Barefoot to South Sanatee River

Click here for additional pictures from the previous post

Wednesday, November 12, 2014.  Lisa spent the morning cleaning the dodger and enclosure windows,  I borrowed Jimmy’s car (one of the guys who works at Barefoot) to run some last minute errands (Napa for Diesel Mechanic in a Bottle (magic stuff) and grocery).  We also filled Rhiannon with fuel and water. Bonnie Black showed up at one to show us around the area and also some real estate.  We are not buying now, but who knows what the future will bring and we have always liked this part of the country.  We also stopped and got hugs from Jennifer (Lisa’s cousin) and the kids Nick and Lindsay, Brian is at work. Back to the boat at 5:30, dinner on board (Lisa’s lasagna).

If you remember we were recently on the Alligator River (Tuesday, November 4).  Here's why they call it the Alligator River:

U.S. Fish and Wildlife reports that a 12-foot, 672-pound alligator was struck and killed on NC Route 64 near the South Lake anchorage off the Alligator River, as shown in a photo (click here->
 photo posted on Flickr  <-) with the following caption.

Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge lost one of it's larger alligators to a traffic accident on Sunday night. For many years, a large alligator has been regularly seen in a canal nearby during May and early June. Biologist Dennis Stewart says there is no way to confirm if this is the same alligator at this time, but it appears to be similar in size.

The alligator was removed from the highway and stored on the refuge for Stewart and NC Wildlife Resources Commission District Biologist Chris Turner to evaluate. The alligator weighed in at approximately 672 pounds and measured 11' 11.75".

New Harbormaster at Barefoot Marina – Lisa’s cousin, who has been the Assistant at Barefoot Marina has been promoted to Harbormaster.  This is a regular stop for us on the waterway. We have known Brian since he married Lisa’s cousin Jennifer 17 years ago.  Hard working and personable, we are sure he will make a great Harbormaster.  Stop at Barefoot Marina if you are on the water and you will not be disappointed – or just call on channel 16 and say Hi! as you go by.

Thursday, November 11, 2014.  We are off the dock at 7:30am.  Brian came down to say good-bye and throw off our lines.  It is clear, sunny, 60 degrees and the wind is South at 5 as we head south. The tide is against us but is supposed to change around 8am.  At noon, the clouds have moved in and it has cooled off.  They are building a new high rise bridge at Socaste, lots of construction.  I do not know if this will be an additional bridge of is the old swing bridge is going to be removed. At 4pm we turned out of Winyah Bay back into the ICW. Winyah Bay runs from the mouth of the Waccamaw River to the Ocean.  Along the way, we listened on the VHF to the Coast Guard and other rescuers search for a plane that had gone down near Georgetown – right after we had passed through that area.  We never saw a plane and it did not sound like they found it.  At 5:15pm, we turn into the north branch of the South Sanatee River and at %:30, the anchor is down.  Today we saw our second bald eagle so far on this trip.  We also saw our first palm tree, cypress tree, Spanish moss, and water hyacinths (on the Waccamaw-which is fresh water).

66SM  53NM today.  MM420.  33°09.19’N 079°19.57’W

9:30pm.  Checked on the anchor as the tide has turned and the wind and tide are now opposed.  Tightened the snubber, which is a line attached to the chain and then the boat to take the load instead of the anchor roller (holder) on the bow.  The wind has freshened and it has started to rain..

Click here for the pictures from Barefoot to Sanatee River