OCt 3 continued

Almost lost all of last post, but thankfully it was saved as a draft as i didn't have the strenght to write it again.. forgive the spelling and grammer errors as i could publish it but seemingly not edit.

Oct 3 cont...
Was even trying to find direction on North Edisto and thought i would poke up Folly's River and spend the day on Folly's beach, but the tide was against and the wind was wrong, so i turned stern to the forces of nature and headed out Stono's Inlet which was gentle except for a close call with a shoal as i cut off the corner between two bouys. The weather made up my mind for me and it as Hilton Head i was pointing for.

Out on the water it was calm seas and light winds. I can see packets of wind off over the water by the way the surface is rippled, then as i get there i pick up a little speed and seem to out run the wind. As the wind picks up the bigger waves are right there with the higher gusts, so much so that it become unclear which is driving what. Wind making wave? of wave making wind. I have also learned to see the sea organize itself after a wind or tide change. We call the sea disorganized when the waves and wind seem not to follow a consistent pattern. Of course the sea knows nothing of this but it is interesting and generally a relief to see swell and waves and wind syncronize after a change in either.

When the wind totally died and i was becalmed, i thought i would take a dip and then i remember my son Claytons snorkel gear which i commandeered for this trip. I got them out, rinsed them off and took the plunge about three miles out in 32 ft a water. It was delightful with the water temp around 78 degrees. I realized i could look under my boat and got a better chance to sand off the barnacles which have been building up after five weeks on the water. i noticed i was lsoing cruising speed over the last couple weeks, and actually though i had engine problems. I don't use the bottom ablative paint that they sell as it is expensive and contains heavy metals to keep critters from attaching themselves to your bottom. With my boat being only 22 ft, i can rub the bottom clean occaisionally. Diving under with the snorkle i nearly drowned myself as the snorkel got pushed sidways while i was unde. hanging onto the side of the boat gasping for air i thought i could do better with just the mask and indded, after twenty of so dives, i had the whole bottom sanded off with floor sanding paper i had brought, including the keel. It was exhasting work to stay under long enough to get much done and then kick out and up to get air, but i gained a knot/ hour with the engine and i can feel the difference in sailing speed. Got a chance to inspect the whole bottom and keel assembly as well as the 18 1/8" holes from before. Bottom is in good shape.

I do seem to have a adventuresome spirt. Saturday at 11:30 pm, i woke in SOuth Edisto inlet and the tide had changed and the wind swung around to the NW as predicted. In less than two minutes i had hauled anchor, furled mainsail and was drifting out under nearly full moon toward open water. All was well until about half a mile out the disorganized seas began. Nothing doing to drift calmly under those circumstance so i cranked up the engine and motored out free of the worst of the kaos. Then as the wind picked up i had a lovely sail to Port Royal sound and had the best of both. I got to find the bouys while they were flashing, and then enter the actuall channel just as the sun was rising. It was even hig tisde and got to cut across the middle ground where the charts said "Breakers"

Back to Hiltonhead harbor where my boat is docked now and leave for Tybee Island Ga this evening if the rain has let up.....