18 April, 2021 Straddling SC/NC

34SM; 5.2 hours

What a beautiful and peaceful anchorage last night.  Bass boats went to bed at sunset and water became like glass.  Waccamaw river anchorage  Too much cloud cover to gaze at the stars and my eyelids might have been shut too.  Early morning coffee, navigation, route study and bible study with internet church service.  Yanmar diesel fired right up and we hoisted the anchor a 0800.  The first 5 miles tranquil.  The next 30 or so miles boring ditch travel with heavy residential and commercial build up either side of the AICW.  Just not pretty in our opinion, but folks have spent a bunch of bucks to have their waterfront property jacked up high on stilts.  

One swing bridge advertised as 11 foot clearance; might be tight for us.  Kim at helm seat as I went to the bow as we approached the bridge on a rising tide.  Nope, don't think we will fit.  We made a quick u-turn before entering the bridge and called the bridge tender.  After a bit the bridge did a very slow pivot and 15 minutes later we passed through, waving at the bridge tender up on the cat walk.

Socastee swing bridge

Because of the build up, congestion and man-made nature of this section of the AICW there were zero good anchor options until too far into NC.  So we opted for the only real option here in Calabash creek which is opposite Little river inlet.  Arriving after lunch we set the anchor once but I felt we were too close to the narrow channel and the second time location seems better.  1300 we were good to go in 10 feet of 72 degree water.  While my charts show this as very shoaled up, surprisingly, many large sightseeing boats have passed.  Most have been courteous and slowed reducing their wake.  Extremely busy AICW about a mile away which we can see from the anchorage.  Should get better as the daylight ends.  Kinda creepy anchorage area as there are many derelicts left to pollute the visual and environmental scene.

Two of many

Chicken noodle soup awaits in the thermal pot.  Forecast light winds and partly cloudy skies as we watch the sunset.

Up Calabash creek with Little river inlet to the south

3150 SM traveled; 1594.7 hours hobbs