Thursday, November 1 (Mile 403 – Isle of Palms – Mile 458):  I wish we had had more time to spend exploring Georgetown yesterday.  It seems like a beautiful historic town, but we didn’t get to see much of it.   We were told about a nice little bakery off the beaten path, and we made a beeline for it as it closed at 5:30 p.m.  The main street was filled with specialty stores and restaurants, and it would have been nice to check more of them out.  We did get a nice loaf of bread that we had with dinner last night and some fabulous pastries for breakfast this morning.  Bob was happy! 

            Up at 0 Dark Thirty again this morning as we have some fifty miles to go to get to the Isle of Palms Marina near Charleston.  The guy who had a little difficulty getting into the dock last night has slipped out of town at 7:30 a.m.  Actually, it all worked out well.  He did more damage to his boat than anybody else, and the sailboat people were very nice about the whole affair.  I think people are sick and tired of being held up because of the wind and weather and are chomping at the bit to get to Florida.  We saw a lot of boats leave this morning, and, thankfully, it was pretty calm until later in the day.  This morning was also very chilly.

            Today’s route took us down the Esterville Minim Canal where we heard on the radio that the lights that alert you to the ferry crossing were not working.  Well, that was a little worrisome, as I had visions of this small canal opening into this huge expanse of water (although the chart didn’t indicate this) and a ferry the size of the Staten Island Ferry bearing down on us because we hadn’t paid attention to the lights.  However, when we came upon the ferry landing, the crossing couldn’t have been more than 500 feet, and all I saw was this sorry-looking, dilapidated boat tied up to the dock.  Bob, however, insists that the boat I saw was, indeed, the ferry.  I guess the ferry wasn’t running, and that’s why the lights weren’t working.  I don’t know this for a fact, but I bet it is the smallest ferry crossing in the world.  After the Esterville Minim Canal we crossed the North Santee River and then entered the Fourmile Creek Canal, which crossed the South Santee River.  Someone told us that we should see alligators, eagles, and egrets, and I am getting permanent binocular rings around my eyes from searching the banks for any sign of these creatures.  No luck - but – we did see more dolphins!  There is no way you could see an alligator – they are so camouflaged.  We even crossed Alligator Creek, and not an alligator in sight.  You have to be alert when crossing these rivers because the currents run every which way. 

            Fourmile Canal looks exactly like Hooper Straits and Kedges Straits in the Chesapeake Bay – miles and miles of flat landscape covered with beautiful grasses with small streams making water trails all through the area.  I honestly think it was more beautiful than the Waccamaw River – although the landscapes are totally different and each has it’s own beautiful scenery to offer        .  There is absolutely no sign of civilization at all.  Fourmile Canal runs into the Harbor River and past McClellanville which is home to Hampton Plantation.  The town is now a small fishing village with lots of shrimp boats crossing your path. 

            We finally pull into the Isle of Palms Marina around 2:30.  No challenges, obstacles, or terror-filled moments today – just miles and miles of breathtaking scenery.

            I made tuna salad for lunch today, and gave kitty cat the tuna juice, and right now she is one happy cat – like the rest of us.

           

Commercial traffic near McClellanville

Near Esterville Minim Canel

Along Four Mile Canal