"2000, November 18-1 ..." a North Myrtle Beach Travel Page by grandmaR

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Pelican feeding frenzy

Leaving North Carolina - November 18, 2000

Fred passes us - he is faster than we are. Bob says there is a CSY behind us, and sure enough - it is COSMOS, home ported in Hermosa Beach CA. They say it is too cold there - they have had the boat since 1984. It has the stripe painted out, but they still have their trailboards.

COSMOS got into a 'race' with Fred ahead of us. We all go by a little boat - must be local - no engine or anything - called QUESTION OF BALANCE.

I cook spaghetti for lunch, and we have apples also. The motor boat SWALLOW (which I comment looks more like a bustard as it is a very big blocky boat - not at all swallow-like) passes us and cuts in very close. A catboat from Pt. Judith RI (flat bottomed boat) passes and then shortly afterwards we see the boat tied up at a dock. We pull in the jib.

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Sunset Beach Pontoon Bridge

We idled for 20 minutes waiting for the Sunset Beach Pontoon Bridge to open. This is the last pontoon bridge still on the eastern ICW. They blow a horn when it is OK to go through and another one when they are closing.

The day has turned cloudy and cold it is supposed to rain tonight. Not enough wind for sailing.

Fred and Sharon are way ahead, and we pass them about 2:30 where they anchored in Little River. We talk to them on the radio, but we intend to go on to a marina as we'd rather have heat if it is cold and rainy. We pass BETSY MARIE and DESTINY stopped at Cricket Cove Marina a little ways on.

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Sunset Beach Bridge tender

We've decided to go to Dock Holiday Marina which is just before the 'Rock Pile' area of the ICW. We get tied up at about 3:50 after 42.2 miles at an average of 6.2 mph. Our total trip since Nov 1st is 442 nm (nautical miles - nautical miles are 2000 yards).

I mail a roll of film, and download e-mail in the marina before they close. The marina tells us that the ICW is closed south of them due to high steel work on a new bridge. They say that the waterway won't be closed in the rain, and it is 100% predicted rain for tomorrow. I call the construction site on the cell phone, and they say they will not close tomorrow, but will close Monday. They ask me to announce that on the VHF.

We have free cable TV, but our cable is too short to reach. We walk up toward one of the 5 restaurants that are here (Hooters, and a raw bar are two of them), and eat dinner in one of them (can't remember the name - something Junction). I have lasagna. They have oysters, but Bob says they are too expensive. He can't believe that they have no steamed shrimp. They have fried, or boiled, but not steamed. He has a shrimp salad sandwich, which he ends up eating the shrimp out of and leaving most of the bread.

Bob then sets out to walk to West Marine and I go back to the boat. He tried to buy a longer TV cable, but they only have a 20 foot one and no connector. He did buy a little hand pump - he had one in the tool box he left at home. We watch Wheel of Fortune - very poor reception - very snowy. Then we zonk out.

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Going under the new fixed bridge

November 19, 2000 - Sunday

We woke about 5 and it was raining. We discussed whether we should leave this morning, but I don't see any help for it. We have to go today or we may not get to Charleston for Thanksgiving. So we got up about 6 and Bob went up to shave. His knees are bothering him. ENCORE, the big motor boat, left and disappeared into the fog and rain.

We got out of the slip about 7:30. I forgot to reset the GPS that I use to mark down the day's mileage. The canal is deserted, and it is low tide. We are in the Pine Island Cut, which is popularly known as the worst part of the ICW. The section known as the Rock Pile has rock ledges jutting out into the canal, and is too narrow for tugs or commercial traffic to pass a recreational boat. As this is low tide, you can see the ledges at least. (top picture)

Next: Murrells Inlet