Tuesday, March 31
32 48.251 N
79 45.406 W
We were up at 7 AM and underway before 8 AM with a 70 NM day ahead of us to get to the IOP. It was a clear and very calm morning when we dropped the mooring ball. It felt good to be back in the SC low country.
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| Perfect Carolina morning |
The ICW in SC has its share of shallow water. We needed 10 hours to make the distance so we did not have much choice with the tide. Low water would be at about 1 PM and we expected some skinny water tension in a few places. But in reality running aground was not going to be a big deal - in general the bottom was deep mud, and even if we got stuck we could wait a few hours for the incoming tide and get off. But it still is not fun.
I managed to snap a photo when we only had 15" under us, but was too tense to try it when the gauge was showing just 0.3 of a foot a few miles later.
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| It got mighty shallow |
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| Another 50 years of "Global Warming: and this will be a great dock! |
The sea gulls liked to follow us when we were in shallow water as the turbulence caused by the props exposed some delicate picking for them.
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| Lots of birds "drafting us" today, seeing what we churned up from the mud |
Despite the shallow water we seemed to be riding the tidal currents most of the day and made decent time.
After such a calm day, we were a bit surprised when late in the afternoon the south wind strengthened a lot, with gusts up over 30 knots. We were pleased we were not off shore. At about 4 PM we heard the Coast Guard respond to a SOS from a small boat off shore that had been swamped. It was quite dramatic eavesdropping as the rescue effort unfolded. Pretty quickly two helicopters were dispatched - one from the Coast Guard and one off a navy ship. When they arrived at the scene one dropped a swimmer into the water to organize the rescue. It all seemed to end happily.
Our plan was to arrive at the IOP on April 1, so we were 12 hours early. Kylie had planned to meet us on the dock but came down with a 24 hour flu and was home in bed. Janet and Don (River Girl) had arrived an hour before us and invited us over for a cocktail.
Wednesday April 1, 2015
We have two weeks for work and two weeks for play out West, so no time to waste. We have a large list of jobs on the boat and on shore. So its going to be rather boring reading for the next 4 weeks. We leave for places North on May 1.
Picked up the rental early and went to visit Ky and the kid. That was fun. Followed by $500 at Walmart of groceries and supplies. Kylie and Ryan had invited us over for a meal but Ryan came home feeling ill, so we ate at home.
Thursday April 2, 2015
Had an appointment at the Apple store to decide what was wrong with Deidre's iPad. Turned out it was kaput so we ended up with a new one .. for $800. Back on the boat I opened up the forward bilge and gave Tide Hiker the boat equivalent of a hysterectomy.
The ElectroScan sewerage treatment system has not really worked for two years. I think I have bought more replacement parts and had it apart more than any other part of the boat. What is more, it fills the forward bilge with more hoses and wires and tanks than an oil refinery. And it is such a dank place and I just don't like it. So it is now out and gone, and I can simplify the plumbing and electrical in that part of the boat.
Deidre took the car and headed for the supermarket to start restocking the larder. By 6 PM we had both had enough, and headed out for dinner at "Red Lobster"
Friday, April 3, 2015
Over to visit Kylie and Mason for breakfast. We still have not seen Ryan. Kylie had to go to work at 1 PM so we dropped Mason off at "school" and picked up my $500 order at NAPA - all oil and filters! Back on Tide Hiker I worked on the Northern Lights generator - new fuel filters and an oil change.
Saturday, April 4, 2015
Not much going on. Deidre did some more provisioning and I worked on cleaning out our two file drawers and making some progress on our tax return.
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| This just in from Cleveland |
Easter Sunday, April 5, 2015
We picked up Kylie and Mason and headed to "The Creek" for the Easter celebrations. (Ryan was already out there). As usual the Taylor clan was present in great strength - to the extent that "Uncle Bill" was barbecuing a dozen chickens.
As usual the whole gang is very welcoming and make Deidre and I very comfortable. They are very generous people. Mason is Nelma's and Gene's first grand child.
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| Wow! and they looked great. |
Many of the Taylors live on a road running alongside "The Creek". The creek is not a natural creek - it was dug by slaves many years ago in an effort to drain more of the Francis Marion forest, Its water is dark and murky, and the tidal current are quite fast. Plus the Taylors delight in regaling us with stories of snakes and alligators they have shot from time to time. Of course, Mason is intrigued by the water and that scares me even more.
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| Mason with Grandpa Taylor |
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| Kylie and Mason playing in Uncle Bill's pool |
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| Mason's first ATV lesson |
Monday April 6, 2015
Productive day. Today I flushed all three of the AC compressors with "Barnacle Buster". The job involved lots of hoses and hose clamps! Each AC unit was flushed for an hour.
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| "Flushing" |
While the AC was being flushed I resumed work on the forward bilge. Today I "tidied up" the routing of the fresh water service to the forward head. Looks much neater and "shipshape" now. Ryan has agreed to pop in tomorrow and help me re-route the main sewerage discharge hose.
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| The bilge is already looking better |
Tuesday April 7, 2015
Not much going on. Out for breakfast and a bit of shopping. We picked up Mason from "school" at about 4:30 PM and entertained him until his parents arrived for dinner. Ryan helped me reroute the holding tank discharge hose. Tomorrow I can shorten it and seal it up.
Wednesday April 8, 2015
Completed the work on the holding tank discharge hose. The whole set up is now much neater. But I saw a small leak when the pump was running and had to order parts (o-rings) and they will not be here till Friday. So I cannot cross it off yet.
Back on taxes for the afternoon. This I did finish and in the envelope.
We had an early dinner and headed of to the "Family Circle" tennis tournament on Daniel Island. (FYI, 20 years ago Daniel island was basically 4,000 acres of undeveloped farming area. But all that changed when the new I-526 freeway crossed the island and "opened it up" for development. It is now 10 years into a master planned community complete with residential neighborhoods, parks, trails, recreational amenities and a downtown that is home to shops, restaurants, schools, churches and a large professional tennis facility. We had not visited the area since leaving 15 years ago and were appropriately amazed.)
We had been attracted by the prospect of a doubles match between two Australians (obviously Russian transplants) and Martina Hingis and an Indian girl. It was fun. We were the only people in the place rooting for the Aussies, but they lost.
Thursday April 9, 2015
Slept in and then took Tide Hiker for a pump-out. Deidre mailed the tax return and spent the day with Kylie. I finished the installation of the new TV aerial.
Friday April 10, 2015
Met Ky and Mason on the beach this AM and it was fun. Deidre had her hair colored. The parts arrived for the sewer and now that's done. The replacement pulley came for the dinghy crane and now that's done. I purchased our new DTOPS decal so now we can re-enter the USA after Canada. I am focused on crossing jobs off THE LIST
Mark and Donna are back in town after vacation so we 4 wend out to dinner to catch up on their news. Very pleasant.
Saturday, April 13, 2015
The new tenants moved into 21 Yacht Harbor. The "o" ring arrived for the pump-overboard hose and I installed it. The replacement bowl for the dinghy fuel filter arrived and I installed it. Otherwise, not much going on. Went to the movies - "Woman in Gold"
Sunday, April 12, 2015
Today was Mason's birthday party - held 23 days early so we could be there.- in his own backyard in Mt. Pleasant. Great success, despite the no-see-ums and threatening rain.
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| Moms and kids table |
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| The back yard |
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| Moms and kids |
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| Now that's a keeper |
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| My favourite |
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| Curious George birthday cake |
Monday, April 13, 2015
John Davey, our "boat maintenance helper" turned up today - about 13 days late. But I was still pleased to see him even though most of the job list is crossed off, so put him to work scraping the rust off the rudder post structure and prepping for paint. I have asked him to keep an eye on Tide Hiker while we are away and give her a wash a few days before we return.
Tuesday, April 14, 2015
Washing and packing day.
