I should mention that for those considering the waterway through the Carolinas that we skipped the upper portion of the North Carolina waterway to avoid groundings. We heard a great deal of chatter on the radio about boats running aground (many power boats as a matter of fact) as well as trying to hold position before a swing bridge in a two plus knot current.
We went offshore at Beaufort Inlet and entered at Wrightsville Beach (Masonboro Inlet). This is not an easy inlet, not a Grade A anyway, mostly due to the nature of the currents, wind and waves that can cause four-foot standing waves or more at the inlet.
However, if timed correctly and after considering the weather forecast, we found the inlet easy with clear buoys marking the channels. We went to starboard after entering the inlet and anchored just inside the beach in about 16 feet of water. Currents and tides are significant factors to consider when anchoring.
We found the water a bit skinny between Wrightsville Beach and Sunset Beach bridge. We stayed at Dock Holidays Marina in North Myrtle Beach. There is a West Marine and Food Lion a five minute walk away. We also got a taxi card and after trekking to the beach about two miles away - well worth the effort by the way - we called thetaxi driver and paid $8 for a ride back. The best part for us though was a chance rendezvous with our friends Dale and Lynne Leonard from home who were in Myrtle Beach proper on a golf holiday. We had a great dinner out with them and said our goodbyes.
Water was decent between Myrtle Beach and Georgetown. It was in fact, quite beautiful along with piece of the ICW - Spanish moss hanging from trees, winding rivers through woods bordering the water.
We wanted to anchor outside Charleston and so started out early from Georgetown at about 6:30 a.m. with about half an hour left of falling tide. We picked up the rising tide as we crossed Minyah Bay and thank goodness we were on high water. There were several points along the way which would have been too shallow to pass - about five feet likely - we had 11 feet with the five-foot tide. We also had Skedaddle, a catmaran skippered by Ken and Sarah who kindly went ahead of us and told us what parts were growing shallow.
We joined them on the spectacular Dewee Creek for a sunset anchorage with dolphins jumping around and birds settling in the marsh.
Today we head to Charleston, but need to wait for a bridge so are having a leisurely breakfast and we'll pull up anchor at 8:30 for the 15-mile trip.
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