We're home!

We got up shortly before 0800, had breakfast, tied up and did a last minute check of securing the boat. All was good.

The marina where CS'ta Time is (condos in a gated community).

We met the dockmaster/manager and also part owner of the marina at 1100. He drove us to the Charleston airport and everything went according to plan. We had a stopover in Atlanta and then transferred planes to Toronto. Flights were on schedule and we were in Toronto at 1700. Slight delay here as we had to wait half an hour for a gate to clear in order for us to disembark. Our close friend, Chris, was there to meet us and the drive to Barrie was uneventful. Funny, nothing has changed in the 3-1/2 months we have been gone!

We arrived at our daughter's just after 1900 and she arrived home shortly after that. It was good to see her and be at her house. Poor CS'ta Time though, all by her lonesome in a far away marina!

Might not do much blogging while we are home.

We survived the winds last night! Before turning in for the night at 2200, we checked the instruments and the wind was gusting to 35 kt in our marina. Yikes - I was feeling for Diana and Gilbert at anchor. The worst was supposed to be at 1 a.m. The temp also dropped to the freezing mark, quite unusual for this time of year in S.C. We awoke to blue sunny skies but boy it was cold. Our electric heater had a hard time keeping up with the temp! (Glad to report Diana and Gilbert also survived the winds.)

We had a busy day today getting ready for heading home. The marina staff drove me into town so I could do laundry while Jorge got the boat ready. We took the motor off the dinghy and secured it, then raised the dinghy and secured it as well. Jorge put extra lines out - just in case - and he put a tarp on the boat to help keep it clean (from the birds and their droppings.) I busied myself with getting the paperwork ready for home as well as packing.

The dockmaster is driving us to the airport tomorrow and one of the employees is picking us up when we return. It is not a big marina with a lot of amenities so they make up for it in hospitality. The write-ups we read on the marina sold us on coming here (good protection from wind and waves, little current and very friendly staff) as we had to back track an hour from Charleston, seemed like we were going the wrong way.

Things are ready for our visit home!

We got up at our usual time around 0800 and had a lazy morning. I poked my head out of the boat around 1000 and saw Diana and Gilbert leaving for a better anchorage to wait out the expected bad weather tonight. So last night was not the end of seeing them for a while.

I made a picnic lunch because Jorge and I had decided previously to visit the Karpele's Manuscript Museum. A few days ago when we were in the Visitor's Centre we noticed an exhibit on Eva Peron, aka Evita, so we decided it was on our list of sites to visit. We arrived to the Museum right around noon so we decided to eat lunch before seeing the exhibit. We parked ourselves on the verandah of the museum (previously a church) and enjoyed lunch in the sunshine and warm weather (low 20s).

We met the curator of the museum who gave us a brief history of the church turned museum and the owner, a wealthy real estate guy from California. He had started collecting manuscripts many, many years ago and has about four or five museums in which he displays them. The Evita manuscripts included personal letters she had written as well as speeches and some legal documents. It was a brief history of her life and accomplishments. Of course it held very dear ties for Jorge.

Karpeles Manuscript Museum

 

After the museum we walked back to the dinghy and came across Diana and Gilbert who had just finished doing groceries! So much for saying our good-byes last night and this morning.

Jorge and I got back to CS'ta Time and weighed anchor heading for our marina. It was about an hour's travel time and we arrived at 1630, settled in and then had happy hour, just the two of us. We secured the boat with extra spring lines as the wind forecast was now up to gusts of 45 kt. during the night. Sure enough by 2000 we were beginning to feel the wind pick up. Jorge's sentiments were "let it blow, let it blow, let it blow" we were well protected!

Tomorrow will be a laundry and packing day as we are heading home the day after, only two more sleeps!

Got up this morning around 0730. We had made arrangements to pick up Diana and Gilbert at 0900 and go to the aquarium today. We got there shortly after 1000 (yes it was a long walk) and stayed until 1400. It was more than an aquarium because they had birds, animals and reptiles on display as well. Lots of pictures and videos so here goes . . .

Rescued injured bald eagle now flightless.

Jorge in a replica of a bald eagle's nest.

Boa constrictor, almost fully grown, about 6' long.

Vulture.

Albino alligator.

Baby alligators.

Better picture of the baby alligator.

Crane.

Pelican.

Same pelican - different position.

Bird of unknown species to me.

 

Otters.

 

Schooling fish.

 

Aquarium full of ocean fish.

 

Huge sea turtle.

 

Moray eel.

 

The "Pride" tour boat of Charleston Harbour.

 

A real ham of a seagull having a bird bath.

 

The edible blue crab. However the females are not to be eaten, identified by the "red fingernails".

 

There now you have been to the South Carolina Aquarium!

 

The rest of the afternoon we spent wandering around downtown. Gilbert got his drill bit, Jorge is still without his newly found favourite beer (they don't appear to sell it this far south), Diana got most of her jobs done and likewise for me . . . therefore a great day!

 

We had happy hour on CS'ta Time with Diana and Gilbert and then a few sniffles as we said good-bye promising to meet up again hopefully in Florida. Jorge and I had decided to take the marina a day earlier than booked. High winds (25 to 30 kt, gushing to 40) tomorrow evening and the next day, actually gale warnings in effect, and low temperatures are expected so we figured what the heck - head for shelter!

Diana and Gilbert took a slip at a marina last night as her brother and sister-in-law were visiting. We visited them there this morning and took advantage of free showers after breakfast. I had been neglecting the kitchen duties so had a sink full of dishes to do first! (Conserving water - dishes only get done once a day.)

I had mixed feelings this morning. Many of the cruisers in the anchorage had left, leaving us behind. In a way I wanted to get going but know that we are heading home in a couple of days and am so looking forward to that. I'll just have to be patient and know that our turn to head south will come on November 27.

We had lunch on the boat and went into town. I had three things in town I wanted to do and got one accomplished so it was a pretty good day. Our motto is "one day - one job". Anything more than that is pushing it! Don't ask me where the time goes but it takes forever to get anything done on the boat and its not because we are bad time managers. Others cruisers say the same thing. Cruising is a lot of work! (But enjoyable and exciting work.)

This bird has it right, a siesta in the afternoon!

One of the many old churches in Charleston, S.C.

 

One park boosts having an Angel Oak with a canopy of branches spanning 17,000 sq ft!

 

Every second Sunday in the month, one of the major streets in town closes down and there is virtually a "promenade day" with restaurants having outdoor patios, shops with their goods on sale on the sidewalks, etc. We were lucky enough to hit that second Sunday today and we walked the many blocks like tourists eyeing everything. That was one of the reasons we only got one thing accomplished today.
 

Street artists playing on 2nd Sunday on King Street (the name given to the "promenade day" here).

 

We ran across Diana and Gibert at the grocery store. Their job today was to find a hardware store as Gilbert needed a drill bit. Well they found the store but it was closed so their one job didn't get done! See this cruising life is not easy. And the wine store we went to was closed on Sundays! (Imagine that.)  Oh well, there is always tomorrow but we want to visit the aquarium. Hopefully that job will get done.

Just outside the marina where we land the dinghy, we met a couple from Charleston who have been living on their boat and have cruised the Bahamas and Florida. We exchanged info and they invited us to visit them at their marina - a possibility but we are running out of time here in Charleston.

The day was warm and mostly sunny, we only needed light jackets in the morning and by mid afternoon we were carrying them. High teens to low 20s.

Back to the boat for dinner and a quiet evening.

As far as big winds go, last night was definitely better. Jorge was up though, hearing something in the mast, me - I heard nothing.

It was cool in the boat this morning, 15C, although I will not complain especially having received an email from the Rogans, complete with pictures of snow in Oro. Yikes!

We gathered ourselves together and headed out in the dinghy stopping first to touch base with the couple from Argentina. We chatted for a bit at their boat however had to postpone getting together until a later date as they are heading out early tomorrow morning and had to get ready.

Sign outside a convenience store at the marina.

 

Off we went into Charlestown to meet up with Jim and Bonnie (from Long Island who we met in Elizabeth City) for lunch. Afterwards, Jorge and I toured the farmer's market and a few other sites. One was the Old Slave Mart Museum, literally the site of a slave auction house! We then walked Rainbow Row - a road with multicoloured homes on it, the waterfront, and a craft market. Lots of walking today.

Road made with field stones.

Same road.

George Washington Park, one of the city's many parks.

The Old Slave Mart Museum.

 

Tour the city by horse and carriage.

Rainbow Row.

Rainbow Row again.

Gas laterns at entrance to a house.

Check the name of this local bar.

United States Custom House.

 

We got back to the boat and had a quick supper as Jim and Bonnie were coming over for a visit. They left by 2100 and we called it a day.

Well it was a good thing we had an excellent sleep the night before last 'cuz last night's sleep wasn't so great. In fact it was down right horrible. The wind picked up, 15 to 20 kt with gusts 25+. Poor Jorge was awake and checking the anchor more than he was asleep. As for me, well I stayed in bed but was awake with the sounds of the gusts and with Jorge checking the anchor. The anchorage was quite exposed and this morning there were a number of boats reanchoring! Thankfully we were not one of them. There was no morning tea in the cockpit today as the temp was cool again, 15C in the boat when we woke up but the sky was blue and the sun was out.

This "sailboat" should be removed from the mooring ball by the harbourmaster!

 

Diana and Gilbert arrived at this anchorage around noon. It had been windy for them as well across the harbour. They anchored next to us (Kind of Magic from HYC was one of the boats that reanchored this morning).

Jorge and I went into town after lunch. We caught the local free trolley and took the scenic route downtown. We got off at the Visitor's Centre and picked up brochures on local attractions. We walked a few of the streets downtown and then decided to walk back to the boat - about a 20 minute walk. We may have been over dressed while walking in town but by the time we got back to the dinghy we were glad we had put on the extra clothes.

Charleston free trolley (reminds me of Annapolis).

Old railway engine exhibit not open yet (picture taken through the window).

Same railway car.

Charleston Music Hall.

Charleston old architecture.

Methodist Church.

We met Diana and Gilbert at the dinghy dock, they were returning from town as well, and accepted an invite to their boat for a drink.

Tonight promises to be a better night - winds are much calmer. More sightseeing tomorrow.