Days 329 - 330

Thunderbolt GA - Safe Harbor Marina, Beaufort SC

• Start 8:00 AM
• End 1:25 PM
• Underway 5:25 Hours
• Distance 41 Miles
• Total Miles on Trip 5264
• Av Speed 7.5 knots
• Weather Cloudy , 72 Degrees, Wind 4 Knots SE

Today was another easy run. There were three highlights of today's run. The first started before we got off the docks, the dockmaster delivered fresh hot Krispy Kreme doughnuts we were preparing to leave. Second was we finished our time in Georgia and made our way to South Carolina. The stops in Georgia were wonderful and interesting, and I am very glad that we did not bypass them, but the waterways have been very long and repetitive. I do not want to call them boring, because it was beautiful, it just seemed like you were watching the same scenery on repeat hour after hour. Some loopers choose to travel in the ocean, and bypass most if not all of the stops in Georgia, I am glad we did not. The last highlight, while not seeing any of the base, or any indication of it, was passing Parris Island. Parris Island is home to the Marine Corp Boot Camp.

Beaufort is a charming southern town, with all the charm and hospitality you would expect. Starting as soon as we pulled up to the dock, as easy as it was to dock, they had still had three dock hands there to help Kay Dee and Nothing To Plunder on the dock. In addition securing the lines and hooking up the power cords, we have added rinsing the boat off at every stop. It is amazing how quickly the boat gets covered in salt.

Once we had everything done on the boats, we headed to Hemmingway's Bar & Grill, a local dive bar that one of the dock hands recommended, for lunch. If the dockhand had not told us about it, we never would have known it was there. It is well hidden on the backside of one of the buildings on the main street in town. The food was good, the drinks cold, and very well priced. After lunch we walked over the Ladies Island Bridge, to take pictures on Jim & Norma (Dorothy Gale) anchored right below the bridge. On our way back the boats we came across the local Chamber Of Commerce setting for a local musician. The third Thursday of the month, the have music and the store stay open late. We stayed and listen for about an hour, until the no-see-ums started to eat us alive.

On Friday we started our day with a eight mile bike ride exploring the Spanish Moss Trail, and Port Royal. Of course what would a bike ride be if we did not stop in the local West Marine. After the bike ride we headed back to town, and found Jim & Norma wandering the streets. They rode their dinghy to our dock, and came into town.

Our next stop is Charleston SC where we will spend three nights.