Into South Carolina

Further south, into warmer climates!  Well, a lot of that "warmer climate" is due to the "Polar Vortex" finally going away!

But south we have gone.  On Thursday we had a long day but ended up in Georgetown, SC.  Georgetown was a cute little town until a couple of years ago when most of the waterfront town burned down.  We didn't' really do anything there, but it was a good place to spend the night.  Mimi and Otto met us there, so we got together with them one more time.

En route, on the Little River, we found the casino boats.  Interestingly, they are all registered in FL as their home port. 

They ARE big!

Notice that sunshine and blue sky?  Thursday was the first day that the temperature was above freezing when we left our dock.  33, but that is still above freezing!

We had a series of 4 bridges to go through.  Here is one of the swing bridges.  It's really interesting to watch them open from a water prospective.

This part of the ICW is filled with Cyprus trees, white trunks disappearing in the tea colored water.

This morning when we awoke it was 58!!!!!!!!! (can't get enough"!'s" in there!).  Mostly sunny, it was a glorious day to travel.  We had expected overcast and rain, but had mostly sun.  Sunrise was beautiful.

The marshes are lovely, mostly brown in their winter colors, but brightly contrast by the blue sky, white clouds, and evergreen trees.

Smoke was sleepy, feeling safe and secure in her little world.  She was out like a light!

We've seen several eagles during the past couple of days.  This juvenile was perched beautifully in the marshes.

Charleston, SC for the next two nights. The weather has promised a 100% chance of rain tomorrow, plus high winds.  I've never really seen much of Charleston.  So, we decided to take yet another slip rather than anchoring, and spend Saturday in here.  Our chosen marina is very near a nice grocery store, a hardware store, and The Battery ( the old section of Charleston). The marina is not as protected as we would prefer from the incoming tides and boat traffic, but it has a great view of the Charleston bridges from out boat.

Add showers, free wifi and free laundry, and you've got a couple of happy cruisers!

One last frigid night

Yes, it was.   17!  But it's over.  And we stayed warm. The low tonight is a sizzling 29!  We actually saw temperatures above freezing today into the mid 40s -  yahoo!!!!!  The enclosure got so warm that we resorted to non-flannel jeans and no sweatshirts!  Smoke was basking in the shade instead of the sun.

Luke caught this fabulous picture of the "Little Bridge that Couldn't"....couldn't open, that is.  This is the Figure Eight Island Bridge, the one that drove us back 10 miles to find a marina.  What a beautiful picture this morning.  It's hard to tell the sky from the water.  I love it.

We motored slowly through the tea colored ICW. This is Snows Cut, from Wrightsville Beach to the Cape Fear River





A couple more bridges before we reached the Cape Fear River.

As we motored slowly down the ICW, Smokey decided we needed a guide, a navigator.  She complied.  Gladly... (protected from the wind from the rear). She loves watching the waterway go by.

ahh...through North Carolina..... a local RV/trailer park....(can't say much - it's where I grew up)

This afternoon we struggled (and I mean STRUGGLED) through the evil Shallotte Inlet. As the ICW runs through ocean inlets, strong currents and storms can move shoals and channels so the buoys and markers may not reflect reality. We ran aground 3 times, struggling to find a channel we could sail through. Always an anxiety, especially on a falling tide, because we never know if we can get off until we do so. A heavy dose of reverse usually does the trick. And sometimes, a call to Boat US for guidance.

Tonight we are outside of Emerald Isle, NC, at a marina one more time, plugged in to 30 Amps, heat pumps running, waiting out the cold. The next few days should be warm enough to anchor out.

Yes, it's cold down here, too

17 this morning...thermal underwear...2 pairs of socks...thermal lined jeans...shirt...2 sweatshirts...coat...ski neck warmer....ski cap...ski gloves...yes, we were warm!  The ropes tied to the dock were frozen stiff - made it interesting to cast off this morning.

The day was sunny and our enclosure did its work.  That is, after I used my hair dryer to melt the frost off of the inside of it!  It warmed up inside nicely.  Within an hour or so we shed our hats, gloves, neck warmers, and coats.  Smoke just lazed in the sun.

She did discover that the Evil Tail followed her to the boat.  It loves to taunt her from just outside of the enclosure, often putting the plastic between Tail and Cat.

We had intentions of going to Wrightsville Beach today.  Almost got there.  Our route has 4 bridges, each of which must open for us.  The first one was very slow, 8 minutes to open.  Too cold.  The second was fine.  About 2 miles from the third, we heard a Coast Guard announcement that the bridge was experiencing problems and would not be opening for vessels!  Now WHAT do you do!?  Can't just pull off at the next exit.  So we motored back 10 miles to the nearest marina.  10 miles for us, for reference, is almost 2 hours.  Nice marina - we are the only boat here that has anyone one it. The view is beautiful.

The temperature never hit 30 today and the water was a brisk 45.  Latitudes has a layer of ice on her side, even after motoring all day.  Never seen that before!

We are plugged into shore power yet again, creating a comfy environment.  13 tonight....fun again tomorrow... but the high is supposed to be in the mid 40's, low tomorrow in the high 20's, so as the weather improves and we head further south, it gets better.

We have set sail for the winter!

Just as hoped, Sunday was a good day for travel and we were ready.  Out of New Bern, Latitudes' home for the past few months, leaving many sailboats behind.

Down the Neuse River and into the quiet Adams Creek - deceptively quiet, as we had almost 2 kts of current against us at one point, from the incoming tide at Morehead City.

We are seeing the wildlife that we love - like this beautiful blue heron, perched on one of the ICW's channel markers.

Smokie missed him...she played with Mousie until she was worn out, then snuggled together for a nap.

As the day wore on, the weather began changing.  The clouds began to gather and eventually gave us light rain.

We made to our planned destination, a marina in Swansboro, NC, about 60 miles.  Friends Mimi and Otto were arrived close behind us.  It was great to see them again.  We had dinner out in the very deserted Sunday night in Swansboro.

Today broke sunny and warm - a wonderful 60 with 15 kt winds.

But it is not to last.  The winds are picking up steadily through the day, from 16 this morning to 25 - 30 knots by early afternoon, with higher gusts of up to 35 knots - pretty much on the nose for the direction we were traveling -- of course. It is again cloudy with a 50% chance of rain.  With the high windage of Latitudes - partially due to the center cockpit design and also the enclosure perched on top of her - we are more affected by high winds than some sailboats.  So we decided to stay here for one more night.  Mimi and Otto have gone ahead and we will catch up with them in a few days hopefully.

We have had showers at the marina and may walk around town while it is windy but still warm.

Tonight will be very cold, 20-ish with continued winds. That is the main reason we are at a marina; to take advantage of the shore power to warm the boat. The winds are predicted to break by morning so we will be dealing only with the cold. It should be a sunny day.  Our enclosure works like a "Florida Room", creating a warm area to navigate from, plus we are well stocked with thermal clothing, wooly socks, coats, gloves, electric heater, and such.  We will plan to leave tomorrow morning and motor our way further south in NC to yet another marina with shore power for another night below freezing!

A "Steamer" before we set sail

We've been diligently working Latitudes, getting her ready for the first window of sailing opportunity.  Looks like tomorrow is it!  We would have preferred to "go outside", meaning in the ocean, which is easier and faster. But the weather for the next while is too cold or windy to reasonably do that.  So, instead of endless waiting, we will start with a few days down the ICW, about 50 simple miles at a stretch.   Friends Mimi and Otto are nearby and leaving tomorrow also. The plan is to catch up with them in Swansboro, NC tomorrow if all goes well.  Our first night of anchoring out!

The car is tucked away for her long winter nap, complete with blanket.  She'll wait quietly for us here at the marina (we hope....)

But before we leave, a "first Saturday in January" steamer party at the marina!  The folks here who either live aboard or have a slip for their boat throw a wonderful party of steamed clams, steamed oysters, steamed shrimp, steamed garlic/parmesan/butter oysters, oyster chowder, tomato chowder, low country boil, and the prerequisite beer keg.  Everyone also brings a dish to share.  Oh, and a band playing 60's  beach music (for some reason, that is popular here... smile...)

Here are the multiple pots for the "boil", just getting going.

And part of the crowd.  The weather actually cooperated - it was bitter and windy yesterday.  Today was low 50's, sunny, and windless.  That's pretty good for an outdoor party!

SO, short of any surprises, we shall throw our carefully prepped lines around 7-8, navigate out way out of the slip and marina, and be on our way.  Looking forward to it. Not sure Smokey is...

Welcoming in 2014 with the Oriental NC dragon

The end of one year and the beginning of a new!  Always a time for reflection and hopes.  One hope is a VERY HAPPY NEW YEAR to everyone!

We ended the old year with more boat preparation.  Luke put water in our tanks

I had the exciting challenge of stowing our provisions for 4 months.  Trust me, there are more bags...

Sweet Smoke has immediately accepted life as a boat cat.  She likes watching the movement in the water from the stern of the boat

But she LOVES laying in her special spot in the cockpit, basking in the sun.  Smart cat

On Tuesday evening we drove to Oriental, NC for New Year's Eve with Bonnie and Peter.  Oriental's "mascot" is a dragon.  The dragon comes out each New Year's Eve to celebrate with everyone, welcome in the new year, and give good luck to those who touch him. The town has only 500 or so residents, but we guess there were about 200 of us crowded in a 2 block area along the waterfront.

The appearance of the dragon is accompanied with happy pot and pan clanging or noise makers or cow bells or whatever you might have.  It's very festive and a lot of people want the extra experience and luck by touching the dragon's somewhat over-sized teeth.

Seems that a few years ago, an over exuberant soul managed to damage a couple of teeth.  Dragon was put out of commission until proper dental work could be done.  In the meantime, local  officials decided that there was too much party and no more dragon.  This did NOT go over well with the locals.  So - a group funded the purchase of Dragon #2.  This is a smaller dragon, moved with traditional poles and chasing the elusive flaming pearl (also known as the sun).  Check out an interesting background on it by clicking flaming pearl. She entered amid smoke from a boater's small cannon, making her first appearance along with Dragon #1.

and she is quite lovely

For those who believe in the Spirit Orbs, we had one at the festivities.  Seems even those who have passed on like to watch.  This was the only photo that had an orb.  And no, it's not the moon - cloudy and overcast, plus a New Moon night.

The night ended with The Dropping of the Croaker. Times Square may have it's crystal ball, but Oriental celebrates with the local fish, the croaker.  Not the best picture, but this 3 foot-ish wooden fish is lighted, hoisted up a boat's mast, and is carefully started to drop at 11:59. 

I think we'll take small town New Year's any year!  Lots of fun.

Today it is raining, tomorrow is supposed to be gale winds. We are here for a few more days.  I still have some provisioning to put away and a little more to buy.  We are safe, warm, and dry..especially Smokey who still loves her soft blankie, double warm with the electric blanket.  Ahhh...the life of a spoiled cat

Back at Latitudes

It always take too long to leave the house - there always seems to be just one more thing we want to take with us!  But we finally managed to leave and had a safe trip here.

Smoke was most unhappy this morning -she knew something was amiss and it would involve her.  She tried hiding but she's no match for me! Then she just settled down and slept the whole way on the back floorboard. She seems to actively like the boat and has checked out all of her hiding holes and now is settled down for the night on the bed, beside me as I type. well, the electric blanket IS on...

I had minor finger surgery this fall, a little bone spur, arthritis, and such. The incision has healed and I was doing fine.  A few days ago  I just barely scraped the top of my incision area with a fingernail.  It didn't bleed or split but apparently the abrasion was just enough to allow bacteria to enter. It has slowly but surely gotten sore, swollen, and painful. I called the ortho today and his nurse said to get my buns in to a dr and get an antibiotic.  So we spend a few hours at an urgent care facility this afternoon after arriving here.  Very nice place and wonderful doctor.  I've got my meds and directions to for moist compresses.

My Rx was $100 generic as prescribed, $40 for a generic with the same active ingredient but something slightly different in the coating.  The pharmacist swore it doesn't make any difference.  But the long shot is that those are my costs using my Rx card. If I bought it without using insurance? $25.  Thank goodness for local, small pharmacy guys who care!

Lots more to put away tomorrow.  Tonight the perishable food is stowed and the bed is made.  It's been a long day and we are all 3 ready for our first night of this winter 2014 sailing trip on Latitudes.  Good night!