TOTAL MILES TRAVELED TODAY: 46 NM
DOCKED AT: DATAW ISLAND MARINA ON MORGAN CREEK - 3 MILES SW OF 521 (? /FT W/P OVERALL)
SUNRISE AT ST JOHNS MARINA: 7:02 AM
SUNSET AT DATAW ISLAND: 5:17 PM
HIGH: 54
LOW: 39
Dan was ambitious this morning and installed the necessary pump for the as yet unused water-maker. It took him all of 15 minutes. Now he has to install a switch and complete the electrical hook-up and we will be able to make our own fresh water from salt water. Since fresh water in the Bahamas is almost nonexistent, each island must desalinate the sea water for its residence as well as mariners docked at their marinas. You are charged by the gallon for all water used. Understandably this can be quite expensive for everyone. Now the guys at Rocky Point Marina in Oregon installed our “watermaker” but we found that an additional pump was needed and never finished the process until now. Yea, another project “almost” completed. It will be working when we leave for the Bahamas this year.
Carl Graack (843-834-6666), the diver that arrived this morning to save Dan from having to make a plunge into the cold waters, found the problem right away. First he took off about 20’ of old, rusty chain from the propeller and then the 10’ of attached rope. He also scrapped the mass of barnacles from the running gear, plucked a few from the hull and installed new zincs on the shaft. Now we are all “ship shape” and ready to go.
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| THE CULPRIT AT THE ROOT OF OUR PROBLEM |
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| CARL'S TRUSTY ASSISTANT |
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| THE MANLY TOOLS OF DIVER CARL NOW THAT'S A PIPE WRENCH! |
Meanwhile, Flint and Leslie from Grace Full kindly gave me a ride to the local Piggly Wiggly Market to replenish supplies. Thanks so much! Be sure to send healing thoughts for Leslie when she has surgery to replace her knee in two weeks.
 Image via Wikipedia |
| YEP, THE PIGGLY WIGGLY REALLY DOES EXIST |
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| GRACE FULL |
With all our chores done we were able to cast off about 11:30. Our destination was Beaufort, SC but we knew that was going to be a real push.
The ICW utilize an assortment of waterways. Today’s travels in North Carolina took us from St. John’s on the Stono River into a cut to the headwaters of the Wadmalaw River. From there we entered the Dawho River at White’s Point and proceeded through the North Creek and Watts Cut before entering the broad South Edisto River. Then came the short Fenwick Cut to the Ashepoo River, the Ashepoo Coosaw Cutoff, Coosaw River and finally entered Parrott Creek that took us three miles up to Dataw Island Marina at Morgan Creek. Whew!!!!
With sunset past and darkness swiftly approaching we had amended our day’s plans that took us to Beaufort and sought refuge at the closer Dataw Island. After trying sever times to rouse someone at the marina (it was by now after 5), we slipped up to the empty transient dock and tied up for the night.
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| RUNNING LATE ENABLED US TO CAPTURE THIS SPLENDID SIGHT |
It was a short evening, coming in so late and retiring early for our projected dawn departure. This peaceful local was only interrupted by the frequent drone of military planes from the nearby installations.
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