11/26/15   Thanksgiving Day and our 32+ Anniversary

The day was beautiful. After a lovely night's sleep we were up early and out by 7:30 anticipating a short 4.5 hour day to Charleston, SC. Said "see you in Charleston" to our friends and we were off on a high tide...or maybe it was rising but "good"water.

McClellanville sunrise leaving Jeremy Creek

We anticipated some "skinny" water - aka shallow and shoaly - as we'd read warnings in active Captain and hear stories abt this stretch of the ICW. Full moon high tide gave us 12-25' rather than the reported 6-10'. Again, I love this land-seascape with the layers of water/marsh grass/inlets and the layers of colors, blue/straw/green/yellow with sunlight glitters and sparkles. And the long view, the sameness with variations. Maybe the hidden or unexplored potential that I can perceive because I'm not able to investigate closely. Maybe this land-seascape is a metaphor for life/living for me... the layers, the sameness that is never the same, the occasional guides - the navigational aids/signs, the need to pay attention and the beauty of the journey, the unexplored potential that could reveal additional insights/information/knowledge. Something about being securely on the edge...however one can be securely on the edge....of discovery, danger? Whatever, I love it. It looks so plain. And it so isn't plain.

Then there were these surprising outcroppings of islands!

An obstacle of water snot (the brown line in foreground) sometimes in a mat and sometimes in a long line about 3' wide and 20' long, reeds or grass all about 8" long, more or less. My tape measure wasn't easily available. Adding another layer of color.

And then...island homes, deserted today but definitely NOT abandoned. Pretty much in the middle of nowhere in particular...just an expansive marsh in SC.

And then we ran aground, gently in the mud. David got us off. And then we ran aground again. Maybe we were pushed aground this time by the wind and cross-currents where a river/creek crossed the ICW canal. Hero David, again! His boat handling IS really good. Now we were REALLY alert and the tide was falling so "skinny" water for real.

Made it to Charleston Harbor - which btw is HUGH - where there was deeper water (!)...and strong current and winds up to 30 knots. YIKES. yikes. yikes!!!  We pounded and pounded. Amelia meowed and looked at us as if she was going to throw up (she didn't). We held things down, hoped the dinghy would stay with us and that we'd all "stay with the boat." (Stay with the boat is our good luck admonition when either of us goes out when underway, and what we tell Amelia when we leave her aboard by herself).

We looked at two anchorages that we'd considered on paper. One was by the coastguard station buy was pretty exposed and crowded with derelict boats. Another was up a creek and through a bridge (for which we waited to open both coming and going). Too exposed. So back to Charleston where we hailed several marinas and guess what? It's Thanksgiving in the US. Nobody was working. Nobody answered the phone or the radio call. So we roamed around and looked for possibilities.

We'd planned to stay tomorrow at the Charleston Maritime Center Marina and after circling were hailed by a man on its dock. He'd seen us circling and came out to tell us there was no one at home. He also told us he had 10' of water in that marina. Whoopee! Enough water for us so in we went. He helped us land and tie up and gave us a bit of the lowdown on the place. We're here for the night, snug and secure if a bit rocking and rolling in the slips. David and I called our friends from Oriental and last night at McCllelanville to see where they were. Sadly, they'd run aground at the same place we did but damaged their prop and were towed to Isle of Palms, just before the Charleston Harbor. They're down through the weekend and until they get towed again on Monday to a Charleston repair marina. This is their 2nd serious repair. We met them in Oriental because they were having some engine work done. Keeping them in our prayers and "safe journey" thoughts.

David and I had a beer, traded foot massages, appreciated each others' skills, patience, forgiveness when we weren't patient and went to bed for a nap. Up for brief dinner and giving of thanks. We'll rest here for a couple of days. Hoping for a visit from Sybil and Michael tomorrow. Now music is on "shuffle" so we get Christmas songs next to Spanish songs next to Blood, Sweat & Tears. Eclectic! Keeping some love for ourselves and love going out to all, especially those we know we love.

Happy Thanksgiving. Happy Anniversary.