Getting to Chesapeake Bay has turned out to take a bit longer than I anticipated, but that’s OK. It all about the journey. We are having a great time. We left Stuart, Florida on August 8, 2025 and today we are on our way to Coinjock, North Carolina. We have traveled about 800 miles and have just over 100 more to arrive at our destination, Chesapeake Bay. Last time I blogged, Finito was docked at Amelia Island and our puppy Diesel had become “the mayor.”
Since Amelia Island, we have stopped at Jekyll Island, GA; Sunbury, GA; Isle of Hope, GA; Daufuskie Island, SC; Hilton Head, SC; Beaufort, SC; Charleston, SC; Georgetown, SC; Myrtle Beach, SC; Southport, NC; Swanboro, NC; Beaufort, NC; Oriental, NC; and Bellhaven, NC.
If I had to choose running themes they would be: salt marshes, wide beaches, historic churches, buzzing cicadas, and a reverberating wake from Sherman’s “March to the Sea.” Thankfully many of the ancient oak trees still stand and much of the Deep South today is bustling.
The waters here are alive. Winds, tides and strong currents push through extensive marshes — many, once rice paddies tended by slaves.
Certainly, in specific areas of Georgia and South and North Carolina, there is water contamination, mostly from industry. But unlike the St. Lucie River/ Indian River Lagoon, a combination of tides and marshes regularly cleanses.
Here, one finds massive estuaries and important bird migratory flyways such as Port Royal Sound between Hilton Head and Beaufort, SC; and the Neuse River near Oriental, SC. – which is at its mouth is one of the widest rivers in the United States.
It hasn’t been all Intracoastal or river: From Charleston to Georgetown, Ed insisted on going “outside” in the Atlantic Ocean due to shallow readings inland. I agreed, so long as I could see land and know which way to swim in case Finito stared sinking. Along the way, Okee barfed, but other than that, the wave action wasn’t too bad.
Towns and cities have included old fishing villages, former plantations lands, and incredible historic cities that now attract tourists and modern industries. In fact, many, especially the young, are moving this way. For instance, my niece Evie and her boyfriend Clay live and work in Mount Pleasant/Charleston, South Carolina. They love it there and it was so wonderful to see them and meet their rescue dog, Tiki.
Some estuaries are enormous. Port Royal Sound, mentioned above, lies between Hilton Head and Beaufort, South Carolina and is one of the largest estuaries on the Southeast Coast of the United States. Its salt marshes are key.
According to a Prichard’s Island Research & Living Shores Coalition sign, South Carolina has more salt marsh than any other state on the Atlantic Coast. Half the salt marsh on the east coast is in South Carolina and half of that lies in Beaufort County at Port Royal Sound. Of course, salt marshes serve as nurseries and habitat for numerous species- an entire food chain. Unfortunately, our Indian River Lagoon has seen up to an 85% reduction in salt marsh coverage.
As one would imagine, boating requires more attention in these waters! Charts can’t alway reflect sudden movements of sand. A couple of days ago, while cruising in the Intracoastal Waterway, Finito ran aground in Bogue Sound between Swansboro and Beaufort, NC. Before that, near Southport, we navigated the Cape Fear River and today on our way to Coinjock it will be Albemarle Sound– a body of water that was as rough as an angry ocean last time we went through while on America’s Great Loop.
So before I close, are you curious? 🙂
In case you are, here’s my running aground in Bogue Sound story…
Finito has a five foot draft——
~It was an extremely windy, sunny, gorgeous day and though in the channel, Ed and I sat in the pilot house and watched as Finito’s depth finder slowly went from 12 to 7 feet. And then to 4.2 feet in what seemed a matter of seconds. We had just been discussing how wind could exacerbate the shallowness and we were watching and holding our breath. But when it happens, you still can’t believe it!
Our conversation went something like this:
“Isn’t North Carolina where we got caught in the current on the Loop that time and humiliatingly smacked the dock losing a few fenders in front of all those people?” I inquired.
Ed was not amused as tried to assess the situation.
“Beaufort!” he barked.
“Beaufort, again! We’re on our way there now. I can’t believe it!”
I walked to the stern listening to the engines as Ed unsuccessfully tried to back out. I hollered: “You know sometimes when you try to force things you make them worse!”
Ed ignored me and kept doing the exact same thing.
I stuck my head in the pilot house. “I’m putting Okee in the bedroom.” I said. “This could get hairy! “I could hear Diesel’s loud barking.“Be sure to keep the doors closed so Diesel doesn’t jump overboard!”
As I carried Okee I could hear Ed on the phone with Sea Tow. He matter-a- factly gave coordinates. After I placed Okee on the bed I regrouped and tried to be a good first mate clearing the decks.
Sea Tow arrived, I noticed they never asked any questions, they just helped. This is what Ed always says he wishes I would do. I thought about this. And then, once again, I couldn’t help myself.
“Captian Ed, would you please ask the men if there are more sandbars along the way?”
Ed stared at me and there was silence until I heard a young kind southern voice: “It’s deepest near the red channel markers ma’am…”
“So we should steer left. Thank you so much,” I said shooting Ed my most charming glance.
Ed looked at me sternly, then smiled. Getting there is half the fun, isn’t it? We were underway —leaning port side—- to Beaufort and then Oriental…
Next time I write, we’ll be in Chesapeake Bay!
