5/31/2010 GEORGETOWN TO NORTH MYRTLE BEACH ON MEMORIAL DAY

Ah, clean sheets and towels tonight!!! Makes me happy.
Not such a great cast off today as we, once again, were dealing with current and wind. It’s a real bear getting off the dock when they are both pushing you back.

It is amazing just how diverse the scenery is. Each day things are just a little different. I loved this tiny home on the water.

TALK ABOUT LIVING ON THE WATER!

The Socastee Swing Bridge pivoted open for our passage and welcomed us up the ICW. Talk about power. ’ Bridge Tender, will you please open for us? ” “Certainly, Captain. Stand by, we will be opening in 5 minutes.” So cool.

THANK YOU!

Dwayne, here is another stand-up paddle boarder trying to surf the wake of our Quest. I think he was still learning.

PADDLE, PADDLE!

Just in case we had forgotten it was Memorial Day, the afternoon crowds of boaters and bathers reminded us. What a parade of watercrafts with patio boats, sail boats, fishing boats, runabouts, jet skis, kayaks, and motor yachts. We saw it all today.

PARTY TIME

We are spending the night in North Myrtle Beach, SC, will cross into North Caroling tomorrow and will most likely be in Wilmington on Wednesday where we will enjoy several days of Steve’s company.

DAN RELAXING

5/30/2010 CHARLESTON TO GEORGETOWN, SC

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TAKARA!!!

WATERFRONT HOMES

Boy, this current thing sure makes the approach and disembarkation from docks an entirely different beast. Side thrusters sure would be nice but we had plenty of room so all went well as we left Charleston’s Mega Dock. As we exited we enjoyed the beautiful homes along the waterway. Notice the carriage tour.

CARRIAGE TOUR VIEWING THE HOMES

We passed Fort Sumter and saluted their briskly fluttering flags before turning into the cut that leads to Isle of Palms.

FORT SUMTER

How about these  Isle of Palm beauties lining the ICW?

ISLE OF PALM HOMES

I loved this little cutie nestled in front of a slightly larger house on Goat Island. Most of the homes on Goat were camp-like, vacation dwellings.

GOAT ISLAND

Dan snapped this one of Craig dozing. Being on the water is very conducive to this activity (or lack of).

NAP TIME

Georgetown was our destination for this evening and we reached it by about 4:30. Hazzard Marina is a cute little place with all the necessary amenities for our overnight stay. We hoofed the 3 blocks into the town to a “dingy dock” kind of eatery for a good burger and deep fried pickles dinner. We must be in the SOUTH!

HAZZARD MARINA

LOOKING INTO GEORGETOWN'S WATERFRONT

5/29/2010 CHARLESTON FOR THE DAY

Marina shuttle into town was a nice touch! We headed for Diane’s for breakfast but it is now under new management and known as TOAST. Just ok. Dan and Craig got haircuts and shaves at a place called Gents. Great haircuts but Dan must have a half-dozen nicks from the shave.

We didn’t exactly come prepared to spend the entire day in town but that’s what we ended up doing. The carriage ride tour was filled with information about the history and the homes were beautiful.

After our tour we found our way to the top of the lovely Market Pavilion Hotel on Bay Street. The roof top lounge offered us a spectacular view, tasty lunch and cooling libations.

Refreshed, we wandered around to the boardwalk and found this fountain (aka the town beach) and enjoyed watching the children frolic in the water. We also came across this reminder of good ole’ Vermont on the back side of a stop sign. Imagine that.

KIDS JUST WANT TO HAVE FUN

MAGIC HAT?  GO VERMONT!

This exhausted foursome spent the evening back on Quest where we enjoyed a delicious pasta carbonara that Alexis prepared.

5/28/2010 BEAUFORT TO CHARLESTON, SC

DAN CASTING OFF

Before casting off from Beaufort, we visited the Gullah Festival right at our marina. Found some great sea glass bead necklaces and are already experiencing buyer’s remorse for “not” having bought more beads for our girlfriends. Craig did manage to sneak off and re-find the jewelry store Alexis ogled last night and returned with the very seed pearl necklace she was coveting. Good job!

We enjoyed the beautiful homes, bridges, boats and dolphin along our way to Charleston where we snuggled up against their MEGA DOCK. Dinner was at the fabulous High Cotton. All a good day.

RIGHT ON THE ICW

SWING BRIDGE

WHAT???

MEGA DOCK!

5/27/2010 SAVANNAH TO BEAUFORT, SC, GA

 

After visiting Rocks on the Roof (yes that would make the third time) for a great burger lunch and our last look at the river traffic from their high vantage point, we headed back to Quest for an afternoon castoff. We were coveting an escort from this beefy tug but he had “bigger fish to fry” and went on about his work without us. Again, this ultra-swift current causes havoc when trying to approach or leave the dock but Dan masterfully got us safely on our way.

Sunning, reading, gawking at the beautiful homes and snoozing filled our afternoon before being welcomed into Beaufort, NC where we docked for the night. Cute little town conveniently built right there on the ICW. We were able to walk to dinner and window shop after. Boy, do we save lots of money shopping after closing time!!

5/26/2010 SAVANNAH WITH GLORIA AND DEAN BY ALEXIS PORTER

JUST A LITTLE HISTORY

Contributing blogger: Alexis Porter

We all enjoyed the company and hospitality of Gloria & Dean. Gloria is originally from Atlanta, and has the most charming southern accent, and stories. She gave us hints on her “must do list”. They drove us from their home on Troup Square to the riverfront and had a tour of Quest.

GLORIA AND DEAN'S BEAUTIFUL HOME IN HISTORIC SAVANNAH

We followed Gloria’s recommendation and had cocktails and apps at the Top of the Rock, an open air bar on the roof of the Kessler Hotel. Fabulous views from the 9th floor roof, and my favorite new martini “the Pomegranate Sunset” (we found all the fixings before leaving town).

ROCKS ON THE ROOF

LEVEL WITH THE TOP OF A HUGE FREIGHTER

Weds morning we all piled into a Taxi to get supplies for the satellite radio system at a Loews, it soon became a hilarious ride. Our driver, Leslie of the Midnight taxi, had us cracking up so, after about 5 minutes I put my iPhone on record for the rest of the trip. A Forest Gump drawl with his own take on life.

We had and 11:30 appt to meet the Horstmans at their home and walk 6 blocks to a Savannah landmark, Mrs. Wilkes restaurant. Forewarned of long line to the entrance, Gloria and Dean brought us to the back door for local. Imagine being called to Thanksgiving dinner at a table set for 10 (friends & strangers) sweet tea poured and some 24 side dishes ready to pass around. (don’t start eating till dishes have gone round) THEN, the best fried chicken ever joins the table, with BBQ and New Brunswick stew and meatloaf. Finished off with a little banana pie.

MRS. WILKS TABLE WAS READY AND WAITING FOR US

BLURRY PHOTO OF THE HUNGRY GROUP

THE REMAINS OF CHICKEN PLUS 24 SIDEDISHES!!

As we waddled away, Gloria walked part way with us giving more of her personal tour. Thanks for making our Savannah trip so personal and special. We continued down Bull St and the beautiful town squares of Historic Savannah into downtown and to the river.

THANKS GLORIA AND DEAN!!!!!!

Craig had a camera emergency, with another 20 minute taxi ride to a camera store, and a to Byrds cookie store.

We all wanted to see (and drink) one more sunset from the roof, and spent another night at the Rock.

We are having a wonderful, once in a lifetime cruise, thank you D & J.

5/25/2010 ISLE OF HOPE MARINA TO SAVANNAH, GA

CRAIG JUST WASHED THE STARBOARD WINDOWS

Ok, so today’s take off from the Isle of Hope dock was not exactly stellar. In fact, we sucked! The current was so strong. How strong was it?? So swift and strong that we almost didn’t make it off the dock and when we did succeed, it was real up close and personal. When Dan finally was able to get the bow away from the dock, our stern kept to the dock and we kissed the boat tied next to us. Not a real pleasant sound, that scraping of boat to boat. Thankfully, no real harm done though. We only lost a small vent cover and the other boat, apparently, suffered no damage.

Again, we were wowed by the scenery. These, folks, are not McMansions!

We spied this beautiful yacht to drooled over and think it may be a Trumphy.

DOES IT GET ANY BETTER THAN THIS TRUMPHY?

Fort Jackson in the Savannah River was to our port as we entered the Savannah River and were pursued by this giant ship.

FORT JACKSON

HOT ON OUR TAIL

We came around the river’s curve and Savannah’s silhouette was unveiled to us as we headed to the Hyatt Dock, our home for the next two nights. Again, the swift current made it difficult to come alongside the dockage but Dan persisted and we successfully made fast. The water level was way down when we tied up but look how high we were later.

SAVANNAH SKYLINE

HELLO HYATT

LOW TIDE

HIGH TIDE

After a lovely lunch at Vic’s, we hopped on a “tourist trolley” for a quick tour and ride to Gloria and Dean Hortsman’s beautiful home in historic Savannah. Gloria and Dean are ex-Arcadia, CA residences and welcomed us into their abode where we enjoyed Fire-fly Sweet Tea Vodka and reminisced about our common “old days” in Arcadia. What delightful hosts they were!! Thank you.

ALEXIS TAKING IT ALL IN

5/24/2010 JEKYLL MARINA TO ISLE OF HOPE MARINA, GA

GOODBYE JEKYLL MARINA

This morning, after referring to the XM Weather on our Garmin, we decided to head out to the sea in order to make it to Savannah this evening. While following the deep, narrow channel with its abutting shallows, we found ourselves approaching a HUGE car hauler. Now, we needed to stay within the safety of the deeper channel and SHE wasn’t about to veer out of the channel either. Hold your breath and stay to the right!! Close but far enough apart to slowly and safely pass each other.

CLOSE

REAL CLOSE!

HOME SAFE

We seem to be in a big area for shrimping and have seen many working boats.

OK, SO ENOUGH WITH THE SHRIMPERS

Remember I said we checked the weather before heading out to the sea? Well, lot of good that did us!! It got so rough that the table started to tip over. At the same time the weather was saying calm seas (1 to 3’ waves) and light wind (5 to 8 kn) we were experiencing 4 ‘to 6 ‘waves and winds to 26 knots. We could put up with this only so long before Dan headed back into the safety of the ICW.

Still we have seen no manatees but look at these beautiful birds nested upon a ICW mile marker.

PARENT TENDING THE BABIES

FLYING OFF TO DIVERT OUR ATTENTION

TWEET SWEET

Just before reaching our new destination for the night we came across this major catastrophe. Some boater is really not too happy now. Can you imagine??

TOO, TOO SAD

We docked at Isle of Hope Marina and marveled at the lovely scenery surrounding it. Talk about “Southern Hospitality”, they had 2 vehicles that you could “use” for a 2 hour period, free of charge. Now that is great customer service! After cleaning up the Quest and ourselves we took our little loaner Honda and found a great place right on the water for a view of sunset and fish for dinner. Nice!