Beginning the Best of the ICW and on to Charleston (Mile 465 ICW)

The ferry crossing on the Estherville Minim Creek Canal

SV Zephyr left the channel and now
waits for SeaTow--not a good day.

     This group is good.  We agreed to leave at 6:45 AM and that is what we did.  Pekabu was the lead boat for this leg of the cruise due to the areas of shallow water that might be encountered. We are will to “test the waters” for the group. The journey down stream was not scary at all in daylight.  However, we did take the Western Channel off of Winyah Bay then the 90 degree right turn into the Estherville Minim Creek Canal.

     Our concerns about low water in McClellanville never panned out.  However, coming cross the North Santee River we suddenly went from 6 feet under the keel to 2, so we adjusted our course in that area for the rest of our “fleet.”  The only fixed bridge, we caught on the falling tide and current.  Thankfully, the boards read 64 feet, so Andiamo, who needs 63 feet, was able to sneak through.  His final words before entering under the bridge were to Brunelle, “Thankfully you’re behind me.  You can pick up anything that get’s knocked off!”  We have been extremely fortunate in that we have had the currents in our favor for most of our travels so far.

The Estuaries are so vast is can be difficult to find the
inhabitants.  These came to watch our parade of sailboats.

     Bruce and Lin Olsen, SV Alize, friends who have made this trip a few times before, have stated that this is their favorite part of the ICW from mile 410 to The Ben Sawyer Bridge at mile 462.2 Now I can understand why. The water is blue/green instead of the brown. The marshes are estuaries with trees and winding creeks, sandy and gravely shores, distant forests, variety of birds, breathtakingly beautiful and pristine.

     Our plan was to make the Ben Sawyer Bridge by 4 PM. Due to the favorable currents, we made the bridge by 2: 40 PM.  We were in Charleston Harbor Marina by 3:30 PM. We are in a marina that deals with a substantial current, but we are in floating docks which help somewhat.

Yes, that is the Yorktown docked "next" to the Charleston Marina, not "at" the marina.
She sure is majestic!

     Martha and Maureen decided to use up some of their food supplies so we all contributed to a potluck dinner.  Of course a good time was had by all aboard Brunelle.

64.4/697.2 Total Statute miles            ~  ~ (\_~ ~ ~     Kathy and Pete