Beaufort NC

Since leaving Charleston, we have had overnight stops in Georgetown, Myrtle Beach, Southport and Surf City, before arriving in Beaufort.  The landscape changed from the winding route that we experienced in Georgia and SC to longer, straighter runs, although still a lot of marsh land when we weren't in urban areas.

Georgetown was an interesting stop. A very small town, with a nice waterfront walk and interesting old homes and maritime museum. George Washington stayed here one night. The town had a surprising industrial base.  Turned out the marina was within a half mile of a steel mill at the end of the estuary, but it was surprisingly quiet.








Myrtle Beach is a very upscale area with lots of golf courses and many beautiful homes lining the waterway. A very hospitable stop though. When I asked about a a grocery store in the area, the dock manager offered to have his wife drive Judy to the store. And they had very cheap fuel so I took advantage of that to take some on.  We crossed the state line into North Carolina about 5 miles north of our stop in Myrtle Beach.






The highlight of our stop at Southport was a visit from Steve Wilkinson, who drove down from Raleigh to visit and stay overnight. We took advantage of the Italian restaurant at the marina for a very nice dinner out.  Steve also accommodated us with a provisioning run as well.

Surf City was only expected to be a convenient stop after a long days run, but it turned out to be a great stop. The best part was the fish wholesaler next door who sold us a lb.+ of fresh shrimp, which were the size of prawns, for $7, and Judy made shrimp and grits, a real Southern specialty for dinner.

One thing that stands out to us here is the genuine helpfulness of the dock attendants we deal with. That reputation for Southern hospitality is well earned.

Beaufort NC is a two night stop for us. Beaufort was settled in the early 1700's and there are lots of homes still dating from that era.















In addition to enjoying the history of another beautiful coastal town, it was an opportunity to visit with friends, Marilyn and Mike, who we met at Columbus Isle Club Med a couple of years ago. They drove us around the area, and a visit to Fort Macon before enjoying dinner with them. Enjoyed the maritime museum here as well, especially since it features the story of Blackbeard as he lived in Beaufort for a while.  His predations on the coast lasted under a decade, but had lasting impact.  At one point, he blockaded Charleston harbor with his small fleet and only a ransom for his hostages ended the seige.

Was a great day to be at the dock as well, as the wind came up overnight with sustained winds of 20-25 mph thru the day, and gusts to 40. The wind died down in the evening and allowed for a relatively quiet night. We will likely continue our trek north tomorrow, if the winds cooperate

Judy was thrilled to get a chance to shop at a Piggly Wiggly.  Remember Driving Miss Daisy?  Anyway, used the marina courtesy car to visit for a grocery run.





We continue to see Dolphins, but less so as we move north.  As the ICW moves inland from the coast, the water gets very brown.  That usually means tea colour, but in one part of Georgia, that meant mud brown, even murkier than the "muddy Fraser".  At one point, the water was like chocolate milk and I figured I would be cleaning the raw water strainers, but they are reasonably clear still.

In NC, we have seen more green water again, which is a nice change. The bow of the boat is starting to develop the "ICW moustache" from so much time in the tannic brown waters.