Off To Hilton Head

[menzies]

We have a few things happening around the house this week and I have my annual physical on Friday (finger test and all!).

We are planning on leaving on Saturday 10th, cruising to St Simon's. Staying at Golden Isles for two nights. I am still limited to marinas rather than anchoring due to the back.

Then on to Hilton Head and staying at Shelter Cover for three nights.

Now member Cruzer mentioned Sunbury Crab Company, which is between St Simon's and Hilton Head, so we will try them out (though they are not open Monday and Tuesday so so may have to try them out on the way back)!

After that back to St Simon's Friday night and home Saturday. A nice comfortable week's trip.

Wish we could run outside but the WX is not cooperating!

Anyone in the area, give us a shout. The AIS is always on.

 

[menzies]

WX calls for 2 feet outside today so we going out St Catherine's Sound to Hilton Head. Avoiding Hells Gate which we would have hit at dead low tide too!

 

[Cruzer]

Looks like you should be having a beautiful day out there - enjoy! We spent six weeks at Shelter Cove at the end of last year. Sebra, the Dockmaster, and Jason, the Harbormaster are two of our favorite marina people anywhere - please be sure to tell them ahoy from the OLOH Crew and have a great stay. Love the fall in the northeast but definitely a bit jealous of the warm weather you're having. Looking forward to more pictures.

 

[menzies]

Looks like you should be having a beautiful day out there - enjoy! We spent six weeks at Shelter Cove at the end of last year. Sebra, the Dockmaster, and Jason, the Harbormaster are two of our favorite marina people anywhere - please be sure to tell them ahoy from the OLOH Crew and have a great stay. Love the fall in the northeast but definitely a bit jealous of the warm weather you're having. Looking forward to more pictures.

We had planned to stay at Shelter Cove but when we called to book last Tuesday the girl who answered said that the HarborMaster was the only one who could reserve a slip and was out until Saturday. Also she believed there was a waiting list. Since we are arriving on Monday we couldn't wait until Saturday to call.
So we booked into Windmill Harbor. It is a locked community like ours (there are three of them on the east coast). We have a slip right by the South Carolina Yacht Club, and we already sent them a letter from our club which has recipricols!

Apart from that we will have to Uber over to Shelter Cove for dinner one night and a stroll through the stores.

 

[Cruzer]

We had planned to stay at Shelter Cove but when we called to book last Tuesday the girl who answered said that the HarborMaster was the only one who could reserve a slip and was out until Saturday. Also she believed there was a waiting list. Since we are arriving on Monday we couldn't wait until Saturday to call.
So we booked into Windmill Harbor. It is a locked community like ours (there are three of them on the east coast). We have a slip right by the South Carolina Yacht Club, and we already sent them a letter from our club which has recipricols!

Apart from that we will have to Uber over to Shelter Cove for dinner one night and a stroll through the stores.

Ah - got it. We know some folks at Windmill Harbor and they love it. While I understand we would fit in their lock, I'm told it would be tight. Looking forward to hearing your thoughts on the marina. Safe travels.

 

[Medic]

Our home port is Shelter Cove, and we are looking at perhaps buying a home and a slip in Windmill Harbour. So, what a coincidence, huh?

It all hinges, unfortunately, on if my business rebounds in the spring. Our revenues in 2020 are almost zero, AND we are continuing to support about 18 full time employees working to make 2021 happen. After 37 years in business I didn't think a virus, and the ensueing hysteria would be what led to our possible failure. Oh, well.

I would love to hear what you think of the locking system and slips at Windmill Harbour. I have lots of experience with locks and love the idea of keeping my boat at Windmill. We will be aboard Mimi's Oasis starting October 13 for a couple of weeks.

 

[fryedaze]

WX calls for 2 feet outside today so we going out St Catherine's Sound to Hilton Head. Avoiding Hells Gate which we would have hit at dead low tide too!

Hell Gate was dredged last year. Do you know of new problems since then?

 

[Medic]

Ah - got it. We know some folks at Windmill Harbor and they love it. While I understand we would fit in their lock, I'm told it would be tight. Looking forward to hearing your thoughts on the marina. Safe travels.

Cruzer,

Well, an inch is as good as a mile, someone said. If you can fit I think you would enjoy Windmill Harbour. Just think of somewhere there is never any tide. Sounds good, huh?

All that said I have never used a slip there, yet. I did get time to talk to the lockmaster one day. Nice gig if you can get it by the way. He showed me the system for after hours use. Basically, you tie up just out side the lock, somebody gets out of your boat and punches in some codes on the control panel, the lock fills or lowers depending if you are coming in or going out, the gate opens, you go in, you tie up, someone gets back out and continues the control panel protocol, you leave the marina or come in - whichever, and you are done. Looks minimally complicated but the waters are pretty much calm, the lock is large enough either to take you or not, and there it is. If coming in there is, as I said, no question whatsoever about water depth. I think I remember it being 8' but I don't quite recall why I think that. I draw 4'11" so I'm good. Anyhow, very nice community, and the South Carolina Yacht Club is right there. I toured it with the facilities manager and it's a very nice place.

 

[menzies]

Hell Gate was dredged last year. Do you know of new problems since then?

Haven't been through in two years, below from WWG.

Wonder how long a dredge lasts there!

Hell Gate has been dredged to 12.1 MLLW. However, there is a 9.8 MLLW spot at the southern exit, halfway between G91 and R92. It was not dredged there due to a buried electrical cable. The 10/17/2019 USACE survey in Aqua Map is shown with the 5/15/2020 Bob423 track as a blue dotted line.

 

[menzies]

Cruzer,

Well, an inch is as good as a mile, someone said. If you can fit I think you would enjoy Windmill Harbour. Just think of somewhere there is never any tide. Sounds good, huh?

All that said I have never used a slip there, yet. I did get time to talk to the lockmaster one day. Nice gig if you can get it by the way. He showed me the system for after hours use. Basically, you tie up just out side the lock, somebody gets out of your boat and punches in some codes on the control panel, the lock fills or lowers depending if you are coming in or going out, the gate opens, you go in, you tie up, someone gets back out and continues the control panel protocol, you leave the marina or come in - whichever, and you are done. Looks minimally complicated but the waters are pretty much calm, the lock is large enough either to take you or not, and there it is. If coming in there is, as I said, no question whatsoever about water depth. I think I remember it being 8' but I don't quite recall why I think that. I draw 4'11" so I'm good. Anyhow, very nice community, and the South Carolina Yacht Club is right there. I toured it with the facilities manager and it's a very nice place.

Well we got in. The lock is much smaller than ours and you have to be very mindful of the current as you enter the channel. We had to crab in then straighten out.

Then as our nose got into the lock my thrusters quit! So instead of trying to get down an unknown fairway and backing into an unknown slip they kindly put us on the face dock right outside the yacht club?

Haven't looked at the thruster issue yet. It runs off the 8D engine batteries that are showing 27v. So not batteries. After I leave it for a while they work for a couple of seconds then stop. That sounds like the thermal protection to me, but I hardly touched them on the way in, and have certainly used them more extensively before.

We are here for three days so will try them tomorrow and see what happens.

 

[menzies]

5pm and it's sunny, 84 feels like 88!

WX calls for seas of 1.6 to 2 feet for the rest of the week.

We are staying here until Thursday morning then going in at St Catherines (anchor if we can be legal or tie up at Kilkenny).

Friday in at St Simons, tie up at Morningstar.

Saturday in at Cumberland, anchor off the island.

Sunday in at Mayport and home!

That fix will last me a couple of days anyway!

 

[BandB]

5pm and it's sunny, 84 feels like 88!

WX calls for seas of 1.6 to 2 feet for the rest of the week.

We are staying here until Thursday morning then going in at St Catherines (anchor if we can be legal or tie up at Kilkenny).

Friday in at St Simons, tie up at Morningstar.

Saturday in at Cumberland, anchor off the island.

Sunday in at Mayport and home!

That fix will last me a couple of days anyway!

Wifey B: 5:45 PM and 86 degrees here with a cool salt breeze off the water. Still envy you being in Hilton Head.

 

[menzies]

Wifey B: 5:45 PM and 86 degrees here with a cool salt breeze off the water. Still envy you being in Hilton Head.

We had a nice surprise. Because of a bow thruster issue we tied up at the face dock at the South Carolina Yacht Club instead of in the Windmill Harbor Marina proper.

Because we are from a reciprocal club we got the first night free and it was $56 a night for the other two!

Booked for dinner there tonight and tomorrow night!

https://www.scyachtclub.com/

 

[menzies]

The great view from our dinner table this evening - and I don't mean the sunset?