day six - perfect wind and tides

Cool, crisp morning.  Dolphins on the river, an exercise class in the park.  Slack high tide and not a breath of wind.  I've got some time before the ebb tide begins running.  Walk up to the the cafe and get a sugary blueberry muffin and a glass of pomegranate iced tea.

8:10 cast off the the first of the ebb helping me back out of the slip.  Under power rounding the sandbar and marsh.  Outboard running rough, a new spark plug solves the problem.

A hint of wind approaching Spanish Point.  8:30 wind fills in.  8:45 gps shows 4.5, then slips back to 4.0.  9:00 pass under the bridge.  Wind comes and goes, as do the dolphins tagging along on the stern.

9:15 a gust of wind and 5.9, then speed settles back to 5.5. The ferry Haig Point IV, maybe coming up from Daufuskie Island for some maintenance, slows down to reduce wake.  I use channel 13 to say "thank you" and get a friendly wave from the bridge.

With Parris Island to starboard, gps taps 7.1 with strong wind forward of port beam, then back to 6.5 with the ebb tide helping.  Wonderful sailing on the still cool morning.  Thermals and wool sweater keep me comfortable.

10:20 off Parris Island Spit, much sooner than I had expected. Begin to fall off the wind.  I check the tide and see that I am getting 1.4 kts from the ebb.

10:25 jibe at red marker "246" off the end of the spit, now making 3.2 going into the ebb tide on Port Royal Sound.

10:35 see a red marker in the distance off Skull Creek entrance.  Soon the green marker reveals itself.  

Steady sailing towards Skull Creek with wind on the stern.  11:45 find I'm coming in a little low off the beach at Dolphin Head.  Jibe towards the entrance makers.  12:00 in Skull Creek, making 4.4 with wind aft of beam and pleased to find a helping tide.  

The channel curves to starboard around an unnamed island but I head straight through the area marked as an anchorage east of the island.  Plenty of water there and masts at the marina in sight.  I call the marina and ask for a slip next GANNET on pier five.

12:30 docked.  Tucking away gear, I hear a voice saying "Hello, sailor!" and look up to see friend Webb Chiles.  I had not seen Webb in a couple of years and it is good to shake his hand.  We talk about the fast passage from Beaufort, I don't think either of us had expected an arrival this early.  Webb heads back up to his condo while I put out fenders and set up the boom tent.

Early afternoon I walk up to Webb's condo.  A quick shower to get cleaned up, then a chance to catch up with Webb and his wife Carol.  A martini in the evening and pizza for dinner, a perfect way to end the day.

 16.32 NM

day five - Forrest Gump, Pat Conroy and me

A surprisingly cold night.  I had not dressed properly for the temperatures in the low 40s.  Up early to layer on some clothes.  Walk around the docks just to warm up, then head to Mameem's, the little cafe, as soon as it opens for a pastry and tea.

Adam comes down to the dock to help me cast off.  I thank him for his hospitality.  Motoring out of Factory Creek, I pass under the bridge.  I have heard some visitors call it the Forrest Gump bridge as it was the stand-in for the Mississippi bridge in the running sequence of the film.  

I head to the fuel dock in Beaufort to top off the gas can.  Kathy, the dock master, remembers SPARTINA from earlier visits.  I tell her I just need gas, not a slip for the night.

But as I look at the pretty Beaufort waterfront, I decide maybe I would like to spend the day there.  Why not?  A nice little southern town, good restaurants and a great book store.  SPARTINA becomes a bigger boat when I go to pay for the slip, the minimum docking fee is for a 25' boat.  Still a modest price for a visit to town.

Lunch is at Luther's Rare and Well Done of Murdaugh fame.  Then back to the docks to clean up the boat and visit with some cruisers tied up there.

Lots of walking around town, a visit to the bookshop to look at the collection of Pat Conroy books.  I take a moment to read from The Prince of Tides and smile.

"I was born and raised on a Carolina sea island and I carried the sunshine of the low country, inked in dark gold, on my back and shoulders. As a boy I was happy above the channels, navigating a small boat between the sandbars with their quiet nation of oysters exposed on the brown flats at the low watermark."

Dinner is a wood-fired pizza at Hearth washed down with a cold beer, or maybe two.

 1.1 NM

day four - five star dive bar

Sail off anchor 7:35, 1.5 with a gentle ebb tide and light west wind.  Cool, clear.  Just a few minutes to turn into the cut to the Coosaw River, motor sailing at idle speed between Beet and Ashe Islands.

A great blue heron stands motionless next the the tiniest of drains running out of the marsh.  With a splash it grabs a baitfish for breakfast.

Slip out onto the Coosaw River 8:10 at red marker "184," sailing at 2.5 with a nice breeze.  A toot of a horn and friendly wave from a passing trawler.  

Beautiful morning, nice breeze and making just over three knots against the ebb tide.  Could not ask for a better morning. 

8:50 better wind off and making 3.7 with wind after of starboard beam.  Think of turning south towards Morgan Island but don't want to give up on this beautiful sailing.  9:20 making 4.0 off Parrot Creek.  Use the VHF to call a tug coming up the channel, confirm a port to port pass.  9:50 can see the entrance markers for Brickyard Creek.  

I recall that a year ago I had received an invitation to visit Lady's Island across from Beaufort, but cannot recall who sent the invite.  I check my emails and find it was from Adam, who runs a canvas shop at the marina.  I text him and quickly receive an invitation to Lady's Island.  He's arranged a slip for me, and I offer to treat for dinner.

Wind falls off turning into Brickyard Creek, motor sailing.  11:20 wind returns, sailing on the ebb tide at 2.3.  Beautiful creek and a lone dolphin parallels SPARTINA in the shallows along the mud banks just off the marsh.

12:25 rounding Pleasants Point green "229a" shows we now have a flood tide.  1:15 turn to port into Factory Creek that runs between the marsh and Lady's Island.  Find Adam and his wife Susie waiting to grab the lines, docked at 1:30.

Adam has been interested in the Pathfinder design for a while and wanted to see one in person.  I give him a quick tour of the boat, it doesn't take long, and then he and Susie give me a tour of Journey Marine Canvas, their shop Lady's Island Marine.  Adam agrees to meet for dinner, then I head back to SPARTINA to stow away gear and set up the boom tent.

I had always bypassed Lady's Island on past trips, instead heading to better known Beaufort just across the river.  I am pleased to find a quiet little community.  There is a nice little cafe/sandwich shop right next to the marina, a restaurant called Lady's Island Dockside on the marina grounds and a dive bar - The Fillin' Station - a short walk away.  How nice!

I've got to catch up on my logs so I head to the dive bar, a five star dive bar they proudly say, to get out of the sun, drink a club soda and fill out the log.  

I have an enjoyable dinner with Adam at the Dockside restaurant, and thank him for his hospitality.  It is always good to meet new people along the way.

 17.9 NM

day three - a day to relax

Wake in the early morning hours.  Calm. Where are the gusts that were forecast into the low 30s?  Up at 7:15.  No gusts, in fact peaceful and quiet.  Cool and grey, a hot chocolate with breakfast.

9:30 light rain.  Not much at all.  A few gusts, nothing close to what had been forecast.  I read, fall asleep.  Wake as the sun breaks through the overcast.  Think about sailing at noon.

After an early lunch I decide I am quite content where I am.  Decide to take the day off, relax and catch up on my rest.  Read, nap.  Some gusts in the early afternoon.  Light rain around 4:00.  A peaceful day on Rock Creek.

 0.0

day two - a misread chart

Peaceful, quiet night.  Chilly morning, wx app says low 40s.  No wind.  Under power 7:10.

Motoring into the flood tide.  Wearing a couple layers of thermals, drysuit and gloves.  Lightest of breezes, but on the nose.  7:40 passing green marker "51" shows that we have crossed the head of the tide, the current is in our favor.  7:50 main, jib and mizzen up, motor sailing.  8:30 wind fills in at green "69."

Look to the stern to see a barge and tug coming down Wadmalaw Sound.  Plenty of water here so move outside the channel to let them pass.  Tug now gone, my company is a dolphin with light grey skin.  9:15 motor sailing, less wind and the tide has swung around to a flood tide.  More dolphins, including a large, dark skinned dolphin with a torn dorsal fin.  Buffleheads too, didn't expect to see these birds so far south.

9:55 sailing, 2.8 then 1.8, rounding a point above the Toogoodoo Marshes.  Motor sailing. Dawho River entrance markers in sight at 10:50.  Getting warmer and stripping off the dry suit.  Looking around there is another another boat in sight.  For the moment, I have the river to myself.  11:15 passing White Point into the Dawho River.

11:30 wind fills in at red "118," sailing 2.9 up the river.  Noon, river bends into the wind, under power.  12:50 under the bridge, main and jib down.  Under power with Little Edisto Island to port.  12:50 North Creek bends to starboard, now on narrow and shallow Watts Cut.  A barge and tug coming up from the stern, I see the captain motion towards me.  I call him at the vhf.  He says they have to make a turn ahead of me and will stay behind me.  I tell him I would prefer to hold my position, let him go ahead and turn into the bank.  Once he has pushed his barge up the shore, I slip behind him.  

1:05 out the cut onto the South Edisto River and find the afternoon breeze.  Full sail.  Making 4.5 and then settle into a steady 4.2.  Making a series of long, easy tacks down river, still working against the flood tide but with all this wind it doesn't matter.

Rounding the point at Alligator Creek making 4.5 and just wonderful sailing. Follow the bend in the river, keeping the tidal flats to port, easy and fun sailing.  A couple more tacks and slide through Fenwich Island Cut.  Anchor down 4:15.

Getting ready to set up the boom tent for the evening, I check the weather.  Surprised to see a forecast for gusts in the 30s tomorrow morning.  I am exposed where I am.  Quickly rig to sail and checking the charts for a better anchorage. I pick out what looks to be a nice creek.  But in the rush I misread the chart, start heading south on the Ashpoo River.  Realizing my mistake, I shake my head, come about, pass my first anchorage, head up the Ashpoo and take the cut to Rock Creek.  The last stretch sailing into the setting sun.  I am frustrated with myself, don't like to be sailing this late in the day and I should have taken more time to read the charts.  Live and learn.  Anchor down 5:30 Rock Creek just above the cut to the Coosaw River.

39.14 NM

 

day one - caught by the tide

Down at the ramp a little after 9:00.  Take my time rigging and loading SPARTINA while a Coast Guard crew inspects a couple of "party" style pontoon charter boats nearby.  I wonder how the CG feels about giving the "ok" to boats that have no other purpose than to let people drink on the water.  The boats and inspectors are gone by the time SPARTINA is ready to launch.  

I launch earlier in the tide cycle than normal. Usually I launch as slack tide approaches, I need the slack tide to get through Elliott Cut.  This time I make the mistake of launching at full running tide.  I cast off and back out of the slip so I can tie up on the outside of the docks where I won't block the ramps.  As I back out the tide carries me quickly to the southwest.  The tide is running perpendicular to the docks.  Each time I approach to tie up, we are blown down current.  I find that I can't throttle back the outboard and reach the lines in time to get on the dock.

After a few attempts, I decide to see if I can use the dock at the restaurant across the river.  Maybe I can pay for a nice lunch and they will let me tie up there while dropping off my truck/trailer at Pete's house.  Arriving at the dock, which is parallel to the running tide, I see the restaurant is closed.  And I also see "no trespassing" signs and security cameras.  Not a place I would want to leave the boat for an hour or so.

Motoring back to the ramp, I see a fisherman coming in on the skiff.  I put a line up on the foredeck near the port shroud.  He grabs it, ties it to a cleat.  I thank him.  SPARTINA tied up securely, I drive to friend Pete's house and leave the truck trailer there.  Catching a LYFT, I head back to the ramp.

Cast off 1:05.  1:20 anchor at the mouth of Wappoo Creek to wait for the slack tide.  Anchor up 1:30, through the cut and on the Stono River 1:45.  Full sail at 1:50, and it feels so good.

Making 2.8 with wind on the stern. Clear skies and getting warmer. Soon making 4.1 as the wind fills in.

2:20 jibe, wind now over the port quarter.  Making 3.9 rounding a bend in the river.  And I recall the odd feeling I get each time I begin the sail, something strange about beginning the sail south by sailing west.  

Making 4.6 following the channel as it meanders back and forth across the river.  I know from past sails that the water is pretty thin outside the channel.

2:45 jibe, wind over starboard quarter, making 4.8 to the west-northwest and figure at that speed the tide must be helping.  3:25 jibe at red marker "28," wind over the port quarter.  3:40 turn into the Oxbow, a little bend in the river that surrounds a marsh.  Tacking back and forth, I compare the gps chart with the Navionics chart to make sure I'll have plenty of water at low tide.  Anchor down at 3:55.

13.99 NM

 

a few photographs

Photograph by Webb Chiles