A bit further south then return to Southport

Journeying south on Winyah Bay then the ICW to McLellanville we again enjoyed pristine cypress swamps and beautiful water views of osprey and eagle habitats, and experienced one of the most spectacular porpoise encounters (10 of them swimming around and under the boat, breaching the surface and rolling over – possible mating activities) right after sighting our first alligator of the trip at noneother than the intersection of the ICW with Alligator Creek inlet from the ocean. After overnighting along the Leland Oil dock with other venturers we began the three day journey to retrace our route back to Southport again witnessing several wildfires as we did in the Bahamas. Again we enjoyed wonderful food at Wacca Wache and at Snooky’s at Cricket Cove. After enjoying a most creative fried green tomato sandwich the first visit I devoured an equally amazing dish of potato skins topped with crab in a cream cheeselike base with a topping of fried onion and Key West lime sauce on the side. We departed yesterday literally at the crack of first light to beat out the approaching tornado laddened storms racing our way across Alabama, Miss and much of the plains. Today we will go out for a final sail to Bald Head Island and then load up the boat on the trailer and begin our 3 day drive home. It has been a wonderful week of learning more about tides, with their ebbs and flows, and the entire interaction of the tidal zone fish and wildlife, as well as movement coordination living in about 30 sq ft with your spouse. Now we know how the Gemini and Apollo astronauts must have felt. And just watching oysters spit as the water receded from their attached perch on a pier was enlightening.

ICW Waccamaw River and Georgetown

We arrived in Georgetown after another great intracoastal waterway marina overnight at Wacca Wache (Happy Waters) with some tremendous travels down the Waccamaw River and tributaries Prince Creek offering wonderful scenic respite generally from suburbia and vacation condoland. Each day we have been able to partially sail but mostly motor the waterway arriving at the day’s destination just in time for the Master’s Golf coverage on tv. Wacca Wache followed with an evening of Bluegrass Music by the Salty Dogs and a late night hail storm (which by the way is a very interesting sound on a sailboat foredeck).

Our first day in Georgetown we rented a car to take advantage of the most unique Brookgreen Gardens nearby (we actually passed right by it on the ICW but the entrance has been blocked for preservation purposes) which was absolutely azalea amazing and their new butterfly enclosure was smile invoking.

Then today with rain forecasted and occurring we headed to Charleston for the 150th celebration of the cannon firing on Ft. Sumter which officially kicked off the Civil War; after first touring the historic district of Georgetown (the third oldest city in the state) and it’s Rice Museum, of course buying a bag or two of heirloom golden rice.

Back in the US we visited again with our friends Ann and Gary and had a terrific meal at Fishy Fishy in Southport (love those shrimp and grits with tasso ham!). Yesterday we began our trek south along the intracoastal waterway passing sometimes treacherous Shallotte Inlet and spent the night at Crickett Cove Marina enjoying one of the very best meals we truly have ever had (and there have been quite a number) at a grill named Snooky’s. Immensely creative menu by chef Rich, as Cindy had a sandwich that included fried green tomatoes (we are in the south after all) chevre chees, applewood bacon and arugula. WOW. Interesting day today passing thru several swing bridges and overnighting near Myrtle Beach at Osprey Marina.

Abacos Green Turtle and a Barefoot Man

Our second week in the Abacos has been as enjoyable as the first with friends Amy and Brad Wade joining us on Parrot Cay and another get together with Bill and Nina Collins. After 6 years of coming to the Bahamas we finally were in the vicinity on the date of the Barefoot Man concert on Guana Cay yesterday although a strong low front’s weather system brought a couple of downpours that threatened to postpone the event , but the sun came out and it was a beautiful day. And another first after several attempts was a visit to Green Turtle Cay, which was absolutely gorgeous and serene with our favorite spot being Gillam Bay that could have been the tv set for Gilligan’s Island. Today we are off again to kayak, snorkel, and visit Pete’s Pub at Little Harbor. While we will as usual regret to leave this paradise we are looking forward to our week on the intra-coastal in South Carolina