Arrival in Rocky Creek

We had an good and uneventful passage on our first day back traveling arriving in a designated anchorage called Rocky Creek.   They probably should not call it Rocky Creek but rather shifting sandbar creek, or mud creek or, You will probably go aground creek.

All was well as we set the anchor with in a few feet of the spot on the chart.    After we watched the first “Christmas Movie” of the season I noticed that the boat had a slight list to it.   I figured it was laying over a bit due to the current being against the wind and we were lying broad side to the wind (and now rain)   But I also heard a tell tale sign of water lapping agains the side of the boat, indicating that we could possibly be aground.

They say that there are two types of people that travel the ICW:  those who have run aground, and those that will.   We are now in the first catigory.

It was pitch black, sideways rain, no moon and we could not see the shore because of the glare off the rain when we shone the light.   Only the chart plotter and compass.   The chart plotter would not show our orientation because we were not moving, so looking at the compass was the only way to know how we were actually lying.

 

With some persuasion from the engine and windless we got off and got the anchor up and moved down creek a few hundred feet to the deepest spot we could find, after running aground once more.   By the time I had let out enough scope we were sitting in 9 feet of water, but it was low tide, so that was fine.

I posted a note to the Waterway guide with the two spots that were 3 feet deep either side of their marked anchorage spot.

This was not the end of the rain however as we were to find out in the morning.

We were up at first light as we had some challenging shallow spots and timed bridge openings to transit and wanted to be away as soon as we could.

I discovered that in all of the confusion the night before I had left the spreader lights on all night.   Good thing we have a good battery bank!   We burnt about twice as much as we usually do in a night, about 85 Amp hours.    You learn to be careful with electricity when you have to make your own every day!

As we set out we saw the flat bottom of thunder clouds to the north and east.    I had hoped that they were going to pass us by but it was not to be.   It rained that day between 6 and 8 INCHES!

We anchored in a beautiful anchorage at Beaufort SC.  Val has already talked about the difference between these namesake cities of NC and SC.   The rain continued through the night and we worked at drying our outer and under ware out.   The next day we decided to forgo the city tour and press on!

In the morning we saw a fragment of blue sky and some warm temperatures.