We got another chance to see a Metal Shark boat in action during a routine Coast Guard inspection on the way to Brunswick, Georgia. We were trying to reach Brunswick Landing Marina to fuel before they closed for the day, so would have preferred not to have been boarded, but the Coast Guard officers were…
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FPB 781 Cochise
We are interested in all ocean-going power boats, but right near the top of the pack is the FPB series from Steve and Linda Dashew. We’ve seen many FPBs over the years as we completed our around-the-world run and the first things that jumps out is they are unfinished aluminum. When we were in New Zealand…
Hilton Head Island
The National Weather Service recorded peak wind gusts at 88 mph 5-10 miles off Hilton Head Island on October 8th, 2016 during Hurricane Mathew. We saw the resulting damage from those winds first-hand after an 86nm run from Charleston to Hilton Head Island. Palmetto Bay Marina, pictured, was completely destroyed. Many of the docks along…
Charleston, SC
We enjoyed our time in Charleston, SC so much that we twice extended our stay. We loved the view to the Ashley River from our Charleston City Dock outside berth and had a great time exploring the city by tender, bicycle and on foot. The city lived up to its reputation for excellent food and…
Charleston By Water
The Intracoastal Waterway continues south past Charleston through Wappoo Creek. We returned briefly to the ICW on a tour of the area by tender that included a run up the Ashley River beyond our marina, and a pass by the Port of Charleston where we watched the tugs Moira McAllister and Patrick McAllister assist the…
Historic Charleston
Charleston, SC was founded in 1670 and has done an excellent job of preserving its heritage and historic sites and buildings. On a surprisingly cold and frosty morning, we did a bicycle tour along the city’s historic waterfront. Trip highlights from January 8th, 2017 in Charleston, SC follow. Click any image for a larger view,…
USS Yorktown
The USS Yorktown is the second of twenty-four Essex-class aircraft carriers launched during World War II. The Yorktown served in World War II and Vietnam and was the recovery ship for Apollo 8, the first manned spacecraft to orbit the moon. Today the Yorktown is a National Historic Landmark and open for tours as part…
Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge
The three-mile-long Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge crosses the Cooper River between Charleston and Mt. Pleasant. The bridge has a pedestrian and cycle lane with fabulous views to the city, the river and out to sea. We got the bikes down and spent a great day riding through Charleston and across the bridge, and explored a…
Charleston Arrival
As we neared Charleston City Marina from sea, we’d started to wonder if we were heading in the right direction. The marina was supposed to be walking distance from downtown, but where were the tall buildlings? The city, it turns out, looks different from other downtowns due to zoning restrictions that limit building heights. We’d…
Return to Cape Lookout
Our final leg along the ICW brought us to Beaufort, NC. South of here, the ICW is shallower than the section we just ran from Portsmouth, Virginia and has more bridges, current and shoaling issues. So we’ll be making a direct run offshore to our next stop in Charleston, South Carolina. A major weather system…
