So sorry it's been so long since our last post, but we have been busier than I ever imagined! Our first destination in South Carolina was the city of Beaufort (pronounced "bue-fort", not "bo-fort" as in the North Carolina town, & trust me, you don't want to mispronounce it!) We had quickly passed through here years before, but this time we stayed 3 days to explore this charming city. We started off with a horse drawn carriage ride,
learning the history of beautiful old homes.
It was so intriguing that we walked through the neighborhoods again the next day to see more of the beautiful gardens,
historic homes, & unbelievably huge, old trees.
We also stumbled upon an old cemetery, rich in American wartime history. It was so interesting reading the headstones & the trees & flowers were just beautiful.
We also enjoyed the restaurants & shops of the downtown area.
Dave was in heaven in the olive oil & balsalmic vinegar store.
This is a city where the Intercoastal Waterway cruise line stops. You can see Phase II docked in the background at the City Marina.
With another beautiful sunrise, we departed Beaufort heading to Charleston, SC.
The ICW can be very shallow in places which makes it tricky to navigate, especially if markers are missing. If you are not careful, you can easily "run aground", which basically means you're stuck on the bottom. If that happens, you can wait for the tide to rise or call Tow Boat US to come pull you off, which is what this sail boat did.
This cut is a good indication of how narrow & shallow the waterway can get, depending on the tide. I'm happy to say that we have never run aground, thanks to my great captain!
The shorelines of the Carolina's are so different than Florida & Georgia. It's a perfect mix of natural beauty, quaint communities & big cities.
Many golf courses line the ICW in the Carolinas.
And along the way, you see all kinds of boats, like this old classic,
abandoned ones,
tugs pushing barges,
& an occasional speed boat with babes in bikinis!
Since we had visited Charleston several times already, we decided not to stop. Cruising past the city through Charleston Harbor was a beautiful sight,
& it required awareness to stay out of the path of the super tankers & cargo ships coming in from the Atlantic Ocean.
Past Charleston, we picked up a couple of dolphins. Watching the dolphins play in our wake never gets old! They are amazing animals & so fun to watch.
We anchored out the next 2 nights, finding beautiful, remote spots, usually with at least 1 other boat. It truly is hard to describe the incredible sunrise & sunsets!
Our next stop was Georgetown, SC, which is known for its waterfront boardwalk & great restaurants. We are definitely "eating our way" around the Loop!!
Behind the boardwalk is historic downtown Georgetown,
which (like so many of the coastal towns) had a great Maritime Museum.
The Bassmaster Elite Series professional fishing tournament was taking place while we there, so we got to enjoy the festivities, including 3 nights of outdoor concerts downtown.
Before we started the Loop, we were told the best part of this adventure was the wonderful people that you meet ~ other Loopers & the locals in the towns you visit. We can absolutely say this is true!! With the Loopers, the best part is you keep running into them along the way. Here's Dave with Mel, who we initially met with his wife Ann in Marathon in the Florida Keys & who was also at the marina in Hilton Head with us. By the end of the day, we had 4 Looper boats in the marina.
From here it was off to Myrtle Beach.
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