Further on

Okay, dokey, then! Last we visited we were dealing with a tankful of stuff in Southport, NC; as it turns out, this may be the gremlin that drives Scooter's crew bonkers. We toured Southport, by rental car, as well as shanks'mare. No, Chuckie, we did not have access to someone's mare: work it out y'rself. Went to the movies;  Green Book, as a matter of fact. I am not a great fan of movies that aren't shoot 'em up, or down, as it may be, but I would cheerfully go see that movie again. Perhaps 'cause it pulled back some memories from long ago. Shopped, explored, did laundry, tried to stay warm. Finally, the winds died down to a manageable roar, the water oozed back into most of the channels, and we took off for further parts SOUTH!

The one thing I've noticed about this retirement thing is that focus sometimes becomes a mysterious, wished for thing. There is so much going on, that you sometimes lose track of what it is you wanted to do/are supposed to be doing, and gotta get done. So, Chuckie you now know why "they" invented calendars and "HnyDo" lists. Sorry, I digress (fancy for mind wandered). Blowing out of Southport, we headed to Osprey Point Marina, and the Myrtle Beach environs. We've been guests there before; 'bout 9 years ago, and wanted to try it again. Nice spot set back a long fairway thru the woods along the Waccamaw River. To get there you go thru Lockwoods Folly Inlet, Shallotte Inlet, Littler River Inlet, all well known trouble, as in shallow, spots along the ICW. Calls for some tide planning and a lil' bit o'luck. Then you have some bridges to deal with; how about the "Captain Archie Neil ""Poo"" McLauchlin Swing Bridge. No, really, that is the official name of the bridge; abbreviated Captain Poo swing bridge; that is bad enough by itself. Then you have the "rock pile": an area that the Army Corp of Engineers was tasked to build many moons ago, but ran short of funds and left monster rock ledges for channel edges in a lot narrower dimensions than called for. Can't get a tug/barge combination and a small yachet thru there at the same time; guess who gets to back down.

So, we get to Osprey Point, refuel for the next leg, pump out just in case. Didn't think we really needed to 'cause we had just pumped out in Southport; AND, wise us, we've been logging flushes. Yes, Chuckie, logging flushes. We figure at about 1-2.0 gal per flush; depends on content, I suppose.  Scooter has a 30 gal holding tank, soooo.. figure about 15 flushes before full. There is also a digital gauge; suspect at the moment. Anyway, Ginny knows somebody, the wonderful somebodies lent us a car ( thanks Carson and Judy), we toured, shopped, ate, did laundry, tried to stay warm. Sound familiar? I must say that the city of Myrtle Beach has done a wonderful job reusing the old Myrtle Beach Air Force Base. Really pretty cool.

Mother Nature dealt up some ugly weather that kept us in the dock 'til today; But at 0800 we're up and rarin' to git'er done. Hit the flush switch; guess what came out of that vent line. So, the mystery is: where in the world is the water coming from? Stay tuned; we're sherlocking it now. Out of Osprey Point, down the Waccamaw River, across the Pee Dee river, past Georgetown, SC, down the Esther-Minim canal, to our current anchorage in the South Santee River. Tomorrow will, hopefully, find us sliding by the shallows at McClellanville, SC to Dewees Creek, near Charleston, SC.

Y'all stay happy, smile more, stay warm and enjoy the day. catch you on the flip side!