It was a cloudy morning, but the weather was going to be just fine for travelling. I had intended to stop for the day in Georgetown but since I got there at 10:00 a.m. due to being pulled along a little faster than I had planned, I decided to go down to Leland Marine.
This is a working dock - most of the boats are working boats and there are a lot of shrimp boats around, although tomorrow being the start of shrimping season, many of the boats departed this afternoon to get in position to start first thing tomorrow.
I really enjoy these working docks, the people are nice, helpful and knowledgeable about the local water. Although I will say that when I turned into Jeremy Creek - and I turned to come right up the middle of the channel - I was beginning to wonder! John from Leland had told me that there wouldn't be any problem with my getting my boat up that creek and there was plenty of water for Doublewide once we got to the dock. Well, I saw the depth meter start to rise and got a little nervous when it went to 4' in the center of the channel! But it soon went to 6 feet and I was comfortable again. I'm probably going to leave on a rising tide so it will be quite deep. I'd like to get into Charleston on a flood tide so I can be swept up the Wando River and not have to work too hard. The tide at Charleston can be very strong and essentially stop or impede the progress of a slower boat (Doublewide is a FAST sailboat, but she is a slow motorboat!) if you are going in opposition to it.
Charleston will be my last stop. We have decided to put her on the 'hard' (land) for a few months, basically thru the end of hurricane season and have her trucked over to Appalachacola to restart the adventure. Skipping Georgia and the East Coast of Florida will not break my heart. I hope that Dennis will be able to join me for the Cola to Cola run at least and possibly on thru Alabama and maybe Narleans.
Of course I could change my mind and come over in the Fall and take her down the Florida coast and up to Appalachacola myself. We'll see! Right now I am anxious to begin my adventure: Homeward Bound! |