a precursor to the Coast Guard.  Richard Etheridge was born on Roanoke Island as a slave, became a Union Army Veteran in the Civil War and then in 1880, the first African-American to command a Life-Saving station, a position he maintained for 20 years.  Among the many he saved, in 1896 he and his African-American crew are credited with saving the captain and crew, including the captain's wife and 3 year old daughter, of the schooner "E.S. Newman." It was 100 years, and took the effort of a 14 year old girl, a US Congressman and a diligent Coast Guard Officer, before Etheridge and his life saving crew were recognized for their valor and awarded the Gold Lifesaving Medal.  I'm reading and recommend  the book, "Fire On The Beach" is a spellbinding story about Etheridge and Life-Saving Crew at Station 17 on Pea Island.

As the sun sets and the soon-to-be full moon rises, the marshes glisten golden hues and the sky promises shades of lilac and plum,  the stars faintly glimmer in the approaching night.  The wind lightly dances across the surface of the water and it promises to be a sterling night of immense beauty at the shore.

This was a day of exploring the area and attempting to find helmets to be worn when we're on the new little scooter that we bought in Portsmith at a marine store????  Of course he didn't have helmets, just one cute little bright blue scooter that seduced us.  So how do you find a helmet in a seaside vacation area???  You ride on your scooter without a helmet and hope for the best; locals told us that we would have to go to Nags Head on the beach, so over the bridge we did go and down the beach in search of helmets....25km later...after checking out the ocean....we came upon scooter with person on board who inquired, "where are your helmets?"  He was kind enough to lead us back over the bridge back, to Manteo, through town, to a cycle shop. Of course we were stopped by a cop as we were preparing to turn left into the parking lot of the cycle shop.....thanks to our guardian angel Mark, who appeared to know everyone, we didn't get a ticket.  Later that afternoon Mark came to the boat and delivered to us a bounty of fresh sea scallops, oysters, and flounder and would not accept payment for what will be many delicious meals for us; we are blessed to meet so many interesting, kind, wonderful people.

Nags Head Beach

                                                        Scooter being hoisted top-side

As the holidays are approaching, I miss no opportunity to breeze through interesting shops; among them Wanchese Pottery owned by Bonnie and Bob, retired art teacher and school counselor from "upstate" NY.  Their shop is as wonderful as their personalities and it wasn't hard to find a few gems that needed a home....Bonnie has created a line of dinnerware that she calls "Outer Banks," so of course I expected them to have a web site, Bonnie explained that they did have one for a week and they had so many orders that they discontinued the site!  I'm putting the phone number in here so I will know where to find it: 252-305-2099; wanchesepottery@yahoo.com.  Again, acts of kindness, Bob offered to us the use of his truck if we needed to provision or tour the area.  

Then there was the visit from the gentleman who will have to remain nameless because neither of us can remember his name;  while eating dinner at Coinjock Restaurant (home to the 32 oz prime rib ), we chatted with two people at the table next to us, they live in Manteo......the gentleman who is retired from a career in IT, and originally from London where he spends 6 months each year, drove his scooter  (he is a para) down to the boat to visit with us:)  The people that we meet along the way are a treasured part of the journey!

Yorktown VA and Norfolk, VA

From 1776, when George Washington marched his soldiers from New York to Yorktown, to the modern day of touring that Memorial site on Segways. Yorktown holds claim to the last great battle that started on Oct. 9, 1781 and ended 10 days later when Lord Cornwallis surrendered and effectively ended the Revolutionary War.

 A two night stay afforded us the opportunity to not only have fun on Segways (a first for us) but also to tour the wonderful Victory Museum that portrays the multiple dimensions of the Revolutionary War from the perspective of the Colonists and the soldiers and sailors from the French Army and French fleet of 29 warships that blockaded the Yorktown River.  The museum was a somber reminder of the misery of war and the beneficial long term consequences that sometimes come as a result of war.

On a more upbeat note we met an interesting woman who is single-handedly sailing her Freedom sailboat, Whimbrel.  (If we had not last year in our travels happened upon a Whimbrel shore bird, I would not have known what that was.)  At any rate, Marilyn is a very interesting woman who is a retired Budget Director for the city of Denver and who is on her way on her sailboat to the Bahamas. She grew up with sailing on the San Francisco Bay and has recent, extensive experience as crew on different sailboats.  She shared that she and a girlfriend were on an ocean passage that involved a storm of noteworthy magnitude, enough to cripple the boat and necessitate an EPIRB activation and  Coast Guard rescue 350 miles out to sea!  I have read many books, most recently the "Deadliest Sea," portraying such situations and the amazing feats and bravery of the Coasties; I never want to have to call them or a "rescue," but if I do, I am confident that they will give their all for the rescue.

I'm taking my last look at the mighty, majestic Naval vessels that grace the shoreline of Norfolk as we depart for Coinjock, NC.

Norfolk and Portsmith provide for viewing of the regal US Navy fleet: ships of every conceivable shape and size from submarines to nuclear Supercarriers including the USS Enterprise (93,284 long tons) the first nuclear powered aircraft carrier and  the longest naval vessel in the world.   Massive aircraft carriers dwarft the battleships and troop transports as both receive re-fits, some on dry dock, some nudged tight against piers; tugs resplendent in ruby coats and patrol boats keep a vigilant eye on ships; substantial floating barriers keep curious boaters at bay.

 At dock was  the 684' USS New York,  LPD-21 an Amphibious Transport Dock Ship,  christened March 1, 2008; her 7.5 metric ton bow stem was formed using steel donated from the World Trade Center in honor of the attacks on 9-11.

There have been at least 6 Navy ships named New York.  Coincidentally, while touring the Nauticus Museum in Norfolk, I happened upon the Bow Ornament from the USS New York (Armored Cruiser #2, CA-2) built on Philadelphia and commissioned in August 1893. She served as flagship in the NorthAtlantic Squadron when the Spanish American War began, and was flagship during the Caribbean campaign that led to the Battle of Santiago on July 3, 1898. Renamed Saratoga in 1911, she served during WW1,  renamed again in 1917 becoming the USS Rochester and continued to serve until she was decommissioned in the Philippines in April 1933 and scuttled in 1941 to avoid her capture by the Japanese.

                                                    Bow Ornament USS New York, 1893

Jerry and soon to be daughter-in-law drove to Norfolk for a visit; we enjoyed great German food at the Beir Garden in Portsmith and a tour of the USS Wisconsin, an 880' BB-64, the last of the Iowa class fast Battleships to be built.  She has been lovingly preserved and welcomes visitors at the Nauticus museum.  This massive ship that has been home to thousands of servicemen,  has seen  action in Operation Desert storm, Korea, and WW11.  A retired Navy serviceman (of 26 years) who was an official "greeter" on the Wisconsin reminisced about that period of time form Dec.1944 with the ships arrival at Ulithi and assignment to the third Fleet under Admiral William Halsey, to their sailing into Tokyo Bay as part of the occupying fleet on Sept 5, 1945.  He spoke about the horrors of the kamikaze pilots and of the kamikaze that cartwheeled across the flight deck of the USS Carrier Hancock  (CV19) crashing into a group of aircraft onboard and its bomb hitting the port catapult, resulting in a large fire that killed many.  I was reminded of the book, "Combat Loaded"  about the USS Tate, a 459' attack cargo ship, an AKA 70, that my uncle Art served on during the same period of time, in the same bloodied Pacific arena.  Uncle Art also speaks of the kamikaze attacks and when the USS Hancock was hit by a Kamikaze who was headed for his ship and at the last minute veered to the larger, Air Craft Carrier USS Hancock.  Art frequently spoke of the typhoon storm that the fleet endured when three destroyers were sunk by the ferocity of the storm. It's impossible to imagine the horrors of war......man and nature inflicted, or the frequency with which we engage in war!

We have officially started the "snowbird" journey south on the ICW,  currently at mile marker 49.4, Coinjock NC!