Allure of the ICW

 MM 58 We left Dowry Creek Marina (DCM) early this morning. It’s a small, family owned marina with experienced staff, an on-site restaurant that serves decent bar food (dinners on the weekends only) and a loaner Ford that we used to drive into Belhaven NC yesterday. It’s also renowned for having the lowest fuel price on the ICW, and a heated saltwater pool that wasn’t open yet :(  One of the best features of DCM: clean, updated individual shower bathrooms with courtesy towels . It’s  the little things that make a difference. Today was a long one, with a 74 mile jog over 9 hours. It helped that motor sailing and sailing for a couple of hours could be worked into the route, with favorable winds and a crossing of the Albemarle Sound. We reached 8.2 knots a few times, allowing us to cover some ground faster than expected. Along the way, we passed an interesting swing bridge that had 2 lanes for passing through: Albemarle Sound is kind of like the Chesapeake Bay - an expansive...

MM 132 We departed our lovely anchorage around 9am for a marina just east of Belhaven NC. Perhaps because Blackbeard the Pirate sailed these waters in the 1700s, pirate ships are common: So this Captain is has been in the sun way too long! Once we reached the Pamlico River, it was a good chance to open the sails again. Winds were light, around 9 knots, and we reefed the main as we made adjustments. We deployed the jib fully, which is a 130% compared to our 106% on our former boat, the 409. (Jib sizing is based on the percentage of the triangle forward from the forestay support cable to the deck).  Needless to say, with the added size of the boat and the increase in the percentage, there is a lot of sailcloth out there. But an issue arose with the main sail, where the First Mate noticed that the sail was pulling away from the mast for the bottom 12 inches (ie. the bolt rope was not in the foil). The Captain moved forward on the deck, and the more he tried to secure the sail back in...

MM 160 We departed Beaufort around 10:30, after seeing Mom off at the marina parking lot.  The town is a significant base for the seafood industry, and we passed shrimp boats on the way out. We entered the Core Creek and proceeded through the narrow Adam’s Creek Canal where there were several homes with docks on the waterfront. We entered the Neuse River, which is surprisingly large and expansive, but fairly shallow like the Chesapeake Bay. We set the sails with a slow breeze and traveled at about 3 knots. It was a pleasure to kill the engine and finally sail, as the boat has basically been a trawler for the last 750 miles! We motor sailed to get on course and as we prepared to sail again, the wind picked up to 18 knots. We reefed the jib and still got up to 7 knots rapidly. As the wind continued to increase, we decided to reef the main but with such restricted depths, we chose to bring in the sails for the day. We chose an anchorage off of Bay River in Bear Creek in 8 feet of wate...

It was a wonderful day for spending time with my Mom, Matt, Becca, Charlie and Ella!  We walked around Beaufort NC and visited the local Farmers Market in the morning. There was a terrific selection of handmade items, produce and crafts. I purchased fresh micro green arugula, which is both tasty and nutritious. Charlie and Ella got tie dye shirts, Ella got arm warmers (?!) and looked very retro.  We shopped, and had lunch at Finz on Front Street. We spent the afternoon on the boat, relaxing and catching up on family news and events.  Someone managed to take a nap… We drove to Morehead city for dinner at Catch 109 . Morehead City is a well-known jumping off point for serious sport fishing. Charlie and Ella came back with us to the boat, while Becca and Matt picked up some items from the hotel.  Matt and Becca joined us, and after a quick trip to The General Store for ice cream, the sun set over Beaufort NC.

 MM 203 We left Mile Hammock early, in 51’ temps, for an 8am bridge opening. Later, we passed an area of “unexplored ordinance” on the ocean side of the channel. Evidence of Camp Lejeune target practice The wind crept up to 20 knots, and it was a chilly transit to Beaufort NC. Funny story: the dock master assigned us a slip in the basin, where mainly smaller boats were docked. Captain Don, not one to argue with an assignment, docked the boat stern in, to a tight corner in record time and totally impressed the dock hands along the way. Turns out, the dock master thought we were in a 36’ boat, not a 49’ footer!  The best part: my Mom arrived from Cary within an hour of docking to stay on Allure over the weekend. We walked around the waterfront shops of Beaufort. Purchases were made by all, and dinner at Aqua was spectacular. Matt, Becca, Charlie and Ella are driving down this evening and staying in nearby Morehead City. We will spend tomorrow together, which is really special t...

 MM 244 While we passed 4 four dredges today, two of which were operational with hundreds of feet of pipeline, our transit was uneventful. Dredging is necessary to maintain the channels for commercial and pleasure craft, especially where shoaling is prevalent caused by ocean inlets nearby. We also passed under a swing bridge and a drawbridge. Openings were timed, so we had to be mindful of the schedule and gauge our arrivals accordingly.  The highlight of the day started when we anchored at Mile Hammock, a bay used by Marines at Camp Lejeune for training. On occasion, the ICW is closed here for marine activities. We called in advance yesterday (the Marines provide a phone number, which seems a bit low-tech ) and we were informed that no closures were scheduled for this week. Our anchorage for the night We were able to observe divers in the water with chase boats for almost four hours. The divers are really impressive, swimming long distances underwater with small orange buoys ...

 MM 295 We departed Southport before 10am this morning, after walking into town for coffee and a croissant.  It’s a quaint southern town (I can’t think of a better descriptor than “quaint”, because it’s so perfectly apt), with well-preserved older homes (some date back to the 19th century) and modest manicured lawns.  Captain Don deftly managed to leave the dock in a 20+ knot wind that was challenging. The trip to Carolina Beach NC (a favorite stop of Bambi’s from her and Paul’s 2021 trip) included strong ocean cross currents, avoiding a freighter’s path and dodging a car ferry. That was all within 3 miles of our starting point!   We arrived at the basin of Carolina Beach and secured a morning ball, but only after the First Mate missed initially AND dropped the dock pole in the process. It’s more difficult in wind than in calm conditions for sure.  Carolina Beach feels like a family beach destination, with hotdog stands and small amusements rides on the ocean si...

 MM 309 Today, our trip started before 7am with an ethereal mist on the water. It was interesting to see the patterns as we progressed through it. You really never know what you will see on the ICW… This boat was named Treasure Hunter   We also passed this 600’ dredge assembly in  a narrow section of the channel And if we hadn’t had enough excitement, Captain Don had to navigate this difficult section where the incoming tide from an ocean inlet crossed the channel. We are following the blue dashed track, created by BOB423 for ICW cruising.  For you non-mariners, red areas on a chart are NOT GOOD. However, we made it to Southport NC around 4pm, and enjoyed a marvelous meal at Mr P’s Bistro near the marina. We were even rewarded with a full moon reflected off of the water in the evening sky. It was a great day after all.

 MM 375 We spent most of the day in cool temps (low 50s) and cloudy weather, with a fair amount of time in 20+ knot winds against a strong current. The 60 mile trip was a slog, because we averaged about 6 mph (compared to 8.3 mph) but we anchored around 5:30pm, just off of the river. This view of Enterprise Oxbow makes a long day worthwhile The  Wacamaw River in SC is scenic, and recognized as a favorite passage of cruisers. It has a very different feel from other parts of the ICW, with deciduous and evergreens trees growing in the waterline and fluorescent green grasses.  But the current absolutely rips here, as we had been forewarned by those intrepid sailors, Bambi and Paul. Turtles enjoying the sunshine on the Wacamaw River, a sign of a healthy ecosystem We did encounter the Ocean Highway Bridge with no clearance boards, work barges all around the entrance, and hardware and lights hanging under the bridge. This is an issue when bridge height matters, but we cleare...

MM436 In order to catch the rising tides and bridge opening today, we departed Charleston at 6:30am.    This is one of the few sunrise photos that I have taken the past 2 1/2 weeks, and it was a gorgeous sight to behold    We only saw about 6 boats underway today, a light traffic day. There were narrow channels and some shoaling that required attention at the helm. We anchored at the Awendaw Creek around 11am, and prepared for rain in the afternoon that lasted into the evening. Tomorrow’s departure time is a more reasonable 7:30 am, fortunately!

We were fortunate to extend out stay at the Safe Harbor Charleston Marina by another day, so we walked in the historic area more today. We started at the Aitken-Rhett house , one of the best examples of perversion of the daily lives of 18th century enslaved people. Their living conditions were extremely difficult, especially in contrast to the residences of these mansions. The audio tour was thorough and lasted over an hour long, so it became an immersive experience. Photo taken by the Historic Charleston Historic Foundation Delaney Oyster House was not far away, and offered tasty South Carolina oysters. They are smaller than those of the Chesapeake, and a bit more subtle but with a high salinity. After lunch, we visited the Charleston Visitor Center across from the Charleston Museum on Meeting Street. Down this alley sits  The Smallest Bar in Charleston  and  yes, it is a typical tourist attraction After 3 days of walking, we were ready to return to Allure and to prepar...

 What a great  town. The architecture is stunning here and it’s a pleasure to walk and sightsee. We walked to the Battery from the marina, then toured the Nathaniel Russell house built in 1808. The Historic Charleston Foundation has undertaken impressive research to restore the property to period authenticity.   Pro Tip : the app from the Foundation is a useful travel guide around town. We then found an amazing French restaurant on Meeting Street ( Gaulart and Maliclet ) that reminded us of our friends Jean-Luc and Annie.  Touring the Fireproof building, built in 1827, that now houses the South Carolina Historical Society was fascinating, including an exhibit on the extensive slave trade in Charleston. Walking through the City Market, with a dark past as a major slave trading facility from the 18th and 19th centuries, is another émonder of a tragic time in our history. While Charleston has Rainbow Row, the houses of various colors, we saw an actual rainbow on the way...

MM 469 Charleston is an active boating town, as many mariners know. Our slip at Charleston City Marina was not available until 3pm because of a cruise ship on the dock. We passed the cruise ship on our way into town at the 2:30 bridge opening. It's all about your perspective By the way: the marina has a 1250 foot mega-dock that includes electric, water, pump out and fuel filling at every slip. They are currently expanding to accommodate more mega-yachts (!). On the way into harbor, we passed a party barge. I have two questions: are these everywhere now, and who is partying at 1pm on a Thursday? We also passed through a narrow, but fairly deep,  area that with lovely homes called Elliot’s Cut. The shuttle from the marina dropped us in the historic part of town. We enjoyed drinks and apps at Dueling Pianos and a southern meal at Virginia’s on King . Dinner included corn bread, a reminder of my childhood spending summers at my grandparents' houses in Lowgap NC.  

 MM 487 One of the things you experience on a boat is a surprising variety of noises.  Bilge and water pumps running, wind in rigging, and waves slapping against the transom are all present at times. But we have never heard the sound of “snapping” or “pistol” shrimp, which are about the size of a finger nail. They literally sound like bacon in a frying pan, amplified and reverberating throughout the hull of the boat. The first time we heard the sound in Palm Coast FL, Don checked for a possible stray electric current. Then we learned about this phenomenon that has only occurred at a few marinas in Florida and SC. Here is a sound clip of the shrimp provided by AGU, with more information at the link: https://youtu.be/1Y9IhiSk-Pk?si=AUFva2vl9OxUvoee Since we planned to transit about only 45 miles today, we left Port Royal for an 11:30 bridge opening of the Lady's Island swing bridge. Swing bridge in motion But just before we headed for the bridge, someone called out and waved to ...

MM 539 Turns out, one of the crew on board was interested in at least a short experience sailing in the Atlantic on this trip. We exited the ICW at the Savannah River, and it was a beautiful day to cruise the ocean. Low wind, 2-3 foot waves, and no sightings of waterspouts, orcas or mermaids (including the elusive and rarely seen selkie).  Some would suggest that this excursion may have added a few miles to the trip… We picked up the ICW when we re-entered the Port Royal inlet en route to Beaufort (that’s “ Bew´fort” SC, not “Bow´fort” NC, for you Yankees). Trivia fact: the movie Forest Gump was filmed here.  We docked at Safe Harbor Port Royal because, yes, Beaufort is that popular during boating season and we were wait listed for a slip. Dock staff at Port Royal was great, and the facilities are immaculate. I mean, a working hair dryer in the ladies room? Yes, please.  We experienced true southern hospitality, from the driver who took us to the Beaufort waterfront a...

MM 568 Our anchorage off of Freeport Marina was quiet overnight, with some wind but our 65lb anchor held firm (shout-out to Mantus Anchors!). Allure at anchor We rode the dinghy to the dock to meet Kim, (Fuskie Bikes, 843-849-9000) our eBike rental hostess, at the General Store for a short golf cart ride to where their bikes are warehoused. What a great way to tour this island, as it is only accessible by boat or ferry. For you fashionistas out there, Daufuskie Island is the home of the designer of Spartina 449 handbags and accessories. Bags are made of high quality linen and leather, and are 50% off at the General Store. It was a pleasant “find.” It was refreshing to see art studios, like Iron Fish , that even today allow customers to purchase goods based on honesty. We visited the museum at the original lighthouse that dates from 1882, but the Muscogee Indians occupied Daufuskie before European settlers arrived. The island has a tumultuous history, and at various times was a renowne...