Mile Hammock Bay NC to Awendaw Creek SC

Saturday we woke up to a windy 43 degrees.  Bill got up a 6am and started the generator so that we could get some heat going.   The ride to the beach for Roxie wasn't terrible, but man that sand was COLD on my bare feet!  After getting back to the boat and the dingy back up top, we pulled anchor and started out.  I wend down into the galley to make breakfast and while finishing up, there was a horrible sound!  Appears as we were traveling in the channel we came upon an inlet from the ocean.  The current going out the inlet was so strong, it caught Bill off guard and pulled the boat into a floating channel marker.  Yikes!  

We made it to Southport without further incident around 4pm, about a 9hr ride.  We had reservations at Morningstar Southport Marina....but getting in was a bit of a challenge.  Cheers takes 5ft of water and we were coming in at low tide....especially low with the full moon. The marina was showing 4.8ft to the soft mud bottom.  We pushed it around like a shovel in the snow.  We finally got in and it was worth the trouble.  It's a nice marina with a gated dog park and walking distance to several fisheries and restaurants.  Fresh seafood!

We had dinner at Provisions.....1/2lb steamed shrimp, crab cake, onion rings and corn of the cob!  Delish!  

 Walk to dinner...

Sunday morning was clear and 55 degrees.  Before heading out Roxie and I took a nice long walk while Bill did his engine checks and made breakfast!  

We pulled out of the marina around 9:30 headed to Myrtle Beach.  We secured a dock at Myrtle Beach Yacht Club for 2 nights.  The weather has been perfect and our stay there was relaxing.  We had dinner Monday night at Clarks Seafood and chop house.  Bill and I had Firecracker shrimp for an appetizer and shared a delish pan seared halibut dinner.  

Tuesday morning 10/22 we departed MBYC and made our way to Georgetown where we anchored after an 8 hour ride.  We had anchored here on our way up north in the spring and found it to be a great place to stay with a city boat ramp and the historic area of town just a short ride away.  There was also  Piggly Wiggly!
 

We stayed at Georgetown 2 nights and left Thursday morning.   We had a great ride, sunny and warm.  There were so may different kinds of birds on this leg and were back in dolphin waters!   We anchored in Awendaw Creek after a 35 mile run for the night.  There is a boat ramp a short ride away for Roxie.  We had stayed here on our way up north this spring and there was nothing but water and sea grass as far as the eye could see.  Now there is construction...it looks like they are building up the grass land for a future building site.  

View from the port side of Cheers

View from the Starboard side of Cheers

 

Friday morning we left the anchorage for another 35 mile ride to Charleston, SC where we have a dock reserved for the weekend.   Looking forward to it! 

 

 

Charleston SC to Oriental NC

Leaving Charleston Friday 5/10 was a little gray and drizzly.  We went for about 4 1/2 hours and anchored in Awendaw Creek.  There was nothing as far as the eye could see but water and grass, except for an old boat wreck.  It was so peaceful and calm and luckily there was a boat ramp close by for us to take Roxie to land.  

Saturday morning was cool, clear and bright without humidity.  Beautiful!  We made our way to Georgetown and we anchored in the mouth of the Sampit River, dropped the dingy and took Roxie into town to explore.  Plenty of free day dockage on the Harbor Walk.  

We picked up some treats from the Indigo Bakery and went to dinner later that afternoon at Buzz's Roost.  

Reminds me of walking in Frontier Trail at Cedar Point! 

Sunday morning 5/12, Mother's Day we started making our way to Myrtle Beach.  We stayed at the Myrtle Beach Yacht Club where we celebrated Mother's Day going to the Officers Club for dinner.  I had lobster ravioli with seafood bisque and Bill had the seafood basket.  Yummy! 

The next morning we untiled the lines in Myrtle Beach SC and tied up for the night in another marina in Southport NC.  A new state and two marina stops in a row!!  We stayed at the Morningstar Southport Marina.  It was a nice marina with a great dog park!

Robert and Kay are well known AGLCA harbor hosts.  Robert came down to the boat to introduce himself and invited us to his home for a little porch time at 5.  This lovely couple does this with loopers passing through.  We also met Captain Jimmy who grew up in this town fishing these waters as a commercial fisherman.  It was so fun meeting these folks and hearing their stories of this lovely community and past travels.    

This was the view from the porch....We could have set there all evening!

After our visit we walked into town for dinner at the highly recommended "Provisions" and we weren't disappointed!  The seafood was so fresh!  It was a casual joint where you order as you come in, help yourself to drinks and make your way out to the patio where they bring your order to the table.  After eating, you just go up to the cashier and give them your name, they ask you what you got to drink and she rings it up for you.  Still the good ol' honor system.   

We made our way to Mile Hammock Bay Anchorage located just off of Camp Lejeune. It was a long day going 64 miles.  There was a boat ramp located in the anchorage, but access not permitted.  We had to take Roxie to a beach on the other side of the river for her potty break.

We left early Wednesday morning and started our second long day of 65 miles to Oriental. We had stayed there when we brought Cheers up from Stuart in 2020.  We had hoped we could score a dock, but we ended up anchored out.  

There were storms headed our way so it was just a quick trip to town for Roxie and dinner on the boat.  Good for us, we just got a little rain. 😌

Thursday morning was cool and sunny! Back into town for a potty break!

The town dock even has a loaner bike!