"Coming North - March 2001" Top 5 Page for this destination Beaufort Travelogue by grandmaR

Shoreline

Coming up to Beaufort, we follow the catamaran all day. He never gets too far ahead. We have the staysail up and he first pulls out and then furls his jib. We cross Port Royal Sound while I steer and Bob gets lunch.

Yesterday he asked for ravioli and all I could find was a kid's meal, so I gave him that and I ate a leftover minute steak in a sandwich. I could NOT get the middle frig compartment open. Today he heated up spaghetti and meatballs (we have 3 cans of that).

We come up by Hilton Head Island, and a guy on the gas dock waves as we go by the Outdoor Resort where we stayed last time. I wave back.

Parris Island Marine Corps base south of Beaufort

We go by Parris Island, and are tied up in Beaufort SC by about 3 - after 46.8 miles at 6.1 mph(even with all the idling at the bridge) for a total of 508 nm. We had a maximum speed of 11.3 mph - must have been a really good current. REEL TIME is here too and also MARY FRANCES.

Bridge and marina in 2005

When we go up to dinner, I decide we should go to Plums. They have an ice cream factory, and I'd like some ice cream for dessert. We walk through the riverside park, where they had a concert earlier this afternoon, and where there are still some vendors under the pavilion.

Bob had a steak, but I try to save money (entrees are $13 to $21 whereas we both ate for $21 last night) and have chicken and dumplings. Bad choice - dumplings are raw in the middle. The waitress keeps filling up our glasses with sweet tea, when I've asked for non sweet. And when it comes time for dessert, they are out of ice cream, and don't offer us anything else.

We sat by the window to eat and watch the antics of two well fed black and white cats, one of which climbs the willow oak in front of the restaurant. When we leave we try to pet the cats, but they are too skittish.

Yesterday, the two ladies behind us commented that the lady captain of the big megayacht who was in shirt sleeves "must be a Yankee". Today we are all in heavy coats as it is cold.

I go to a coffee house which has advertised desserts and smoothies, but they have no ice cream either, and so I buy key lime pie, but Bob doesn't want any. I go and sit on the veranda swings which are surrounded by wisteria to watch the sunset over the river, but it is too cold, and we go back to the boat early.

Ladies Island Bridge going south

The catamaran goes on through the swing bridge.

We are right in the middle of town and it is a nice place - sort of like Fernandina. There are azaleas in bloom, but it is cold. The ramp up to the bank is very steep at low tide (we are on floating docks and the tide is about 8 feet).

Marina courtesy car in 2005

Bob goes up and gets directions to a hardware store and walks there and buys lamp wicks for the new lamp he got in Fernandina. I take the computer up and download e-mail.

The marina has a courtesy car in case you want to go to the grocery store which is beyond walking distance.

Sunrise

We have a long day ahead. Today the first bridge with a restricted opening is right beside the marina (Ladies Island Bridge pictured above). We intend to try to get all the way to the southern suburbs of Charleston today at it is 64 miles. We will need to start early and run long and hard, and have some luck with current and wind if we are going to make it.

Bob gets up early and shaves and goes back to bed. Then his alarm goes off. It is 5:15. Finally at 5:45 he says it is time to get up. We are tied up in front of a big black wooden boat, and in front of us is a big power boat. In front of them is a shrimp boat which came in late last night. It came under the swing bridge while we were walking back from dinner. The shrimp boat starts its motor, and pulls away. We start ours too.

Bob is hopping on and off the boat. He gets the lines singled up, and says to put it in reverse, which I do, but he didn't want me to do it yet. Fortunately we are still tied to the dock. We cast off about 6:15. Bob takes off the stern dock line and the current pushes us away from the pier.

As I back, Bob takes off the bow line. I call the bridge, but forget that in SC they are on channel 13 and not channel 9. Finally someone comes up on the radio and reminds me.

Passing the marina in 2000

After we get through the bridge (before the restrictions start), I steer going around Beaufort for about 35 minutes while Bob takes in lines and fenders, puts up the staysail and gets breakfast. We are doing well for speed (riding the incoming tide) until we hit the Coosaw River, and then our speed drops. We also have a headwind - from the north. MARY FRANCES catches up to us and passes us about 8:15.

We turn into the Ashpoo-Coosaw Cutoff. REEL TIME passes us in the cutoff and there is another power boat behind them.

Next: Johns Island