From Tee To Sea

June 4, 2026

From: Barefoot Marina, Myrtle Beach, SC – Safe Harbor South Harbor Village, NC
Departed: 7:45 AM | Arrived: 1:00 PM
Time Underway: 5.15 hours
Wind: 6– 7 mph gust
Speed: 8.5 knots
Temp: 61 - 79 degrees
Visibility: Clear and sunny

Are We There Yet? ... LOL

We had a wonderful stay at Barefoot Marina in Myrtle Beach. The staff were incredibly helpful and even gave us golf cart rides to and from the golf course. Now that's service!

We had an 11:12 tee time at Barefoot Resort on the Fazio Course, and it did not disappoint. The resort features four championship courses—Fazio, Norman, Dye, and Love. We wisely chose what we believed to be the friendliest option, since the other architects have a reputation for creating courses that enjoy humbling golfers. It was a bit windy, but the towering trees provided plenty of protection. The course was in great shape, although the bunkers were another story. They were deep enough that I half expected to need a ladder to get out. We played okay and definitely improved as the round went on, which is always a nice way to finish.

The cool mornings have been wonderful, making for great sleeping weather with no AC required.

We were scheduled to depart at 8:00 AM, but as usual, we were ready early (when Mama is ready everyone is ready) LOL. So, we quietly slipped off the face dock and headed north on the ICW.
Today's run was easy and much straighter than yesterday's route. The shallow areas around Shallotte and Lockwood Folly have recently been dredged as per Bob”s Tracks, and even the infamous Rock Pile was a non-event. The key is simple: stay in the channel. Don't wander. Don't sightsee. Don't get curious. Just stay between the markers. Of course, timing the trip around high tide didn't hurt either. 😊

Our only bit of drama came when the inverter charger suddenly became disengaged. It took Captain Bob a while to diagnose the issue, but eventually he got everything sorted out and, most importantly, the beeping stopped. If you're a boater, you know that unexpected beeping is rarely associated with good news.
Then, for the first time in two and a half years, Starlink decided to stop working. ☹️ That problem had to wait until we docked. After some troubleshooting—and a password reset by the captain—we were back online. Why it happened remains a mystery, but at least we're connected again.

It's always a little awkward arriving at a marina you've never visited before and trying to figure out the layout. Today they assigned us a spot along the inside of the fuel dock, tucked a little way down the fairway. Plenty of room for more boats behind us, which they assured us would be arriving later. Once tied up, we topped off with fuel ($5.09 per gallon, member price) and got a pump-out. Since we'll be spending the next two nights on a mooring ball followed by a night at anchor, it was nice to get those chores done while everything was conveniently located right beside the boat.
The afternoon included a late lunch, a few boat chores, a well-earned nap, and tonight we're headed to Joseph's Italian Bistro, which I've heard is one of the best Italian restaurants on the East Coast. We shall see...

Ace continues to settle into cruising life. He's finally walking around the boat more and has even started napping up with us. I think he's decided the pilothouse is preferable to the flybridge. What he doesn’t like are the little speedboats that come flying by and launch themselves off our wake like they're auditioning for a boating commercial.

Sorry these posts are so long. Every morning I think, "I really don't have much to write about today," and then somehow, I end up with a small novel.

Life is Good! 🚤⚓🐾⛳😊

June 2, 2026

From: Bulter Island Anchorage to Barefoot Marina, Myrtle Beach, SC

Departed: 8:30 AM | Arrived: 1:30 PM
Time Underway: 5 hours
Wind: 10– 15 mph gust
Speed: 8.5 knots
Temp: 70 - 75 degrees
Visibility: Cool and cloudy in the morning and then sunny with lots of wind

How Fun Is This...

We had a super nice night on the hook with a fairly strong current (not the strongest we've seen by any means) and a cool overnight temperature. It was so quiet that Ace didn't know what to do with himself—and believe it or not, he didn't bark once. I think that's a cruising first!

Today's five-hour run was easy and enjoyable. No shallow spots to worry about, just lots of twists and bends to keep things interesting on the Waccamaw River. We had a few big, fast boats pass us, and we passed several sailboats. We always try to be extra courteous around sailboats since they don't have quite the same maneuverability we do.

One fast boat radioed us to say he was coming up on our port side and would slow down. We replied that we would slow down as well. Sounded like a great plan. Unfortunately, when his bow reached our stern, he decided it was the perfect time to throttle up and leave us a nice wake. I was at the helm and quickly increased our speed to soften the impact, but we still got treated to a couple of good-sized rollers. Go figure. Sometimes boaters say one thing and do another!

Barefoot Marina is home to a large riverboat tour operation, and just as we were pulling up to the fuel dock, it unloaded what seemed like a hundred tourists. Suddenly the dock was buzzing with activity. Well, this is Myrtle Beach—the self-proclaimed Golf Capital of the World—and one of the biggest tourist destinations on the East Coast.

And yes... that's exactly why we're here.
Golf tomorrow! ⛳

Confession: After two and a half years of cruising, I finally feel like a mariner. There's something to be said for knowledge, repetition, and learning to trust your boat and her systems. Every trip teaches us something new, but these days I feel a lot more confident than when we first untied the lines and headed off on this adventure.
I think I've officially graduated from Boater's University. The good news is there doesn't seem to be a final exam. 😄 And now I am going for my MBA.

"Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one's courage."
— Anaïs Nin
🚤⚓🐾⛳️

June 1, 2026

From: Safe Harbor Charleston City Mega Dock to Bulter Island Anchorage

Departed: 7:30 AM | Arrived: 4:00 PM
Time Underway: 8.5 hours
Wind: 5 – 7 mph
Speed: 6.6 – 9.5 knots
Temp: 70 - 78 degrees

Visibility: Rain and some heavy drizzle, some clouds
And so it starts… ⚓

Finally, we untied the lines and departed the City Marina. Slack tide was at 9:36, and after watching the current slide by the boat, we decided to just go for it. Turns out it was a complete non-event, and before long we were cruising north from the flybridge.
It was a super pleasant day on the water with only three "skinny" spots along the route. We timed the first one for high tide and caught the other two as the tide was just starting to fall. The shallowest reading we saw was 6.5 feet on our transducer (which sits about a foot above the keel), and that was only for a moment. The rest of the skinny water was around 9.5 feet, so there are no white-knuckle moments today.

The rain came and went throughout the day but never amounted to much. We eventually moved into the pilothouse, my happy place—for the remainder of the trip. We listened to the morning news, followed by a little 60's music, and traded off driving every hour, which makes the day go by surprisingly fast. What was supposed to be a 7 hour 45-minute run stretched into about 8½ hours thanks to the current at Winyah Bay. When we hit the "crossroads" there, our speed dropped to 6.5 knots. Mother Nature always likes to remind us who's really making the schedule.

Ace made a few appearances from his stateroom to check on the crew. I think he's finally getting the hang of this cruising lifestyle. His biggest concerns seem to be whether it is time to play throw the frisbee and where are my belly rubs.

We are now safely on the hook at beautiful Butler Island. There isn't another boat in sight, not a breath of wind, and it's incredibly peaceful. We've checked the GPS and land bearings several times and haven't moved an inch. Tomorrow's forecast is calling for 10–15 mph winds, so we're enjoying the calm while we have it.

Tonight's menu is grilled pork chops, followed by a little TV before calling it a night.

Tomorrow, we continue on to Barefoot Marina in Myrtle Beach, with a little golf planned for Thursday.

Life is very good. 🚤⚓🐾😊

May 1–31, 2026

From: Safe Harbor Charleston City Mega Dock

So Ready to Start Cruising...

As always, we have thoroughly enjoyed our stay here in Charleston, the "Church City" of the South. The month has been filled with a few rounds of golf, including a great day with Dave and Cindy at beautiful Dunes West in Mount Pleasant, along with a visit to our favorite, Charleston Municipal Golf Course. Of course, there were also plenty of good dinners and fellowship mixed in.

The captain has been busy checking off boat projects, and Patriot received a big wax and buff. She is now shining from bow to stern and looking ready for another cruising season. We also took a walking tour with Two Sisters Tours. The sisters were born and raised in Charleston, with generations of family history here, and they shared all kinds of fascinating stories and local insights. We highly recommend them if you're visiting Charleston.

Ace has had a wonderful month as well, enjoying lots of walks, plenty of playtime, and making sure we stayed on his schedule along with some dock barking.

One of the perks of staying at this marina is the Tuesday and Friday happy hours with a nice assortment of snacks. We've enjoyed meeting fellow boaters and hearing about their adventures.

We also met our new boating friends, Heidi and Alan from Oklahoma, who will be starting their Great Loop adventure from this marina in just a few weeks. They are wonderful people, and it was fun sharing some of the lessons we've learned along the way.
Our Leg #2 itinerary is now mapped out, although any cruiser knows that itineraries are simply suggestions. Weather, tides, and unexpected discoveries usually have a vote in the final plan!

Current Itinerary:
• Butler Island Anchorage
• Barefoot Marina, Myrtle Beach, SC
• Carolina Beach Mooring Field, NC
• Mile Hammock Bay Anchorage, NC
• Oriental Marina & Inn, NC
• Belhaven Marina, NC
• Alligator River/Tuckahoe Point Anchorage, NC
• Coinjock Marina & Restaurant, NC
• Safe Harbor Bluewater, Hampton, VA
• Safe Harbor Stingray Point, Deltaville, VA
• Smith Creek 3 Anchorage, Potomac River, MD
• Safe Harbor Zahniser's Marina, Solomons, MD
• Safe Harbor Oxford Marina, Oxford, MD
• Safe Harbor Eastport, Annapolis, MD
• Anchorage Marina, Baltimore, MD

We are excited to visit new places and see where the journey takes us.

Today (Sunday) is definitely a "no-go" day. The wind has been blowing 18 mph with gusts over 25, accompanied by gray skies and clouds. It's a good day to stay tied to the dock, enjoy a cup of coffee, and double-check the weather forecast.
Tomorrow, June 1, we begin our journey north. The forecast is calling for light winds and a little drizzle. We'll gladly trade a few raindrops for calm seas.

Fingers crossed for a smooth start to Leg #2!

April 29,30, - May 1, 2026

Leg #1 is complete… 18 days - 9 stops

From: Safe Harbor Beaufort, SC to Safe Harbor Charleston City Mega Dock

Departed: 7 AM | Arrived: 2:00 PM
Time Underway: 7 hours
Wind: 4 - 8 mph
Speed: 7 – 9 knots
Temp: 68 –66 degrees

Visibility: Light drizzle until shortly after arrival then rain
Our stay in Beaufort was both resourceful and a whole lot of fun—great shopping, long walks, great food and those picture-perfect neighborhoods that make you slow down.

Wednesday turned into a proper gathering when our friends Maya and Steve on Jumeirah arrived, along with new friends Bernadette and Robin on Blessed—both fellow Flemings. With the three of us together, it officially became a Low Country Rendezvous! Dinner, laughter, and plenty of fellowship… exactly what we all needed.

Also on Wednesday, Gary from Marine Tech worked his magic and installed our new alternator on the port-side engine. We are now fully powered and ready—always a comforting feeling!

Our friends headed out early Thursday and kindly reported back on depths through some of the trickier sections ahead. Information is my love language… I’ll take all the intel I can get.
Right on schedule, we departed at 7am, reached the Ashepoo Coosaw Cutoff at 9am at high tide, and then Watts Cut at 10am just barely below high tide. Checked those off the list. There was a bit of northbound Looper traffic ahead of us heading to the same marina, so we played it cool and hung back.

The only real “excitement” came in the Stono River area when we moved from the flybridge to the pilothouse because of visibility issues and rain—and suddenly the GPS decided it needed a coffee break. On and off for about 30 minutes! Thank goodness for our Ray Marine Navionics system keeping us on track. That sinking feeling when your GPS goes out is real… but hey, I had two more backup devices ready to jump in if needed. (Overprepared? Never heard of her. 😄)

As we arrived on the Charleston Ashley River, the Blue Angels were zipping by overhead. A busy waterway to cross, planes flying, and my captain says, “Did you see that?” Umm… no, I’m a little busy making sure we don’t become part of the evening news. Priorities! Somehow, we made it just before slack tide, and with the help of a super dock hand, slid right into our face dock like pros.

A few boat chores, a quick stop at the office to grab packages, and we called it a day.

We love Charleston—time now to visit dear friends Cindy and Dave, squeeze in some golf, and enjoy some amazing food for the month of May.

Next up: Leg #2 to the Chesapeake Bay—our first time! Route is set, reservations are made, and now we just cross our fingers for good weather and smooth cruising.

Peace out… Until June 1

April 28, 2026

Quick trip… (and a reminder why I don’t like current!)

Safe Harbor Port Royal Marina, SC ➡️ Safe Harbor Beaufort, SC

Wind: 10 mph
Weather: Cloudy

We planned a nice, easy departure… waiting for slack tide at 1:00 PM. Well, my captain got a little antsy (imagine that), and off we went early at noon. What could possibly go wrong?

Departure should have been a piece of cake with two dockhands ready to toss the lines—but of course, we had a motor vessel sitting just ahead (about 40’) and a lineup of bridge pilings waiting to keep things interesting. Add in a strong current, and suddenly it felt like a boating obstacle course.

As we pulled out, we had to clear our swim platform past the boat in front of us, swing away, and—oh look—the bridge columns were getting closer by the second. Just in time, Bob gave Patriot a good burst of throttle and… whew… we made it! Safely into the channel and heading north like nothing ever happened.

Fast forward 30 minutes and now we’ve still have the current behind us while trying to dock. We were assigned a face dock with a sailboat nearby, and let’s just say… it wasn’t a one-and-done situation. It took two tries, pointing Patriot’s bow to the dock very close, some determined stern thruster action, and very patient dockhands (and captain) to get her lined up.

Me? Let’s just say my backseat driving skills were in peak form today. I’m sure that helped immensely. 😄

Once we were finally tied up, we “recovered” from our exhausting 30-minute journey (LOL) and took Ace for a long walk through town. Beaufort is just one of those places—charming, friendly, full of cute shops and great restaurants.

Tomorrow = shopping day. Priorities!

I’ll take tides over current… every single time.

April 25 – 27, 2026

From: Safe Harbor Port Royal Marina, SC

We had a solid two-out-of-three kind of stay here in Port Royal. I will say… that walk down the dock is every bit as long as the SH City Dock in Charleston—maybe longer when you’re walking the dog!
Great staff, though, and a cute little on-site restaurant!

We celebrated Bob’s big birthday! His gift from me? Two boat chores and dinner out. My first chore was cleaning and hand-polishing all the chrome—because nothing says “I love you” like sparkling railing and hawse pipes. He thinks the second chore has a rollover clause… nope! Next year, I’ll be getting him an actual gift. 😂

It was also time for an oil change and a few maintenance items, all handled by Gary at Marine Tech Services. Super great guy—we’d highly recommend him if you’re ever in the area.

We squeezed in a few walks, except for Monday when the wind had other plans. It was downright cold (low 50s!) before warming up to 62, so I stayed mostly on the boat and got a lot of computer work done.

Tomorrow, we’ll top off the fuel, wait for slack tide, and make the quick 30-minute cruise over to Safe Harbor Beaufort Marina for a few more days. Love, love that town—and yes, a little retail therapy is definitely on the agenda.

Some days shine, some days chill...

April 25, 2026

Saturday cruising ?????

From: Isle of Hope Marina to Safe Harbor Port Royal Marina, SC

Departed: 10 AM | Arrived: 3:15 PM
Time Underway: 5.15 hours
Wind: 6–12- 25 mph S
Speed: 7 – 9 knots
Temp: 66-81 – degrees
Visibility: poor with lots of smoke

We departed right on schedule and enjoyed a peaceful, easy cruise… right up until the grand finale.

My tide calculations for Ramshorn Creek were spot on (two hours after low tide). We came through about two hours after low tide and had plenty of water—lowest we saw was a quick 7.5 feet before it popped right back up to 9.5. Always nice when the plan actually works.

Weekend traffic, however, was in full swing. The center consoles were out in force—zipping across our bow, cutting behind us, and launching themselves off our wake like it was a sport. Keeps you on your toes! What surprised us most was that we only saw one fellow Looper/cruising boat all day. Apparently, we had the “big boat lane” mostly to ourselves.

We passed the J. Wilton Graves Bridge (MM 557.6), where the barge is still hard at work, but had no issues getting through. From there, we made a short run through Calibogue Sound and then crossed Port Royal Sound.

That’s when things started to spice up.

The wind, which had been a polite 10 mph, decided to make a statement—building to at least 25 mph just as we were coming in to dock. Perfect timing, of course. Bob called the dockmaster, who initially had us assigned to the inside face dock at the end of a finger. With the wind and current whipping, he wisely reassigned us to an outer face dock—great call. The two dockhands were fantastic, and we had lines secured in no time.

Somewhere along the way, we were treated to a pod of dolphins putting on a little show. I didn’t quite catch them mid-air, but it was still a special moment. There’s just something about dolphins that makes everything feel a little more peaceful.

We’ll call this home for the next three days before heading up the river to Beaufort, SC.

A day where good planning met a little chaos—and both worked out just fine.

April 24, 2026

Getting closer…

From: Crescent River 2 Anchorage to Isle of Hope

Departed: 8:45 AM | Arrived: 2:00 PM
Time Underway: 5.45 hours
Wind: 6–12 mph SE
Speed: 7 – 8.5 knots
Temp: 70-82 - degrees

We were blessed with another beautiful day on the water—well, mostly. The visibility was a bit hazy thanks to all the fires. So sad to see, but we made the best of it.

The cruising itself was easy and enjoyable as we made our way through Sapelo Sound and St. Catherines Sound with gentle 1.5-foot seas and a light breeze. As we pulled out of our anchorage, another cruiser slipped in front of us—and apparently decided to adopt us for the day, because we followed them almost the entire way.

Our main mission was timing the tide just right for Hell’s Gate. The goal: at least half a rising tide. Our “lead boat” went first and kindly reported their depths, which always gets your attention. We entered around 1:00 PM and never saw less than 9.5 feet, with about 3 extra feet of tide in our favor. Not too shabby! The total high tide was 6.5 feet. So with a 5 foot draft boat low tide is non-negotiable.

And a big moment for me—I drove the entire stretch through Hell’s Gate for the first time. Let’s just say I was glued to Bob’s 423 track like it was the only line on Earth. Easy peasy… once it was over.
Not a ton to report beyond that, but we were super happy to land at Isle of Hope. The dockhands were fantastic and set us up on a face dock (always a win). Bob gave the boat a good rinse while I took Ace for his much-needed lane patrol.

We wrapped up the day by visiting our favorite Mexican restaurant and doing a little “provisioning” using their loaner car—which I’m pretty sure had at least 100,000 miles on it… maybe 200,000. Either way, she still runs, and we were proud to drive her.

Tomorrow we’re planning a slightly later departure to time our way through Ramshorn Creek near Daufuskie Island—a short stretch of maybe 240 feet, but notoriously shallow. From there, we’ll head to Safe Harbor Port Royal for three days. Bob has a trusted mechanic lined up for our 250-hour oil change and a few odds and ends. It’s funny—we’re slowly building quite the directory of service providers up and down the East Coast.

At this point, we’re both a little cross-eyed from watching red and green markers, following the blue dotted line, and constantly checking tides and tracks—but that’s all part of cruising the ICW. Besides, if we went outside, it might actually be… boring.

Life is good…

April 23, 2026

Skinny water day…

From: Jekyll Harbor Marina to Crescent River 2 Anchorage

Departed: 12:30 AM | Arrived: 4:30 PM
Time Underway: 4 hours
Wind: 6–10 mph SE
Speed: 8.5–10 knots (thank you, current)
Temp: 70-79 - degrees

We got a little antsy this morning—clearly sitting still is not one of our strengths. After topping off the fuel tank, we were off the dock by 12:30, ready to tackle the infamous Jekyll Creek shallow run. And right on cue, the captain handed over the wheel: “It’s all yours, Melissa.” No pressure!

We timed it on a rising tide, a few hours before high, and saw 7.5’ once—but otherwise held steady around 10’. I’m happy to report I did not veer off Bob’s 423 track even once. (Miracles do happen.)
Next up was Little Mud River, which we hit right at high tide with a consistent 9.5’. That stretch is long, skinny, and feels like it goes on forever—but we made it through without incident.

We cruised through Brunswick River, Altamaha Sound, and Doboy Sound with about a 10 mph wind and 1’ seas. Honestly… easy peasy.

Now we’re settled in with the anchor down. Ace is living his best life—playing fetch and a little hide-and-seek after being a very good boy today. This makes our fourth time at this anchorage, and it never disappoints.

Alarms are set, everything looks good, and we have the place to ourselves—for now.

Tomorrow we will go to our favorite marina...Isle of Hope...I think I just like the name. We also have "Hell's Gate" to get through. It is always something to keep you on your toes.

All in all… an easy day on the water.

P.S. In past post I forgot to mention that after two and a half years of this boat life I finally say a Manatee (sea cow) from the boat and then a sting ray flies out of the water.

P.S.S. Ok my favorite past time just happened... two boat single hand captains came into the anchorage. I love watching this.