Saturday morning, we arose at daybreak.  We pulled anchor and started south.  Suddenly, we knew we were in SC – gunfire in the morning!  About 10 boats had passed us in the river, each camouflaged with grass and carrying duckhunters in camos.  Here and there, we would see them nesting among the tall grass along the river.  About 30 minutes later, we heard gunshots only 200 feet from us on the edge of the river, as two hunters jumped up to dispatch some ducks overhead!  Glad to see the muzzles of their guns pointed up river, not at us.  We didn’t notice any retriever dogs in use, as alligators patrol the edges.  Rough neighborhood.

We continued on to Charleston, about 60 statute miles.  We were fortunate that we arrived at the Ben Sawyer Swing Bridge when we did.  It had sustained electrical damage, and was only opening at 7 AM, 2 PM and 6:30 pm, instead of on the half hour.  We passed through at 2 PM and arrived in Charleston at 4 pm.  We were on the long face dock intended for big boats – 200 mega yachts with fenders bigger than our dinghy.  After settling in to the City Marina, we were interested to see a 134 foot mega yacht dock in front of us.  Continental Drifter III, Jimmy Buffett in town for a day.

On Sunday, September 20, we departed at 7 AM, backing out into the strong incoming tidal current.  Dataw Island Marina is only 50 miles away!