Why We Love Cruising…

02 Monday Jul 2018

Posted by “Oh Captain My Captain” in From the helm

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Atlantic ICW, Beaufort Docks Marina, Beaufort NC, Beautiful yachts, Boat, Chesapeake Bay, Cruising, CruisingTheICW, Dog, ICW, ICW ports, Mainship, Mainship 34T, Mount Pleasant SC, Scenic beauty, Slow Dance, Solitude, Soundings, Soundings Online, Unspoiled natural scenic beauty

Friday morning we idled out of Harborwalk Marina and the Georgetown harbor knowing we were about to embark on one of the most tranquil stretches of our journey, the beautiful and scenic Waccamaw River.

One of our favorite marinas, the Wacca Wache Marina is located on the river in Murrells Inlet, SC.

The waters of the Waccamaw are brackish, and the shoreline green and lush. But what we enjoy most is the solitude found on the river most weekdays. Once you leave the river and once again enter the waters of the ICW behind Myrtle Beach, any thoughts of solitude vanish

North of Myrtle Beach, we could again enjoy a different scenic beauty of magnificent clouds, blue skies, marshes, and sounds, even if the solitude was left on the Waccamaw.

From Georgetown, we overnighted at the Myrtle Beach Yacht Club, and then on to Joyner Marina, in Carolina Beach, NC. We left Carolina Beach on Sunday morning, knowing our next stop would be at another of our favorite destinations and marinas, Beaufort Docks Marina. There we’ll have a bulkhead slip, which is great for walking Kate, and across the street from Beaufort’s most popular restaurants. Life is good. When CruisingTheICW, every mile seems memorable.

Georgetown, SC…a day later than planned!

29 Friday Jun 2018

Posted by “Oh Captain My Captain” in Destinations, Dining, Marinas

≈ 2 Comments

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Beaufort NC, Beautiful yachts, Belhaven, BIG TUNA, Charleston, Coastal destinations, Corona, Cruising, Georgetown SC, Harborwatch Marina, ICW, M/Y Chanticleer M/V Shear Water, M/Y Integrity, Maine Boats, Mainship, Mount Pleasant SC, Slow Dance, Soundings, Trawler, Waterfront dining

When you mention Georgetown, folks immediately think of the “trendy” Washington, DC suburb – for better or worse. THAT Georgetown is a little too “whatever” for me. It may be an okay place to have lunch or dinner, and ‘people watch,” but it doesn’t have Harborwalk Marina or the BIG TUNA! Georgetown (SC), home of Harborwalk AND BIG TUNA, we love you, and we’re not alone! Harborwalk and Georgetown (SC) are our weekend get away destination and our first overnight destination on every northbound cruise.

Yesterday’s travel up the ICW to Georgetown was our first chance to see the new Garmin electronics at work. Beautiful and user-friendly best describes the touchscreen units at the upper and lower helms. Now I have to learn all they are capable of!

Yesterday as we cruised by McClellanville, I asked CT to take the helm while I made a quick trip to the “facilities.” In an unusual turn of events, I didn’t get the helm back until we got to the Georgetown Harbor. So much for being the captain! I think maybe she was identifying with Saudi women finally getting the right to drive.

Harborwalk’s new docks are still under construction, but one new face dock and a beautiful new dockside office are complete and fully operational. Dock Master, Chris Carroll and his crew are a credit to the town — warm and friendly service that let you know you’re welcome and appreciated. By the same token, it’s hard to go anywhere in this Georgetown without getting into a conversation with locals that seem genuinely glad you “dropped by” their little Southern town.

As always, dinner was again at the BIG TUNA. On a side note, eat your heart out, Steve Swanson! THAT’S why I sent you the pic. Kate said to tell Dock that he missed a great evening of treats galore, and a beautiful sunset. Kate wants Bucky to give her a job cleaning up the French fries that customers drop. Needless to say that customers that didn’t bring their dogs on vacation sure gave Kate a lot of love.

When we docked yesterday afternoon, we were tied up across the dock from the beautiful, 114’ Westport, “Integrity.” When we returned from dinner, we saw the 110’, 1973 Burger, “Chanticleer,” and “Shear Water,” a beautiful sport fishing boat had docked for the night. The Hinkley launch for the “Integrity” was bigger than “Slow Dance!” Humbling, very humbling for our little Mainship!

Today, thanks to CT again having taken over the helm, I can finally complete this post that kept putting me to sleep last night. Sure hope you can stay awake long enough to read it!