Moving on North

Thursday 8 June 2017

Nearly 2 weeks since the last post but we have been busy. We stayed in Georgetown SC for Memorial Day weekend, savouring more wonderful culinary treats, Carolina Grouper - a fish - being one of them. Memorial Day falls on the same Monday as UK Whit Monday so we felt right at home. Took a walking tour of the town with Debbie who grew up there and has a fund of anecdotes and historical knowledge. She introduced us to joggling boards.

 

They are very springy 

 

and designed to bring people together. 

Apparently they were introduced from England but this was the first time we had heard of them and were rather taken with the idea. Debbie also showed us some very old trees

 

 

And many historic and palatial houses, many of which had palmettos growing in their gardens, giving a clue to the climate here, very mild in winter, hot and humid in summer.

 

 

By Tuesday 30 May it was time to leave, our ‘wounds’ having healed sufficiently to weather the next 170nm ocean passage north to Beaufort, North Carolina. We saw several Pelican Parties on the way out to sea from the long Georgetown river.

 

The passage was slow for most of the way with Follyfoot having  to motor-sail until Wednesday afternoon when the wind strength suddenly increased from force 2 to force 7, gusting 8 in the space of 10 minutes. Luckily it was in the right direction for us and accelerated our passage. But we were still later than anticipated and had to anchor at 21:30 in the dark inside the shelter of the coastline. Dianne, the very helpful Ocean Cruising Club (OCC) port officer for Beaufort had previously advised of a suitable spot. Thursday morning we moved on into Beaufort Docks marina and enjoyed a full American breakfast.

 

View from the breakfast balcony, Follyfin just visible in the distance.

Dianne came to meet us and helped us sort out all our needs - US Customs and Border Agency, US phone, US VHF and provisions. You need a car for just about everything here in the US! We also enjoyed cocktails and a couple of meals out with her, including some of her home frozen shrimp (more the size of prawns as we know them in UK). Well beyond the call of duty for her I am sure!

 

Saturday 3 June saw us preparing for the next stage of our adventure - a 200 (statute) mile cruise up the Intracoastal Waterway (ICW), through North Carolina and into Virginia. This required Skipper to climb the mast - three times - to remove the aerials and lights at the top of the mast, reducing its height by about 3ft. This meant Follyfoot should pass unscathed under several 65ft fixed bridges en route on the ICW. By 11:00 we were on our way.

Of necessity, we mainly motored, with occasional help from the foresail, along parts of at least five rivers, four or five ‘land cuts’ or canals, crossed two wide and shallow ‘sounds’, and cruised through swampland and forest on either side. Most of the time the landscape was completely deserted.

 

 

But occasionally some very upmarket homes were spotted,

 

as well as some very large (and frightening) commercial vessels.

 

 

The one passed just after we had dropped anchor in pouring rain.

We spent three nights at anchor alongside the waterway in blissful peace and solitude except for the frogs….and biting bugs!

 

 

This is just one example; there were bigger ones and smaller ones and very small ‘no-see-ums'. Skipper became expert at swotting the wretched things.

Then there were the bridges.

 

 

Just squeezed under that one at 63.5ft. Phew!

 

Approaching the city of Norfolk

And many ospreys and eagles were seen on the way, the former nesting on top of the ICW channel markers. Regrettably I didn't manage to get a good osprey photo but it was such a treat to see so many of them after they had almost disappeared from the UK.

On Tuesday midday we arrived in Norfolk to a warm reception from Greta and Gary, the OCC port officers for this area. Not only did they assist with our first-ever experience of mooring between four posts, but they have since made us so welcome and comfortable with use of wifi, lifts to supermarket and in search of gas bottle refills. Although the weather has turned distinctly chilly since our arrival, the change in wind direction to the north, where we are headed, made it easy for us to delay our progress from here. Added to this, Norfolk is holding its annual “Harborfest” this weekend, so there is plenty to see on the water near where we are berthed.

 

 

Expecting to slip out of here tomorrow or Sunday but it is very tempting to stay and enjoy the city and the comfort of being berthed on a dock for a change!

NOTE: I have just acquired a new iPad and the blogging app I have been using on my old one is not functional on this new one. So you may notice some significant changes in presentation whilst I get used to the new app. Fingers crossed it works OK!