On to Carolina...another new experience a pontoon swing bridge that would only open on the hour to let pleasure boats through...so we are loping down the water way and I said something about it being 7 miles to the bridge...and we'd left at 7:15 to make the 8:00 opening...well, at 7.5 mph we weren't gonna make it...Floyd hit the throttles and before I knew what happened we were flying...19 mph seemed so fast...but, hey, we made the 8:00 opening...the rest of the day seemed so sllllloooooowww...saw a herd of goats taking care of the grasses on an island...felt and saw the ocean...analyzed the barnacles growing on the docks...and saw another lighthouse...this one was for real...Pulled into Federal Point Yacht Club right on schedule and discovered springtime in North Carolina...seems there was this threesome of male ducks ...mating in the water...yep, I have evidence...

Georgetown to Myrtle Beach...long hot day...full of some new and interesting experiences. Just when you think you've seen it all...it's a tram car...over the waterway...taking golfers from their cars to the golf course on the other side. ...and then signs that we were closer to New York City than Miami...and then of all things, a discount mall with its own marina...and Floyd drove right on by ....I was having a small stroke... then along came another distraction...and old guy on a jet ski...he drove along beside us for quite awhile...talking about our boat, the great loop experience we were having...then he'd speed off, only to return and repeat the whole thing. Floyd insisted that he was hitting on me...but no thanks. Coquina Marina entrance was marked by a private lighthouse...probably because there were three marinas/yacht clubs located there and one of them was called Lighthouse Marina. More than a little confusing...but we got it worked out. Kermit the tree frog was left behind there.

With the temperatures around here rising and those deer flies creating havoc...we've decided that early departures make for better days...so for now we'll do our 6-8 hour days earlier...the trip from Isle of Palm to Georgetown was better...though not much we wanted to do there. Stayed at Johnson's Marina, about 2 miles up the river ...small, mom and pop operation...they said there was an alligator...but we never saw him...heard the tree frogs though...and one even rode with us to Myrtle Beach.

Leaving Charleston was a bit of a trick...noting our place among the mega yachts, wind and current issues could have made for an expensive lesson on boatman ship...but hey, Captain Floyd pulled outta there like the champ he is...whew, cause for celebration!!! We passed Ft Sumter and another lighthouse on our short hop to stay at Isle of Palm Marina. We gassed up along the way at Toler's Marina. They were suppose to have a discount and be opened when we arrived...neither of which happened. But another interesting experience at arriving and leaving a dock...could have been another costly lesson...but handled like the true boaters we are...yes, we are getting just a little giddy...

Nighttime on the mega dock was something else...those mega yachts put on quite a show...well worth the price of admission...

So sorry...we've been travelin' hard and I have done a terrible job of keeping you posted on our adventures...photos don't want to upload...so I'll add them in tomorrow...
forgot to mention that during our Charleston stay we were also docked next to sail boats competing in the global ocean race...also going on was the Charleston Spoleto festival...two weeks of cultural activities. Everything from opera and ballet to banjos and home cooking...We happened into a sushi bar just as they were setting up for some African drumming and dancing on the court house steps...what fun!!!

We have seen 5 Historic Mansions, done the Gray Line bus tour, the Slave Market Museum, walked miles and miles, ate sushi and left Charleston without crashing into any mega yachts. We did solve the mystery of the yacht named GAME TIME. We knew it was a sports star, then saw the TALL guy and knew he played basketball. Finally discovered it was Jerry Stackhouse, NBA Mavericks. He and his family love boating and hang out in Charleston for the summer. Pretty cool. We made a short hop to Isle of Palm Marina just 11 miles away, cheap gas, cheap dockage, and laundry day. Tomorrow we head to Johnson's Marina in Georgetown. Watch for photos later...it is hot, hotter, hottest. But at least there are no green headed flies!!!!