sunset

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Toogoodoo Creek

What a name uh? (An Indian name, but no luck on finding meaning) But it wasn’t Too Good for us looking for real wind protection that night. That morning was free laundry and provisioning at Harris Teeter. I met Denise on s/v Sloop John Dee and we exchanged weather reports. They were docked in front of us at the finger piers; we had a good chuckle at the dinghy name, “One Ringy”.  Get it? Ok, maybe not if you are too young 🙂

Like most creeks in southern South Carolina and Georgia, Toogoodoo is marsh-lined which offers minimal wind protection. Reviews promised a creek wide enough to accommodate swing room, minimal pot floats and if you went up it 2 ½ miles… voila! Tree protection. And that we did. Alone in our creek, exactly as described we settled in and watched another pretty sunset.

My view out the galley window at sunset.

My view out the galley window at sunset.

Although we heard the wind at night, we didn’t quite get the true picture until the trees stopped protecting us and wow- 22kts! From the north so it wasn’t too bad and with much of the trip to Beaufort, SC near high tide we had no depth worries through all the cuts that have become badly shoaled. Perhaps a jump outside is in order.

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Eagle Alley

Anchored behind Butler Island in the Waccamaw River approx. 10miles north of Georgetown, SC

Anchored behind Butler Island in the Waccamaw River approx. 10miles north of Georgetown, SC

After leaving Barefoot Marina we spent three days making the 100nm to Charleston and a two-night stay at the Maritime Center. Thanks to continued shoaling, some quite severe along the last 65 mile stretch, we needed to travel certain sections at mid tide or better. No way was a repeat of our Halloween adventures on my dance card and when I glanced at the Captain’s, his looked the same. When the tide range is seven feet you’ve got a lot to work with but some spots, as strongly attested to by ActiveCaptain reviews, had a little as 3 ½ ft at low tide. Now that’s bad. With no funds available, dredging will not be forthcoming.

Much of those last 65 miles takes us through the Cape Romain Wildlife Refuge where, you may recall, my spy-glass gets a workout thanks to the plethora of, well, wildlife. The camera zoom was stretch to its limit more than once.

If you look closely you can see the camera shy eagle below the one on top

If you look closely you can see the camera shy eagle below the one on top

Osprey and eagle share a prime perch

Osprey and eagle share a prime perch

This one strikes a commanding pose at the water,s edge

This one strikes a commanding pose at the water’s edge

Eagle count: 9  Plus osprey, egrets, herons, pelicans and various small birds. No gators this time though.

Monday night before heading in to Charleston on Tuesday was a tad windy and the anchoring is your choice of creeks on either side of the ICW. To the east lies the marshes and ocean, to the west, marshes and mainland. We chose a creek with plenty of swing room on the mainland side and one that was a creek off a creek. Wind do your worst, we are snug near the creek’s edge. No fetch to slam us around. I like it when 25kts feels like 10kts.

Came upon this camper house boat thing on our way to anchoring in Long Creek

Came upon this camper house boat thing on our way to anchoring in Long Creek