MOVING RIGHT ALONG or "This Loop Ain't Gonna Git Me Down"!

We're naturally mak'in great progress! We've been traveling some shallow places with require strict attention to the channel markers. Even then is no guarantee that you won't hit, touch, or kiss the bottom of some pretty shallow shoals. Shoals are NOT your friend. We've been on several and more than that, we've backed off some places that one does not want to be.

Wrightsville Beach Marina was a real challenge. The best thing about it was I was able to find a guy to check our synchronizer for the engines. I didn't get time to have that fixed before I left. It was working until about 6 months ago. He was very knowledgeable and couldn't find anything wrong. After talking about them, we determined I didn't remember how to operate them. DUH.... I'm glad the things I'm having fixed are operators error and not something wrong with the equipment.

We came up from Wrightsville Beach yesterday and the day before that (that'd be Wednesday night) we pulled into a beautiful, new marina. There was hardly anyone there. It was right on the ICW (that's inter costal waterway for you who know not) and a very narrow place. The current was ripping through there about 3 knots (that's about 4+ mph for you KN)l and when I tried to get close to the dock the young (pretty thing) they sent to help us with our lines, didn't know much (i.e. anything) and she couldn't get the lines around a cleat to hold the boat so we could tie up. In trying to help, I used up my thrusters (they are extra motors front and back, with propellers on them to help move the boat sideways. If you run them too long they QUIT and that's not good. Mine did.... quit! After all the trouble finally getting in there, their power did not work! We stayed for 6 hours and after 3 visits from their electrician telling us there was something wrong with my boat. BS, anyway we moved across the waterway to another marina and had no problem.

We left there the next morning and traveled about 80 miles to Beaufort NC. We got up at 7 to catch the bridge opening at 7. We traveled as fast as I wanted, and the weather was great, to the next bridge which also opened every hour on the hour..... and we were 5 minutes too late! We had to wait for 55 minutes for it to open. The next bridge opened every hour and 1/2 hour so no problem.

We arrived in Beaufort about 5:45, tanked up with fuel, and tied up the boat. I registered and asked "Where do the locals eat" and was told Roland's BBQ. We went, we ate, we agree.... it was pretty good. Collards, mashed potatoes, 2 pcs fried chicken, 1 pork rib (Very big) cold slaw, green beans, corn sticks, and sweet potato pie. Very country kinda place. Some Loopers asked up to come eat crabs tonight on their boat so I'm going back to Roland's and pick up some "sides" to take with.

This morning I had an electrician come by and check out the thrusters and we found the only thing wrong was a burnt lug on the forward battery. We replaced that and they are fine now. I docked yesterday without thrusters and backed easily into a place so no real problem.

They have a "loaner car" at the marina and I'm gonna borrow it to go to the PO to return something, to the Piggly Wiggly, to ACE marine store, and to a marine consignment store. Imagine that, looking for something else to carry around.

We'll leave tomorrow and travel a pretty desolate stretch of the ICW. Have reservations 75 miles away, then it's only about 2 more days to Norfolk and the Southern end of the Chesapeake! I plan to leave the boat and drive back to the AGLCA meeting in New Bern NC the 25th of April. NB is only a 1/2 day away from me now but I want the boat as far N as I can get it and then if necessary, I can move around myself if necessary. Not so many shoals etc there to worry about. It really takes 1 and 1/2 persons to be safe running the boat. One to steer full time and one to watch too most of the time. The shallow water in places can be very treacherous and it's easy to "park" on a sandbar. Just ask Me!