A new recipe tonight and then we are outta here......

Grey Hound is set, the auto pilot is installed and we are sitting down to a nice hot dinner that is from Christine's cookbook!  "Utica Greens......Grey Hound style"!!!  The lows have been in the 30's so it is time to say "haste la vista baby.......that is to you folks in SC.

We plan on getting up early and heading to Murrell's inlet and into the Atlantic for a 200 mile run to Jacksonville, FL on the outside.  We have done over 400 miles of the ICW and now it is time to sail!!

Look out JAX, here we come!!

Georgetown, SC

We pulled into Georgetown a couple of days ago to await our package from Defender Industries.  Yes, the auto pilot gave up the ghost.  Our loss ended up being a good thing as we have had a great time in Georgetown.

When I called Harborwalk Marina to see if they would accept our package, they could not have been nicer.  Both Mike & Chris, the managers of the marina have been above the call of duty and we could only hope that more marinas are like Harborwalk.  And of course we like the marina pals....Lucy & Gabriel, the labs.  It is FIRST CLASS ALL THE WAY!!

The town itself has done a ton of work cleaning up the waterfront and a boardwalk now extends across the whole town.  There are dinghy docks and a number of other docks for cruising boats.  The restaurants cater to the travelers and we have yet to meet someone that is not friendly.

We will be back!!

Georgetown Boardwalk

Live Oak drives

Town Clock on Front Street

The Waccamaw River and Thoroughfare Creek

Since we decided to keep going to Georgetown, SC we did have the opportunity to see the beautiful Waccamaw River area.  It is hardly developed and the pictures can tell it all.  I don't think one could see the area any other way but from the water so we had the best view!

Our next "chalet" on the water!

Both Windward and GH decided that Thoroughfare Creek would be a great location to spend a couple of days before we trekked on to Georgetown.  The weather was nice and it was here that we happened to be the first people on Windward's first trip down the ICW to partake in a "happy hour"!  Lots of fun for all and those guys are great!!









Also "Renew-it" took us on our longest dinghy ride ever......... 4 hours of going up the creek to "Exchange", an original 1820's plantation.  Not the grandest but still here, looking like something from another era.  The live oaks and the moss is magnificent.

The Exchange

Resting Renew-it before the 9 mile motor

You looking at ME??!!

We go south with our friends on s/v Windward

From Carolina Beach our original plan was to motor to Shallotte Creek.  When we got there neither of us like what we saw......too little water and lots of current!  Onward.....

Next stop was Calabash.  The name even sounds kind of cool so it was much better.  When we pulled in we recognized one of the two boats from Mile Hammock.  When we went into Carolina Beach, they turned off into Wrightsville Beach.  But, now they are stuck with us!!  S/V Windward is a great looking Fugi 45 and they have done a ton of work on her.

Morning also brought in fog and we had to wait a little while for some of it to burn off.  We pulled out shortly after the shrimp boat went by.

The things people do for golf!

Pulling into Thoroughfare Creek with Windward

Still going.......

Out of Carolina Beach and further points south.  Since the seas and wind didn't cooperate too much and, oh yeah......why is the tiller pilot smoking????

No this is not the Colorado River!

Just lets keep going south so we can finally have warm water and water weather.  Sooooooo.... we keep going down the ICW a little longer.  Because the current and tide is so strong down here we planned on going down the Cape Fear River with help.  In order for that to happen we went through Snow Cut with the water looking like this!

One final blast with the direction finder telling us where to go!

So far the last 3 days our direction finder (also know as the wind indicator to some) has told us where to go.  It's either straight upwind or just plain, no wind!  The bridges in this area must enjoy driving boaters nutty as you really have to plan on hitting the bascule bridge right on time or you end up waiting up to an hour for the next opening.  With the current with us we even motored at 8.2 its for a couple of miles just to make it to the bridge!

For the last two night we have been anchored in Carolina Beach as the cold front came through.  Not too much rain but it is blowing hard now.  The cooler weather is returning tomorrow so for Thanksgiving we are going to head out with the tide and keep moving south.  Maybe I can spear a runaway turkey along the way!

We dinked into the public docks for a walk and to mail a letter out.  No wonder the Post Office is going bust.  We could NOT find a mailbox anywhere!  At the end we walked over to a Marriott Hotel and the desk said they would send it out with their mail.  How crazy.....

Carolina Beach boardwalk

Looking out toward the anchorage

Do you think they are trying a little too hard????!!!!

Holy pink & periwinkle batman!

A night at Camp Lejeune

The ICW actually runs through the Marine base and there are times when they stop you if they are doing some shooting across the waterway.  We are totally into that thought!!

Mile Hammock is a very pleasant spot to spend the night.  We did have some marine boats flying by us.  Practice they must.

Target practice anyone?

These guys flew by!!

Sunset at Mile Hammock

Same direction in the morning!

You never know what vessel you'll see doing the ICW

These guys won't be the last of unusual boats you will see but they are fun to see and we try to take pictures of all the different ones.  Big and small...........it takes all kinds!

Exit stage right.......to Adams Creek and towards the coast

Going through another bridge at Morehead City

Our backyard in Spooner Creek

With no wind we pulled out of Broad Creek and headed up the Neuse River and then into Adams Creek for a motor down towards Beaufort and Morehead City.  The day was uneventful and we decided to end the day in Spooner Creek.  The entrance is very interesting since you cannot see into the creek until you make a 90 degree turn around a tall concrete wall!  Very tight for GH but it was quiet when we went through.  The anchorage isn't very big but there was only one other boat (it is rather late in the year you know) in the middle anchored so we had plenty of room.

Last night at River Dunes was a nice start

So long River Dunes.  a very nice place to stop and especially good when you have to leave your boat for a few days.

We will be back!

We're back!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The time has finally arrived and we are back on GH and will start heading to warm weather ASAP.  We have enough food to last a decade (not as much corn as Kissy) but we will hold our own for now.  Laundry is done and the water tank is topped off.

Lets see, since we left GH at River Dunes, we:

- drove from River Dunes to Annapolis to pick up GHP.
 - then north to Syracuse for the weekend...
 - Sunday night we then head to Rochester for a Teagan visit.....
 - then it's off to Annapolis for a few days with Evan and gang.
 - Last Monday I get the trailer and head south....first stop at the GA. border.
 - next day to Green Cove Springs to store the truck and trailer.
 - taxi to Jacksonville and fly to BWI and rent a car to drive to Annapolis.
 - Next day we drive to River Dunes!

Not much over 2,000 miles but ENOUGH!!

NEXT stop............more warm weather, ON OUR BOAT!!!!

Grey Hound at River Dunes Marina

The forecast is for light winds for a couple of days and then another front will visit around Wednesday.  Hopefully we can make good time over the next week.

Stay tuned.

One year and counting!

Evan is now 1 year old.  Sunday is the big party and then we head south.

River Dunes Marina & Resort

After a rather windy sail into the Neuse River we made it down to River Dunes, our home for a couple of weeks.  The anchorage in Bear Creek was great and we thought we would have a quiet sail out of Bay Creek and down to the Marina.  Wrong!!  We now know about Maw Point and how dangerous that area is.  Locals know that a NE fetch from Pamlico Sound ends up right at the turn from the Bay River into the Neuse River.  Yep, right where we had to go around.  Big, Steep waves (kind of like coming out of Simcoe Island cut but bigger) and GH had to go straight into it until we could head downwind.  Then (under jib only) we shot right into Broad Creek doing 10-12kts.

Right now we have just finished our 750 mile drive from there, to Annapolis to pick up GHP and then continue to Syracuse.  We hope to see friends and family while up here and then it's pedal down because we really want to get into warm weather!!

The Marina is right there.....on dry land!

Blanche II

Very nice!

River Dunes

Nice pool but too cold!

Stand by for new updates as we keep moving all over the country.....