Tropical Diversion: ICW-South Carolina

We've been slowing cruising up the ICW through South Carolina for the past week. We didn't stop in Charleston, just sailed through the bay. It was a very busy bay so we didn't want to try to stop and there really wasn't a very good anchorage in the bay. It's been real slow going because there hasn't been much wind inside the ICW and we've been going against the tides some of the time. It's great when we could time it so we were going with the current because it would speed up us up a couple of knots but we still have to use the engines most of the time because it twists and turns so much. We anchored one night just outside of the Charleston bay because we missed the last bridge opening for the Ben Sawyer Memorial swing bridge. The swing bridges are pretty cool to go through because the middle swings around for two openings to go through rather than the normal bascule bridges that lift up in the middle. The next night we stayed up river about 30 miles just off to the side and when we were getting ready to leave Wes was pulling the anchor up and I was driving. Well, we were at low tide and I turned the wrong way and got us stuck in the 1.5 feet of water. Then if it couldn't get worse, the dinghy line wrapped around the port prop. So we were stuck there until the tide lifted us off, which was about 2 hours and while we waited Wes had to get in the water and untangle the dinghy line from the prop. It's impossible to see under the water because its so mucky from the mud and the tides stirring it up so he wasn't able to see to get it off but he was able to get it done. I was sitting up front waiting for the tide and I saw an alligator over on the bank, which didn't make Wes feel any better about having to get in the water. But all ended well and we were able to get going again.

We decided to stop at the Harborwalk Marina in Georgetown and stay for a couple of nights. What a cute town. The marina is right on the boardwalk with several really good restaurants and unique shops. We rented a car for a day and drove over to Myrtle Beach to check it out since we weren't going to be able to see it on the boat. We decided to go out and sail the open water up to the outer banks and not travel up the ICW any longer. It was just such a slow process and kind of a bummer not to being able to use the sails much. So we are on our way and it will probably be at least 2 full days to get up there, but it would have probably taken us a week or more if we stayed inside the ICW.