A hot time in the Old South--Charleston to Hilton Head's Skull Creek

Charleston Harbor Marina in the shadow of the carrier Yorktown was our home for two nights. 
Our water taxi trip into Charleston was great fun.  We had a terrific lunch at the Fleet Landing, just getting in before noon and the huge crowd that poured in.  I tried the Fried Green Tomatoes with Crab and a bowl of spicy Gumbo.  Glen took the Oyster Po Boy.  A round of Bloody Mary's  seemed fitting since we had had a long haul from Georgetown the day before--nearly 9 hours on the ICW, with lots of long, narrow channels bordered by marshland, and many power boats passing us. 

Glen and I took a walking tour of the grand old homes of Charleston.  We actually visited the Joseph Manigault home near the Museum.  Manigault's family were Hugenot immigrants, arriving in the 18th c. with little money, but managed to cobble together a great fortune in rice, indigo and slaves.  This home is one of many that had been slated to be torn down for parking lot, gas station and other sundry projects, but the devoted ladies of Charleston with the help of Princess Pignatelli managed to save the home and stave off commercial development.  A story similar to that of the Paca House in Annapolis.

We stopped at Harris Teeter for groceries before we caught the Big Blue Trolley back to our marina, and enjoyed "Italian Night" on Andiamo where Chef John created a marvelous shrimp pasta meal for us and his friends from the 80 foot Kadey Krogan which was also in our marina.

Our travel on Nov. 14 took us to the outrageously authentic port of B&B Seafood on Mosquito Creek in Green Pond, a famous destination for really fresh shrimp.  It's a barely functional marina with room for two boats that we expanded to four as we rafted up together--all for $25.00 each.   We bought 4 pounds of shrimp for Martha's recipe from "Feast Afloat,"--a creation with feta cheese, rice, red peppers, and lots of shrimp.  Yummy.  We each brought wine or another addition to the meal, and enjoyed a lovely night on Andiamo's deck.

                                                     Brunelle and Pekabu rafted up at B&B

From B&B on Mosquito Creek we traveled to Hilton Head, a distance of 45.2 miles.  The scenery is rural, unpopulated marshland with broad rivers as well as narrow cuts.  We have been very careful to observe markers and stay on the magenta line on the GPS.  There was good depth all the way.  We have had marvelous weather all week--nary a cloud in the sky, chilly nights, sunny days, little wind.  We have hauled out the sleeping bag cover only two or three nights in the past three weeks of travel.  The trip to Hilton Head--milepost 553.5--was 37.9 miles at a very slow pace--7 hours and 40 minutes.  We were held up waiting for the 1:00 p.m. opening of the Ladies' Island Bridge, advertised as opening on the hour and the half hour.  Don't believe it.

The anchorage at Skull Creek was smooth and easy.  Glen put a Kellet on the anchor to adjust to the 9 foot tidal change.  The affluent houses of Hilton Head were in our "front yard".  Our chef prepared a Paul Prudhomme's Barbecued Shrimp recipe, a family favorite, with rice and salad.  We are a little worried about our power situation.  We woke up to just over 80 % charged.  We're running the inverter while we motor to power our XRS phones and occasional spurts on the microwave to heat up the ever popular Jimmy Dean's Breakfast sausage, egg, and cheese sandwiches.

Our next destination is Savannah where we will stay out at Thunderbolt's Bahia Bleu Marina to make it easier to head into the Atlantic Thursday for our last 200 miles to St. Augustine. From Thunderbolt, we will have sailed 582 miles  since entering the ICW on Oct. 29.  Except for the first several days out of Annapolis, the weather has been quite wonderful.  Except for the "brisk" winds for the crossing of Albemarle and the Neuse River, we've enjoyed a series of bright cloudless days with cool nights.  The layering has worked well.

Still having fun,  Maureen and Glen