Savannah/Thunderbolt-Hilton Head Island-Beaufort SC-Charleston-Mount Pleasant-Georgetown-Myrtle Beach-Little River-Southport-Wrightsville Beach-Camp Lejeune-Beaufort NC/Morehead City-Oriental-Bellhaven-Alligator River-Dismal Swamp-Norfolk (591 miles)
TOSCA seemed pleased to see us when we returned to the
Hinckley yard at Thunderbolt on April 12. All was well and we headed out on Saturday, April 13, with just a short hop over to Hilton Head Island, one of our favorite stops so far. Alex did a brilliant job of getting into the rather tight marina and docking us. We spent a leisurely afternoon strolling around, followed by a very pleasant dinner at CQ's. It felt good to be underway again.
Hinckley yard at Thunderbolt on April 12. All was well and we headed out on Saturday, April 13, with just a short hop over to Hilton Head Island, one of our favorite stops so far. Alex did a brilliant job of getting into the rather tight marina and docking us. We spent a leisurely afternoon strolling around, followed by a very pleasant dinner at CQ's. It felt good to be underway again.
At Hilton Head, we spotted this boat name, which seemed a propos!
Next day, it was on to Beaufort SC. There's also a Beaufort NC. Both are named after Henry Somerset, the 2nd Duke of Beaufort, but they are pronounced differently - it's Bewfort SC and Bowfort NC.
Beaufort SC is very picturesque. If you get the feeling it's straight out of the movies, that's because it is - among many other wellknown films, Forrest Gump and Prince of Tides were shot around here.
Beaufort SC is very picturesque. If you get the feeling it's straight out of the movies, that's because it is - among many other wellknown films, Forrest Gump and Prince of Tides were shot around here.
On to Charleson SC, one of our all-time favorite cities. On the way in, we were hailed by the U.S. Coast Guard and asked: "What are your intentions?" My first thought was: "None of your business!" I thought better of it, however, and they followed us in to the City Marina where they conducted an inspection and gave us a clean bill of health.
We stayed in Charleston for three days, during which we indulged our pastime of seeking out fine restaurants and found one of the best - The Peninsula Grill, at the Planters Inn, which was right up there with The Charleston Grill where we have dined on a couple of previous occasions.
We were still ready for a hearty breakfast next morning, at another Charleston favorite - Toast.
Then it was off to shop in the Charleston Market, where Alex bought a sweetgrass basket for the galley (singlehandedly propping up the local economy in the process!).
From Charleston, we moved to Tolers Cove Marina at Mount Pleasant to visit with our friends Philip and Connie who we had met on their Krogen 42 at Thunderbolt.
We spent a wonderful day with Connie and Philip touring the Middleton Plantation. We really got a feel for colonial and plantation life in the 17th and 18th centuries, before the Civil War. It appears that, just as they did in colonial Australia, the early settlers here went to great lengths to bring a little bit of the old country with them - but for the Spanish moss, this could be an estate in England. Apparently, one of the Middleton descedants still lives in Charleston.
Next we headed for Myrtle Beach to meet our son Stewart who flew in for a few days. We stayed at the Osprey Marina.
As we headed up the Ditch, we had several great meals, one of the best of which was at Clark's at Little River...
As we headed up the Ditch, we had several great meals, one of the best of which was at Clark's at Little River...
...followed by Fishy Fishy at Southport, our first stop in North Carolina.
Stew took to the helm like a duck to water.
He soon decided that he wanted to try the real ocean and so we headed out through the cut at Wrightsville Beach so he could swim in the Atlantic. It must have been freezing, but he got his wish!
Stew left us at Wrightsville Beach, but we think he enjoyed it enough that he'll be back.
And so we pushed on. The waterfront mansions of Florida and South Carolina gave way to more modest homes, although some sure were colorful!
And it looked like you might find a bargain along the way: MILLION DOLLAR LOT 40% OFF HOME INCLUDED!
All through North Carolina, it seemed that every navigation marker had an osprey nest.
We spent our first night "on the hook" at Camp Lejeune and then headed into Beaufort/Morehead City NC. We were delayed for a few days there, waiting for a new alternator, but we managed to pass the time rather pleasantly. Here we're enjoying a nightcap at the marina bar.
And dinner at the surprisingly-named Sanitary Restaurant, with our friends Bob and Debi off In My Element. Other fine meals in Beaufort at Blue Moon Bistro and and the Beaufort Grocery Company (despite the name, it was in fact fine dining).
From Beaufort NC, it was on to Oriental NC. The wind had been freshening from the north-east (on our bow) and began to take its toll on our dinghy cover. Fortunately, we had a new cover waiting for us in Norfolk VA.
And of course, along the way, the routine maintenance had to be attended to. Here Alex cleans the strainer for the AC/Heat pump. Great job honey!
The jug of blue liquid is "Barnacle Buster"!
The jug of blue liquid is "Barnacle Buster"!
Our next stop was Bellhaven, where we had stopped in TOSCA more than 35 years ago. Unfortunately, the marina, and the grand mansion nearby that had housed a good restaurant, were in better shape back then.
But the fine meal of chicken parmagiana prepared by our friends Al and Charli on Always5Oclock more than made up for it.
Next day, as we headed down the Neuse River, the wind got stronger still and then we learned that the Alligator River Bridge had been closed. We had no choice but to ride it out at anchor. After a restless night on the hook, when we heard that the bridge had reopened, we raised the bridgekeeper on the radio and asked if he expected to be able to open again, as the wind was still blowing more than 20 knots. We were about 15 miles from the bridge and he replied: "Come on down and stand by!" We took that as southern-speak for "maybe" and so we drove TOSCA II pretty hard to get there as soon as possible. Fortunately he opened up right away and we were through!
At the crack of dawn next morning, we braced ourselves for crossing the Albemarle Sound, which is one of the most challenging bodies of water on the east coast. The wind was still blowing pretty good, with spray coming over the bow and hitting the flybridge. TOSCA II took it in stride, however, and we soon found ourselves in the otherworldliness of the Dismal Swamp Canal.
There's a lock at each end of the Dismal Swamp Canal and we got a fascinating history lecture from one of the lockmasters. George Washington himself was one of the original investors. Apparently the inspiration for Show Boat came from a paddle-wheeler that toured a musical show up and down the canal back in the 19th Century. It must have been easy for Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein to conclude that "Ol' Man River" had a better ring to it than "Ol' Dismal Swamp Canal"!
Along the way, we crossed from North Carolina to Virginia.
And then, all of a sudden, we were out of the wilderness and thrust into the military-industrial complex that is Norfolk VA. It was a bit of a culture shock!
We were in Norfolk to attend the Spring Rendezvous of the American Great Loop Cruisers' Association (AGLCA), where we met many other Loopers (and learned that we are "Sloopers", i.e., "slow loopers) and got lots of good tips. Alex was very attentive!
We had a routine inspection of the bottom while we were there...
...and discovered, much to our surprise, that we had apparently snagged a crab pot along the way! This was wrapped around one of the propellers. We're planning to have cutters installed on the propeller shafts to, hopefully, avoid a repeat with potentially more serious consequences.
While we were at the AGLCA Rendezvous in Norfolk, Rowland made a sidetrip to Toronto to receive an "Energy Bear" award from the Energy Law Forum, for contributions to the field of energy regulation. This is Rowland and Dave Holgate (who introduced him for the award and who was one of his students back in his teaching days) and the Bear (a magnificent soapstone carving from Nunavut, which now occupies a place of pride in our great room).
We had a wonderful week in Norfolk, during which we were generously entertained by Jack and Janice (friends of Philip and Connie who we had met in Charleston). We also attended a great performance of Carousel, which somehow seemed appropriate for our life afloat.
Then we headed back south, down the ICW, to leave TOSCA II at Atlantic Yacht Basin. We took a left turn at this point...
...and along the way we spotted the "cove" where we had anchored in TOSCA on our first night in the ICW 36 years ago!
A final clean-up of the "Holy Place"!
Atlantic Yacht Basin, where TOSCA II will rest happily until we return.
Norfolk is officially Mile 0 of the Intracoastal Waterway (ICW), so we've done The Ditch, again! We now have approximately 1230 miles under our keel since we left Gasparilla Island on Septmeber 19, 2012.
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