Rainy-cold-wanted to stay in Charleston and watch Robbie race but we needed to move on.
Our race home is not all gorgeous sunsets and rainbows. There are those wet and windy days.
Working our way up the ICW brought us through the Cypress forests. They are such mythical looking trees. They look like giant tree people walking in the water. The base of the trunk would make an awesome table base. I couldn't get Dave to stop and get one for me though.
We tied up at Barefoot Marina in North Myrtle Beach among the mega condos and restaurants. Mike got an Uber lift to the airport to pick up a one way rental car to drive home tomorrow; back to Wikki-Wachee, Florida. Sounds like a Looney Tunes cartoon name of a town to me. I wish they weren't leaving us. They came aboard as casual friends and now I feel that we are good friends and they are welcome to cruise with us on these little trips anytime they can.
We took advantage of Mike's car and picked up a few groceries. We indulged ourselves once again at a House of Blues restaurant and were disappointed that we missed the Greg Allman band by a week or so.
Day 7, Saturday, April 16,2016
We bid goodbye to Mike and Andrea, filled up with fuel and were off by 7:30. Yesterday was a pretty raw day but today it's bright and sunny, if chilly. I prefer this to 90 degrees anytime. About and hour down the ICW we got good and stuck in the sandy mud. Dave managed to wiggle us off again and we were outa there. So shallow in this part of the south! The shoaling in of the ICW is not a big priority for the Federal government apparently; much like the little emphasis New York State places on taking care of the Erie Canal. These areas are mainly used by recreational boaters.
The name of this boat is hard to read but I shit you not it is "Buttery Nipple". Does anyone know the origin or meaning of such a name? Makes your mind conjure up all sorts of possibilities doesn't it?
We've decided to perservere and get Blue Moon to Norfolk, VA by Monday so we can get a rental car and go back home for a couple of weeks. So much going on for us right now. So what else is new? We found a marina in Norfolk where Blue Moon can safely stay while we are gone. Norfolk will put us a bit more than half way home. I never thought we would get this far so soon!
After the Buttery Nipple passed us, we had to wait for an old swing bridge that only opens on the hour. Of course we arrived at the bridge about 10 minutes after the hour so Dave had to hold the boat in the wind and the current until 5:00 on the button rolled around. Reminded me of waiting for the locks on the Mississippi. This forced us to stop for the night at a marina sooner than we planned. If we went beyond this marina we surely would have been trying to find our way at low tide- in the dark-in a shallow ICW. Uh-uh!!
I was already freaked out today by going under a bridge that I swore was too low for us. The Captain was right and we got under it with maybe 6" to spare. I might start drinking more.....
Anyway, I'm glad we ended up at the Swan Point Marina in Snead's Ferry, NC (right next to Camp Lejuene). It's a rustic little marina owned by a mother and daughter. Zena, the daughter, is the type of 40 something southern girl that country and western songs have been written about. She met us on the dock to help us in wearing a shocking pink shirt and a southern accent so thick I could barely translate it. Once we got tied up she hugged us both and welcomed us to Snead's Ferry. Never been hugged by a dock hand before. I shoulda' took her picture. Right out of central casting. I just know that on her arm she has her past beaus' names tattooed, crossed out, tattooed again and so on. I love these little marinas--so reminiscent of the places we stopped at in Kentucky and Tennessee. She said she will bring us some of her mama's homemade pie later tonight.
After a nice glass of wine we settled down and made dinner. Looking forward to the pie that was promised us.
Well, now you HAVE to get a pic of Zena. Enjoy the last leg of your trip!
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