05/23/2012 THROUGH 0/27/2012 TRAVELING WITH JAY AND CHERYL

05/23/2012  TUESDAY       THE COLEMANS COME ABOARD THE QUEST

35 NM TRAVELED TODAY FROM GOLDEN ISLES MARINA ON ST. SIMONS ISLAND TO ANCHOR ON THE CRESCENT RIVER NEAR MM 643.5

The morning was a whirlwind of activity.  While I did some cleaning and caught up on bookwork, Dan got the marina’s loaner car and made a quick market run to restock Quest’s empty refrigerators.  By 9:30 we were joining Jay and Cheryl Coleman at the Jekyll Island Club, where they had been staying for the last three nights, for breakfast and a quick walk around of the magnificent property.  Prior to the state’s acquisition of this island in 1947, this resort was once the seasonal home of such notables as Rockefeller, J.P. Morgan, Vanderbilt and other uber-rich of that era.

Shortly after noon we had the Colemans on board Quest and we were casting off our lies.  It proved to be a beautiful cruising day as we meandered the twisting channel that took us closer to Savannah.  We anchored for the night in the Crescent River, enjoyed a barbecued steak dinner and taught Jay and Cheryl to play Fan-Tan.  It is good to be back traveling on Quest and doubly so with friends.

05/24/2012 WEDNESDAY           SAVANNAH, HERE WE ARE!!

36 NM TRAVELED TODAY FROM THE ANCHORAGE IN CRESCENT RIVER TO THE RIVER STREET MARKET PLACE DOCK IN DOWNTOWN SAVANNAH(912-398-6038) (www.RiverStreetMarketPlace.com)

 With little fanfare we pulled up anchor, departed from our most peaceful anchorage and made tracks for downtown Savannah.  Jay and Cheryl quickly learned to lend a hand where needed, how to dodge those monstrous green-eyed flies and to when it was safe to enjoy the cooling breezes on the bow.

JAY AND CHERYL, GETTIN' THE HANG OF IT

We were all eager to reach the charming city of Savannah with its inviting waterfront and rich past.  Savannah’s two-square-mile historic district is the nation’s largest urban National Historic Landmark.  Founded in 1733, this is the last Colonial capital established by the British in America.

We wandered the streets for a while, had drinks at Rocks on the Roof, dinner at Vic’s on the River and enjoyed a pedi-cab tour the cool of the evening.

05-25-2012 FRIDAY        BEAUTIFUL BEAUFORT IN SOUTH CAROLINA

43 NM TRAVELED TODAY FROM SAVANNAH TO DOWNTOWN MARINA OF BEAUFORT (843-524-4422)

 Exiting the Savannah River and returning to the ICW brought us quickly to South Carolina where we cruised past Daufuskie Island that was made famous by Pat Conroy’s book “The River is Wide”, Hilton Head that is known for its golf resorts and the Marine Corps Recruit Depot on Paris Island where all female recruits and males from east of the Mississippi are trained.

It was “all hands on deck” as we came into Beaufort’s marina with Jay docking the boat under Dan’s tutelage and Cheryl throwing lines to the helping hands on the dock.  Nice job CREW!

CHERYL WITH THE LINES READY

JAY DOCKING, DAN COACHING

Arriving in Beaufort for the night we found that the Gullah Festival was this weekend’s happening.  The term Gullah refers to those direct descendants of African slaves that populate the Low Country and their unique language, foods, art and traditions. 

CHERYL AND JAY ENJOYING THE BEAUFORT SWINGS

In search for the perfect place for dinner, we were unable to resist “Q on bay”!  How could we?  We were helpless to resist its giant Q and its pulled pork barbecue and sweet tea.  Mighty fine Carolina barbecue!

Q ON BAY FOR BARBECUE

05/26/2012  SATURDAY         BOHICKET MARINA

43 NM FROM BEAUFORT, SC TO BOHICKET MARINA ON SEABROOK ISLAND JUST OFF THE NORTH EDISTO RIVER AND SOUTH WEST OF CHRLESTON

By 8:30 we were casting off and passing under the Ladies Island Swing Bridge.  Our original plans were to head to Charleston today but the threat of Tropical Storm Beryl has encouraged us to seek refuge in the protection of Bohicket River’s marina.  Beryl is the second named Atlantic storm of this hurricane season that doesn’t officially begin until June 1.  Hmmmmm, wonder what the season has in store?

Today Cheryl proved to be an “A-1” captain while piloting Quest in the cuts and rivers of the ICW.  We were on the lookout for alligators but, alas, we never spied one of these large aquatic reptiles that make their homes in rivers, lakes, marshlands and some brackish waters.  While the crocodile with its long snout is found tropical climates such as Florida and Georgia, the alligator with its rounded snout can be found in somewhat cooler areas like the Carolinas.

CHERYL AT THE HELM

JAY ASSUMING THE CORRECT RELAXING POSITION AT THE STERN

After barreling through a Memorial Day Weekend sailing race, we found our way to the lovely Bohicket Marina and Resort and were warmly greeted with helping hands.  After checking in we made arrangements for Jay and Cheryl to get to the Charleston Airport tomorrow to pick up their rental car then took off in the tender to explore the Lowcountry waterways of South Carolina.  We meandered in the river, taking in the sights of the long, long docks that finger out into the deeper waters of the river and the wisps of shallow waterways that the flat bottom skiffs deftly maneuver.  The homes along the shore ranged from tasteful mansions to derelict trailers but all were set way back, on the solid ground beyond the marshlands.  This is the “South” with grits, gators, barbecue, sweet tea, salt marshes, the Sea Islands, antebellum homes, Spanish Moss dripping from the trees and threatening hurricanes!

"WATCH OUT FOR THAT QUEST!!"

05/27/2012 SUNDAY     WAITING FOR BERYL

DOCKED AT BOHICKET MARINA ON SEABROOK ISLAND

We lost our competent crew today as the Colemans departed for their week at Pinehurst, NC where they will meet Dick and Gail Ramage and the guys will attempt to get in as much golf as humanly possible.  We hope to join them on Thursday after having gotten Quest closer to the Wilmington area where she will spend her summer on the hard while receiving some much needed repair work and boring maintenance.

JAY AND CHERYL DISEMBARK QUEST

The wind picked up considerably throughout the day and Dan kept an eye on the many weather reports.  While thankful not to be in the wide open Charleston Harbor that can be rough on the best of days, it appears that the brunt of the storm will hit south of us sometime tonight or tomorrow.  At 2:00 PM it was well of the Jacksonville with winds at 65 and heading west.    The Jacksonville Jazz Festival wrapped up early, Tybee Island was closed for swimmers but all was snug back here on the Bohicket River. 

OMINOUS CLOUDS HOVER OVER THE MARINA