Travels with Vicki and Barry: Back on the waterway again...

After two weeks, we are leaving Southport at 11 am today. Why 11 am and not some ungodly boater hour like 6 am? Because. The Shallotte Inlet at mile marker 329 has to be passed at high tide, which is 2 pm. Hereabouts, cruising is built around the tides, or you pay. And we ain't making no more payments.

A big kudo to Zimmerman's Yacht Yard in Southport, NC. Thanking the gods that we had all our troubles here, because this is one of the, if not THE, premier boat repair place on the ICW. Balboita is ready for bear.

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What's its like to be boatless and dogless in anywhere?

Well, we had it pretty good. Nice digs at Lois Jane's Riverside Inn, where Innkeeper Kelly heroically moved us from room to room to fit us into a mostly-full B&B. Yay Kelly.

Kelly and Sebastian at Riverside Inn

We had a beautifully strange view from one of our rooms.

This is at the intersection of the Cape Fear River and the ICW...where cargo ships, freighters and barges mix it up with southbound snowbirds. While we were here, one biggie went aground for all the world to see and even made it on the front page of the local paper and television. Click on link and be amazed to see what current can do:

http://www.newsobserver.com/news/local/article183407551.html

Being dogless in Anywhere was probably hardest. You reach over to pet the hairy little guy who's supposed to be cuddled beside you and there is....air. And to beat all, everybody wanted to know how the dogs were doing. The humans didn't count.

Can't complain about meals. We had a classic B&B breakfast every morning: cheese omlet, sausage, bacon, fruit, orange juice, pancakes, banana muffins, bisquits with gravy....Not all at once, but a surprise each day.

Then, there is the ever-favorite: lunch at waterfront places. The pick of this day was The Yacht Basin.

Couple in different temperature zones

I scream

Halloween not over. Or ready for next year

Gratuitous sunset photo op...

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The seminar.

Southport Marina has this incredible service. It's a nightly seminar to educate boaters about ICW trouble spots from here to the Georgia border. Whew. If you are new to the topic, it seems there are more trouble spots than not. Shallow here, shoaling there, marker missing, etc. etc. There was a newbie in attendance and I could see the sweat pouring off of him, punctuated by a "oh my god" every now and then.

Money has been a problem for dredging the ICW. The lack of it. NC has none. Georgia just got some, but can't spend it because of some environmental issue which obviously doesn't include humans and their boats. So, I get the feeling the ICW is in trouble and people are going to be less and less inclined to keep going aground to get to Florida or the Bahamas.

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Destination today: Myrtle Beach Yacht Club.

This "yacht club" at MM 346 only costs $1.25 a foot with 25 cents off for Boat US members. And take a look at what you get: http://myrtlebeachyachtclub.com/

So, Vicki suited up.