6/13/2026
Hello!
Update: We are in Beaufort North Carolina, anchored behind Fort Macon State Park. We are working our way up the coast toward the cool weather of the northeast and need to take every chance to move northward. Our stay in Charleston was short. The Charleston City Marina was huge. So big that you can call for a golf cart to pick you up from the boat and take you to the parking lot. They have a daily shuttle to West Marine, and the shuttle will drop you off or pick you up anywhere in the city of Charleston. The boats matched the marina. We looked like a little dinghy there. Large yachts were staying there or came and went daily to get fuel and pick up charter passengers. We were able to have a quick visit with my niece, get to West Marine and do laundry before an opportunity to move north came up. Our passage from Charleston to Beaufort NC took two nights. The winds were high and right behind us the last part of the trip. We transited the inlet to Beaufort at 2:30 am on Friday June 12th and anchored behind Fort Macon State Park at 3:30 am. We are looking at options for the next step. We can either go up the intracoastal or sail in the Atlantic around Cape Hatteras. The weather will be the deciding factor.
Some impressions from the past few weeks:
Marinas and
docking:
When you decide
it’s time to stay in a marina it’s easy. Just call them on the VHF radio or by
phone and make a reservation. Getting the boat in the slip is another matter.
Our boat is quite old-fashioned in terms of maneuverability. It has one engine
and no thrusters. Most power boats and many sail boats these days have at least
two engines plus bow and stern thrusters to push the boat sideways. This is
where Al’s experience and skill come in. He started boating before
double-hulled boats, thrusters and joysticks were common. All captains must consider the wind, current
and dock characteristics plus the specific ways their boat performs to dock a
boat. Docking at the Conch Inn and Marina, Marsh Harbor Bahamas required Al’s
skills plus an experienced dock master. We pulled into the marina at noon. The
wind picked up right before we approached the slip, blowing broadside to the
boat. Al had to increase the engine power
to keep the boat moving straight and not get pushed sideways. The mooring lines
were ready on the bow, midship and stern and we knew the dock would be on the
starboard side of the boat. We entered the slip and I threw the dock master the
bow line. He immediately said, “I’ll take the midship line next.” He tied the
bow line off to a piling, came to get the midship line and told Al to put the boat
in reverse. The extra power needed to get in the slip with the wind blowing was
going to slam our bow into the dock. Reverse! Captain, Reverse! We were both
yelling. It worked, and we did not hit the dock. But the wind was blowing our stern
sideways and dangerously close to the boat next to us. The dockmaster tied off
the midship line and jumped on our boat. He made a large loop in the stern line,
stood on the back of the boat, threw the loop into the wind and lassoed the piling
on the first try. Then we could pull the boat over, so it lay straight in the
slip. After that feat, the pressure was off and we finished tying the boat up. The
dock master’s skills were impressive. He was also very personable, calling me “Boss”
when he gave me instructions while we were docking. What a pleasure it was to
meet him and spend time at that marina.
We are unintentionally retracing the steps of our 2011 trip, visiting some of the same places, but 15 years later. What a difference 15 years makes. In the Abacos, most of the buildings and infrastructure were destroyed by hurricane Dorian in 2019. Now every marina is new, most of the houses are new, the stores are new, and there are large businesses dedicated to construction. There seems to be an air of prosperity that was not present 15 years ago. They are somehow maintaining a uniform style to the houses, hotels and restaurants and they do not seem to be building too much. One woman we met who has been coming to the Abacos for decades said that before Dorian the power used to go out regularly in Hope Town. Now the power never goes out because the entire power grid was rebuilt. The owner of Wally’s Fine Dining in Marsh Harbor said their restaurant had not been completely destroyed. The building has a sturdy old colonial feel to it, with Spanish tile floors and an archway separating the property from the street. It was very important to her that they restored the grounds and entryway exactly the way it was. She said people had been coming to her restaurant for generations and she wanted to preserve the original look and feel. She remarked that while many others were interested in updating, she needed to maintain tradition. I can see the importance of both. People had to rebuild and the Abacos seem to have adopted an attractive building style and color scheme. Many establishments show pride in keeping a clean and neat appearance. It was also wonderful to see traditions and history being preserved and honored.
I think that should be it for today.
Thanks so much for reading!
Love and Peace,
Fran Lima
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