LIFE ABOARD IT'S PERFECT IN THE ASHLEY RIVER

MAY 9, 2016

MARLEY STUDIES THE RADAR

SUNSET IN THE ASHLEY RIVER ANCHORAGE

Yes we are still here in Charleston.  Actually it is a great place to be.  For those of you who are not live aboard sailors, there is always a reason to change our sailing plans.  First up would be weather.  On Friday our last look at passage weather showed thunder storms blowing thru Beaufort, North Carolina on Sunday evening when we were to arrive.  After that there were more moving across the country on their way.  Because we are quite comfortable in our anchorage and the anchorage in Beaufort is not quite where we want to wait out thunderstorms, we have stayed put.

REPAIR OF OUR TRUSTY HONDA ?????

From one day to the next life aboard changes.  More often than not it is the weather changing plans but there are many other reasons.  Sometimes it is emergency repairs, fouled anchors or many times just because we want to spend our day doing not much at all.  Dinghy rides, bike rides to the store, walks through neighborhoods in town, visits with other cruisers or a quiet happy hour by ourselves here on It's Perfect will fill our days without much effort.

We are anchored in 30ft of water near the Katie Bell, she is a 76ft cold molded, gaff rigged schooner built by Cameron Ship Yards in Stewiacke, Nova Scotia.  We met the crew after watching divers around their boat trying to free their 500lb anchor from an old concrete mooring and the wreck of a sunken schooner.  After more than 2 hours the divers were finally successful without loosing the anchor or any of their 1000ft of chain.  They came by It's Perfect when they saw us trying to free our anchor from something we were hung on.  After introductions and fouled anchor stories they were kind enough to provide us with the diver's phone number.   The divers came the next afternoon and it took them only 20 min to free our new 55lb Rocna and chain from an abandoned concrete mooring.  The $250 they charged us was well worth having our anchor and chain aboard again.  Just one more unexpected thing that will change the ships plan for the day.

After all the excitement of fouled anchor's we are both anchored at the South end of the anchorage.  Even and Nick Denszmore invited us for a tour.  Evan and Nick are cousins that have been working on this boat for about 5 years, it is still not complete.  After putting her in the water last fall, they came to Charleston and warmer weather in order to continue the work on the boat over the winter.  Their story is amazing and so is the boat, jet drives and all.  Check out their website.

We also have a new neighbor on the dock across the fairway. The M/Y Grace E is on the dock at the City Marina and she is available for charter.  At 239ft she has a crew of 20 and accommodations for 12 guests.  If you are interested chartering her she costs a mere $735,000.00 a week.  Small change for some it seems.  She is one beautiful yacht.