Blue Horizon Adventures: Turs Nov 7 - In which we do not pileup in the Rockpile

Calabash Creek to Heritage Plantation Marina

Hey! We’re still alive! We did not crash into any of the wrecks, or other boats, nor did anyone hit us from the channel we were near. All of Rick’s worrying paid off. I figured he had that bit covered, so I slept just fine…

We had to get up early (what else is new – blah blah blah) so we could get through “The Rockpile” with a rising tide. The Rockpile is a 4 mile stretch of the Intracoastal Waterway that is very narrow – so narrow that there is barely room for two boats to pass each other. And if a barge is coming through it, you can’t make it and have to turn around and flee. As a bonus, there are many rock outcroppings on either side of the channel just waiting to smash your propeller. In fact, as you enter the area you do a ‘securite’ call on the radio to let boats traveling in the opposite direction know you are coming. We did run into another boat coming the other way but fortunately we were at a slightly wider section and passed without incident. Although I did glance over and notice that Rick’s knuckles were a little white.

Look at these amazing old HUGE buoys

We had thought to anchor for the night at Cow House Creek (isn’t that usually called a barn?) but since we were so early (due to getting me up AGAIN at an early hour), we continued on and decided to stay in a marina – Heritage Plantation. As forecast was for rain and strong wind, we felt happier tied to a dock. (Let me just assure you that I will ALWAYS feel better on a dock – but I am also cheap and a dock charges from $1.00 up per foot, plus electricity. So the safe vs. frugal conundrum will continue to plague me). We got our bikes down and rode into “town” (Food Lion and liquor store) and stocked up on the essentials (arugula and frozen pizza). Lots of Spanish moss in the trees now, plus we are supposed to be on the alert for alligators.