CODA BACK IN THE THE USA 2025 (87).

CODA : Awaiting the storm / sitting still in South Carolina.  

7 April 2025 

Wacca Wache Marina, Murrells Inlet, South Carolina  

Diesel is $ 3.14 per gallon here.  You can be sure that we filled our tanks.

Marc-  The sky is still mostly gray, south wind 25 knots, without rain as yet.  We continue to get storm warnings but it seems to just pass us to the north.  The computer weather model  clearly shows that we are going to get it eventually.

It's coming west to east!  I am looking forward to cooler and drier weather.

We are well protected here in the Waccamaw River.

We started the day going out for breakfast with Craig and Donna Lewis.  Murrells Inlet has excellent breakfast restaurants and we went to one of the best.  Blue Sky was inexpensive and good.  It was great to spend some time with our friends.  They also drove us around for some shopping.  They will be coming up to Vermont in May this year for the summer.  

Ours friends John and Peggy Brewster came over to the Wacca Wache restaurant for lunch with us.  It was great to see them and hear about their recent cruise ship travels.  The food was good. I especially enjoyed the "butter-cake fruit and cream special".  A good time was had by all.  

CODA BACK IN THE THE USA 2025 (86).

CODA : Heading north. Still exploring South Carolina.  

6 April 2025 

Wacca Wache Marina, Murrells Inlet, South Carolina  

Heading up the Waccamaw River past Brookgreen to Wacca Wache Marina.

Marc-  We pulled up the anchor at 07:15 this morning in order to have enough water to pass through a rather shallow part of the ICW along this part of the South Carolina coast between Charleston and the Waccamaw River.  At one point we just made it at 5.3 feet without running aground (just plowing through the mud does not count).  There were only crab fishermen out on the waterways early this morning checking their traps.  The reliable southeast wind continued to be blowing at 15 -20 knots, allowing us to have full sails up,  along the coast and then diminished to 10 knots after we went up the Waccamaw River under power.  I only spotted one floating tree just outside the channel.  Although we enjoyed favorable tidal currents on the coast, the river was against us almost all the way to the marina.  It was 80 degrees and very humid today.  We are looking forward to this cold front coming through here tomorrow.

Cypress tree with its very interesting roots (the elbows that stick up are said to allow the tree to breath.  Good  design for a plant that grows in the water.

Coda tied up to the outer dock.  The dock master told us this was the last spot.  We walked around and saw several open spots but unfortunately we arrived at low tide so this was the only one to fit us.

We passed this interesting barge / bridge that simply rotates in the channel to let one lane of vehicles pass through.

There are many forested undeveloped areas along this route.  There are still fire towers in place throughout.  It is home to the vast Francis Marion National Forest.

I spotted this boat during an after dinner walk.  It's a custom boat owned by a gentlemen from North Hero, Vermont.  We saw this boat in the Bahamas this winter.

Bahamian waters have a way of making a boat look better.

Home port of the Good Ship is N. Hero, VT.

We met one of the owners, Tristan Vaughan, who did all the finish work at his shop in Vermont.  He had difficulty finding a contractor to finish an aluminum hull so in true Vermont form he just did it himself.

I did finish refinishing the last of the teak rail and gunwale on the starboard side of Coda.  As I was working near the bow,  two boys walked up to me and one asked for help.  The only boy who spoke English was an 8 year old named Daniel. They both wore identical blue life vests.  The second boy was an older teenage brother who did not speak English.  Daniel translated in a language I did not understand.  Somehow they had rented a jetski and had come to this marina having run out of gas.  Unfortunately the marina was closed and no marina people were around.  I went over and gave them a few gallons of gas to get back up the river to the jetski rental spot.  They went up the river at a safe speed.  

Michael-  Good night.  

CODA BACK IN THE THE USA 2025 (85).

CODA : Heading north. Exploring South Carolina continues.

5 April 2025 

Awendaw Creek anchorage, Awendaw, South Carolina  

Small Cruise ship docked at Charleston Mega-Dock.

Marc-  We started off from Church Creek at 08:30 and anchored at 16:40 in quiet Awendaw Creek. The winds continue to be favorable from the southeast and south 15 to 20 knots.  Currents were a mixed bag depending on the section of waterway we were in.  We stopped at the St. John's Yacht Harbor to refuel and refill our water tanks.  It was easy in and easy out of the fuel dock with the help of capable staff.  

In and around Charleston we were delayed by two drawbridges when our arrival did not sync up with the bridge opening times.  We were only delayed a total of 45 minutes.  The highlight was seeing just passing through the exciting City of Charleston.  There is constant motion of tugboats, freighters, pilot boats, cruise ships, helicopters, sailboats, powerboats and even kayaks.  The long coastal stretch of the ICW once past Charleston Harbor was a downwind dream.

It takes many boats to fill a harbor.

Picturesque Charleston.

CODA BACK IN THE THE USA 2025 (84).

CODA : More changes in latitude.  Exploring South Carolina continues.

4 April 2025 

Lady's Island Marina, Beaufort, South Carolina 

Our overnight stop in Beaufort, South Carolina.

Marc-  I think we really needed to stop at this marina for its advertised "beauty & wellness".  We were all used up after traveling 70 miles in high humidity and 80 degree temperatures for yet another day.  Winds were consistently 10-15 knots from the southeast which is very helpful for boaters heading north.   Stopping here allowed us to have air conditioning last night a great cool off.  The facilities here are better than most marinas meaning good showers and laundry.  They also have a nice restaurant.  

This morning I met with Dee and Lee Anderson who own a Victory Tugboat and are traveling north.  We were both trying to borrow the marina van and they had reserved it for 09:00.  Fortunately they said we could join them in shopping at Publix.  The Andersons know Will and Kathleen Patten who also own a Victory Tugboat.

The Anderson's Victory Tugboat, Jack Robert.

One of many tugboat we see on the ICW.

Low tide here at Lady's Island Marina.

We still seem to be leading the snowbirds north and it's remarkable that no trawler of sailboat passed us.

We are anchored at Church Creek just South of Charleston tonight.

CODA BACK IN THE THE USA 2025 (83).

CODA : More changes in latitude.  Exploring South Carolina.

3 April 2025 

Lady's Island Marina, Beaufort, South Carolina

Our friends Chip and Angela aboard S/V Arrow found our memory board on top of Boo Boo Hill at Warderick Wells, Exumas Land & Sea Park.

Marc-  Another big travel day for the crew of Coda.  We covered 70 miles from Kilkenny, Georgia to Beaufort, South Carolina in 10 hours.  The only consistent was a favorable 15 Knot southeast wind that sure helped.  There were several shallow areas to pass through with the help of tidal differences. Georgia has 8 to 10 foot tides twice a day.  That means a lot of water moves around the many waterways in and along the coast.  The ICW is a connection of existing waterways such that you can have a favorable three knot current in one place and then the reverse in the next waterway.  Imagine a zigzag course.  Coda's boat speed averaged out at 7 knots yet we were doing up to 9 knots at times and 5 knots in other times.  The important timing was reaching the Lady's Island Bridge for its 19:00 opening so we could get to our destination before dark.  The sun set at 19:45 today at Beaufort, SC.

Stars & Stripes (1983 America's Cup 12 meter USA competitor

 sailing out of Hilton Head, South Carolina).

Another sight while passing by Hilton Head, SC.

After passing through the Lady's Island Bridge we immediately turned 90 degrees to starboard to follow a rather improperly marked channel up to the marina and anchorage.  The Dockmaster had given us a few tips like staying away from the channel markers and hugging the bridge access road.  We also had our breadcrumb track from last October when I came here with my daughter.  We still plowed through some mud getting up the creek just before low tide.  A large Canadian sloop who passed through just ahead of us did not make it past the first channel marker.  The could have followed us.  They were able to back out of the mud.  Perhaps they will await the incoming tide.

  

CODA BACK IN THE THE USA 2025 (82).

CODA : Changes in latitude.  Exploring Georgia.

2 April 2025 

Kilkenny Marina, Kilkenny Creek, Kilkenny, Georgia 

Two Bros Island anchorage where we briefly ran aground leaving this morning.

Marc-  We allowed extra time before our departure this morning in order to have enough water present to get though the notoriously shallow Little Mud River.  This 5 mile passage is limited to 3 feet of water at low tide and we like to have 6 feet of water under us before going anywhere (Coda can get through with 5.4 feet).  Our only problem was getting started.  Once out of our little side creek anchorage we were fine.  No problems the entire day.  The water was mostly a brown except when we passed through "Sounds" with access to the North Atlantic Ocean.  The best part of the trip was going through Saint Catherines Sound.  First, we encountered an American Cruise Line ship that our friends Peggy and John Brewster have taken on coastal voyages.  Second, was seeing dolphins again.  The 10-15 knot southeast breeze was helpful motor sailing the entire day and it helped keep the bugs away.

American Independence

Plenty of room to pass.

Dolphins in Saint Catherines Sound.

Kilkenny Marina docks.  

Kilkenny Plantation grounds behind the Marina.

Live oaks and lots of color.

Excellent restaurant next door with amazing view of the Georgia salt marshes.

CODA BACK IN THE THE USA 2025 (81).

CODA : Changes in latitude.  Arriving in Georgia.

1 April 2025 

Two Bros Island Anchorage, Altamaha River, Georgia

Not much to the place except that it's safely off of the ICW traffic route.  We learned last time we were in Georgia that commercial barge traffic, and the shrimp boat fleet,  travel at night.

Marc-  We left the Tiger Island anchorage of Fernandina Beach in a lifting fog at 07:30.  The first thing I noticed was that a large trawler anchored near us before last night's Thunderstorm was missing.  I went  back to my photos taken during the storm.  

Thunderstorm photo. Notice that the trawler on the right is broadside to the wind and waves.  The orientation of most of the boats changed when the wind exceeded 40 knots. Also note of the left of the photo may be a water spout forming.  Also note that the shore downwind of our anchorage is rather industrial.  Not good for a soft landing.

We passed by the trawler on our way out.  It was tied to the old commercial docks.  At least it did not end up at the paper mill waterfront.

This a screenshot of our anchor alarm and it shows that the anchor reset during the storm.  We are fortunate to have a Rocna anchor that resets on its own.

The morning travel mostly involved favorable water currents and light wind.  Coda went north up the Saint Mary's River then up the waterway west of Cumberland Island.  We did encounter one US Navy patrol boat as we passed in front of a nuclear submarine undergoing repairs at the docks facing the ICW.

The Saint Andrews Sound crossing was calm going across to Jekyll Island.  We skipped over visiting in order to take advantage of the high tide passage required to pass through Jekyll Creek on our way north.  All went very well as we crossed St. Simon's Sound over to St. Simon's Island.  The tidal currents turned against us as we turned to pass west through though the ICW west of Saint Simon's Island.  We went from traveling at 7.8 knots to traveling at 4.8 knots.  The other change was a completely brown water that we traveled in.  What a difference from Bahamian water!  We continued our travel until we could no longer proceed.  The Little Mud River shut us down as it is impassable at anything but mid rising tide or higher.  

Fort Clinch, a civil war era fort at the northern end of Amelia Island, Florida.

Passing through Jekyll Creek in front of the Jekyll Island Club Hotel.

Better view of the Hotel.

View from our anchorage this evening.