I departed Charleston in fog to warm a Mainer’s heart. Once back in the waterway, it lifted and I ran the rivers and cuts down to the South Edisto river on a tropical kind of day. It was warm with very low individual puffs of clouds blowing along very close to the ground under full overcast. It seemed like it was about to rain all day but I only saw the briefest and lightest of sprinkles.
The sky was clearing and the sun peeking trough as I came to anchor so I picked my spot for a nice view of the trees and a huge flock of buzzards soaring around aimlessly over them. A pair of bald eagles went over seeming to be nattering snobbishly about all the riff raff. The setting sun lit up the trees and stars were starting to appear as I turned in.
I’d found less current in my spot, the one indicated in the International Marine Intercoastal Waterway Chartbook as there is a bit of a shoal up stream. Another boat came in and anchored where the symbol is shown on chart.
I woke up about 0200 to hear the dinghy bumping the sides. There had seemed to be enough current to hold it off on its painter. When I stuck my head out to tie it properly, yikes!, that other sailboat was very close. I first thought they were dragging (I almost never do) but quickly woke up enough to realize that there wasn’t enough wind to make them drag upcurrent. I turned on the GPS and started grabbing clothes to go on deck.
Sure enough, as soon as the GPS fired up, I could see the track moving briskly towards the shoal. I was half way there by the time I got the engine running and the anchor up. You can see that it was a near thing.
I moved over to the other side, near the spot recommended by the On The Water Chartguides Anchr Guide for the Intracoastal Waterway and got a good firm set which let me sleep soundly for the rest of the night.
The same dynamics that created the tongue of shoal have evidently filled the area with soft sediment. Although there is shelter from the ebb current, the flood comes around the bend with a vengeance. Two current reversals were more than my usually reliable Delta could take in that squishy stuff.
Today was gloomy and felt chillier than the 71 F. showing on the thermometer. Never the less, the marshes looked charming to me in their veil of moisture and it was a thoroughly pleasant day. I stopped for lunch and to wait for the strong current in the Coosaw River to abate somewhat. The sun came out for a while just at the right time.
I’m now in Factory Creek about which I’ll have another post shortly. The rain started just as I slid the companionway slide over my head, my usual good weather luck at work.
The sky was clearing and the sun peeking trough as I came to anchor so I picked my spot for a nice view of the trees and a huge flock of buzzards soaring around aimlessly over them. A pair of bald eagles went over seeming to be nattering snobbishly about all the riff raff. The setting sun lit up the trees and stars were starting to appear as I turned in.
I’d found less current in my spot, the one indicated in the International Marine Intercoastal Waterway Chartbook as there is a bit of a shoal up stream. Another boat came in and anchored where the symbol is shown on chart.
I woke up about 0200 to hear the dinghy bumping the sides. There had seemed to be enough current to hold it off on its painter. When I stuck my head out to tie it properly, yikes!, that other sailboat was very close. I first thought they were dragging (I almost never do) but quickly woke up enough to realize that there wasn’t enough wind to make them drag upcurrent. I turned on the GPS and started grabbing clothes to go on deck.
Sure enough, as soon as the GPS fired up, I could see the track moving briskly towards the shoal. I was half way there by the time I got the engine running and the anchor up. You can see that it was a near thing.
I moved over to the other side, near the spot recommended by the On The Water Chartguides Anchr Guide for the Intracoastal Waterway and got a good firm set which let me sleep soundly for the rest of the night.
The same dynamics that created the tongue of shoal have evidently filled the area with soft sediment. Although there is shelter from the ebb current, the flood comes around the bend with a vengeance. Two current reversals were more than my usually reliable Delta could take in that squishy stuff.
Today was gloomy and felt chillier than the 71 F. showing on the thermometer. Never the less, the marshes looked charming to me in their veil of moisture and it was a thoroughly pleasant day. I stopped for lunch and to wait for the strong current in the Coosaw River to abate somewhat. The sun came out for a while just at the right time.
I’m now in Factory Creek about which I’ll have another post shortly. The rain started just as I slid the companionway slide over my head, my usual good weather luck at work.
