Tuesday 8 January 2013

"Georgia on my mind"


         We are now in Georgia. Arrived in this State Sunday  
                                                                      Jan 6th.

                                        This is our 10th State.

                Michigan - Ohio - Pennsylvania - New York
                        New Jersey - Maryland - Virginia 
                North Carolina - South  Carolina - Georgia
                     
                  We are planning to reach Florida the 11th 
           and last state of our trip down the east coast of the USA
                                             this weekend! 


We stayed in Charleston for 4 days! Love the history, mansions, people, restaurants and the art galleries!
By car, with 2 other couples, we traveled 100 miles from Charleston to Savannah for a day of fun walking around the historic district! This is a typical view down a street. Rod iron fences are everywhere and they are spectacular!
We met the couple on the left, Ken and Sarah, in Annapolis at a party we were invited to  by Bernie and Kate of Roguewave Yacht Sales shortly after the Annapolis boat show in October. We were happy to meet up with them again in Charleston...They just happen to be helping a friend deliver his boat (a  Hunter 50) to the Bahamas and were docked a few boats behind us.  Ken also has a Valiant 40 called 'Loon' and has sailed all over.  His home State is Maine. Sarah is in partnership with a race boat as well as a cruising boat (beneteau)  and also has traveled to many places.  The couple in the middle, Anne and Micheal sailed over here from England and are cruising the east coast of the US for now. They plan to go to the Pacific! We had a fun day chatting, exchanging sailing stories, exploring beautiful Savannah.


Still loving the dolphins!   on our way to Beaufort SC



Typical long docks from private homes along the intercoastal waterways

Between Charleston and Beaufort, we anchored in  calm Toogoodoo creek!


Great evening!


Connecting with family!


We arrived in Beaufort , SC. on Saturday, Jan 5th. After we docked at the city docks, we quickly took a tour around this quaint historic town. The "live oaks" draped in moss blew us away! They are huge and majestic. You can see me standing in front for a perspective!
One of the many mansions lining the streets of Beaufort SC ! All have a fascinating history!
We were happy to spend some time at Meindert and Gail Wolff's "winter home" for cocktails and visit while in Beaufort! We joined them, Tanya and Lou for dinner at the Dockside Restaurant and later, enjoyed an appreciative tour of many interesting sites and neighborhoods of the city on our way back to our boat in their vehicle.




Sunday, Jan 6th, we motored to Thunderbolt, a suburb of Savannah Georgia passing this lighthouse at Hilton Head where Guy (and my self once) golfed many times pre boat!
 We stayed in Thunderbolt Monday Jan 7th.....laundry, post office, changing water filter, defrosting fridge.....etc. etc.

The tides (7-8 ft) and currents in Georgia are challenging.  We cannot go as far as we would like every day....but with only 112 NM to Florida, we should be there by the weekend unless something catches our interest and we decide to stay there for a while.....

That's the thing now. The weather is warmer. The sites are very interesting. More cruisers are dropping out of the yearly migration to stay at all these cities we are passing. Spending a winter in South Carolina or Georgia instead of Florida is just fine. You move when you want and when the weather is good. Slowing down to "Island Time" takes a little adjusting. (Very little adjusting):)