Ashepoo River

 TRAVEL DAY 24 - Beaufort, SC to Bennetts Point

March 30, 2023

3.67 Hours/25.3 Miles

    Beaufort was another great anchorage with easy access to shore, plenty of room and protection from winds. We woke to still water and a 5 knot wind. Perfect cruising conditions. 


    Today was a travel day to shorten our ultimate destination of Charleston, SC. We start our day with engine and equipment checks making sure all is fit for the days voyage. I noticed the drag pointer on the fuel filter gauge indicated some restriction so I switched to the #2 filter and changed out the #1. With everything buttoned up we pulled anchor from the mud bottom and headed north. 

    Even though the ICW is well marked, it takes a constant eye on the depth gauge to ensure we are in the channel. It is best most of the time to travel the outer bends as that tends to have the most water while the insides of the bends will be where the shoals build up. The rivers wind back and forth but the route is shortened by dredged cuts. 

One of the many "Cuts" between rivers

    The currents sometimes work in our favor and other times against us. A swift current can also drag trap markers below the surface which can make them hard to spot.


    Its all about reading the current, the tides and the water depth. Our chartplotter gives us the locations of channel markers, bridges, water depths, anchorages and a whole lot of other important details, but your eyes are the best navigational tool. The chart may not line up with what you actually see. Bridges for instance will have their heights published on the chart so we know if we need to ask for an opening, more than once what was on the chart was not what was reality. Bridges will usually have a tide board that gives you the vertical clearance. 

Bridge Tide Board - We're safe on this one

    We made a turn off of the ICW a short distance off the Ashepoo River to Mosquito Creek and our anchorage for the night.  There is not much here in Bennetts Point in Green Pond but a SC Department of Natural Resources facility, a few homes and B&B Seafood. 

B&B Seafood

    We ran the dinghy to the seafood place hoping to get some shrimp to BBQ. The lady at the counter informed us that we were out of luck as shrimping season doesn't start for a month. Darn. We talked with her for a few minutes and she asked where we were from. "Really, I have some good friends in Crystal River that rent a hunt camp from us" she replied. "Who, maybe I know them". "Mike Russ". I was stunned, we were in the middle of absolutely nowhere and she knew folks that we are close friends with! This trip continues to amaze me at the coincidences it produces. 

Teresa at B&B Seafood

    I immediately called one of the Russ' and said "You are not going to believe where I am and who I am talking to!" 

Mosquito Creek Anchorage


    Back to the boat "shrimpless" so burgers it is, a few board games and an hour of TV. Beth had to find out who was going home next on the Bachelor.

Glamping at it's finest

Beaufort to Bennetts Point (Green Pond, SC)




 

   

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