OK, I got up at 5:30, had breakfast, cleaned up a bit to get ready to sail. I got underway at 7:15 trying to get to Beaufort, South Carolina. A distance of about 60 miles. A normal day for me is about 30-35 miles so I had to leave early. The current was against me but it was a sunny day and there was not enough wind to blow out a candle, so it was a pleasant day. At times the current was with me and I was able to move at 7knts over the ground, other times it was against me and I was lucky to make 3.5knts. As I was sailing I had my cruisers guide out and read a note: “Lots of shoals between McClullenville and Beaufort, boy were they right! At one point I had less than 1′ of water under my keel. But I made it through and all I had left to do was get through the Lady Island Swing Bridge. I called ahead and found that I had 8 minutes to get there or I would have to wait for the next opening, 30 minutes later. The bridge operator saw me coming and called on the radio to say he would hold the bridge. 100′ before I entered the bridge a 50′ cruiser decides he can’t wait for me and guns it past me almost swamping me into the bridge. Anyway, I made it to the Beaufort marina and got gas, then settled in for the night. Tomorrow I get to Savannah, only 47 miles. I was going to go outside but they are calling small craft warnings, 12′ seas and 30-40 mph winds. With someone, maybe, alone, nope.

Capt Force, a friend I met on the internet, and at Doc Holiday Marina, is tied to the same dock I am at Downtown Beaufort Marina. It was nice to see him again.