Shallotte,NC

Being on the hard for 3 weeks gave me an opportunity to run in a rural location. I enjoyed the slow turns through this beautiful part of North Carolina. On one run I discovered this "huge Golden Oak" ala Jimmy Buffett. It appears tests were done and it is over 2000 years old. Definitely worth mention!

If you click on the tree it will enlarge the photo and in the middle you can see where a cactus that is quite old is growing in the tree!

Shallotte,NC

Been awhile since decent access has been available so here goes the update. There is a section of the ICW called "the Rock Pile". Avoid at all costs or have a good lookout and travel at low tide. I was in what was supposed to be the channel on a falling tide and STRUCK! Hard I might add. As the water in the ICW is colored by tannin from the cypress trees, visibility is about 2 inches.

I moored at Barefoot Landing Marina and tried to survey the damage to the keel but even with a diving light it was sketchy at best. I arranged to be hauled at Tripp Marine in Shallotte. It was the only travelift wide enough to take a 23 foot cat. I had intended to haul and do work in the Chesapeake so this moved the schedule forward four weeks.

Damage was not as severe as I imagined so decisions were made to repair damage and paint the bottom , new zincs, cutlass bearings and dyna plates. As the boat had sat in the tropics the gelcoat did not have that shiny look so I was prepared to sand the hulls with 1200-1400 grit to polish the gelcoat. Fortunately, BJ turned me onto this polishing product that acts like 1200 without the sanding and a lot less work. All in all I was on the hard for 22 days. It was a good experience as I did the best bottom job I have ever done and the boat is in much better shape than prior to the crash.

Shallotte is fairly isolated and the yard was 6 miles from town and that presented some challenges. BJ who runs Tripp was a real find. He helped me by ordering all materials and driving me to town when I needed provisions. He also let me use any tools I needed!!! Fantastic.

The site on the hard overlooked a wetland and as I was the only person staying overnight it was not your usual yard experience with the dirt noise and other problems. The view from the back of the boat as the sun went down over Dark and Stormys was excellent.

Bridges on the ICW

It is difficult for most sailboats to make more than 50 miles a day on parts of the ICW. As you can imagine there are numerous bridges connecting the outer islands with the mainland. As most were built in the 1930s -1950s they tend to be the swing variety. They open on the hour and sometimes the half hour and stick tightly to the schedule.

Just as you leave South Carolina heading North at Sunset Beach there is a floating bridge that opens on the hour. The main span is on pontoons and every hour if there is boat traffic they swing this bridge open. It will be gone in a year as they are building a new concrete bridge next to it.

The new bridges are concrete permanent fixtures with a 65 ft clearance. It is spooky going under them around high tide it looks as though the top of the mast is going to strike. Le Chat Beaute, like many cats, is 62 ft above water at the top of the mast. Add 2 ft for antenna and lights and it becomes close.

ICW

Most of the waterway in South Carolina is wild and protected. It was not unusual to see chains across small creeks abutting the waterway designed to prevent boats from entering the wetlands. The only way to travel is by small boat as the surrounding wetland is almost impenetrable.

During the War between the States the Union forces tried to take the Carolinas from the sea by using the wetlands. From the picture you can see this would be very difficult. Think malaria, bugs, and venomous snakes not to mention being up to your knees in the muck all the time.

Travelling the ICW

Moving through South Carolina the ICW is a wild place with an abundance of wild life and solitude. As you approach the small towns people become evident. Usually the jet ski is the first thing you hear/see. But, it is between the civilized spots where this place is really marvelous. I anchored just off the main channel one night and could here what I believe are baby ospreys begging to be fed. It is common to see the nest as part of the navigation aids all along the waterway.

As you pass a town , people have made their nests as well.

Wynah Bay, SC

After leaving Charleston I set sail in light winds for points north. The winds were light (10kts) SW so it was a very comfortable sail with a one foot swell. The gribs forecast the wind to go northerly so I decided to duck into the ICW for a day or two to continue my way north.

The anchorage at Wynah just east of the ICW was beautiful and serene..........until sun down then the mozzies attacked with a vengence. Coils and spray were hardly effective as I must have been the first fresh meat in awhile. Eventually the sun went down and the majority left me in peace for the night.

One more Ship

This story would not be proper without including a picture of the Spirit of Charleston. It was a light wind day(10 kts) and I asked the skipper why all the sails were not deployed as it would have made a great sight on the river. They had paying guests on board for the Harbor Fest and tacking would have been problematic with all the extra people on board.