Monday 11/20/2017 -  Beaufort SC Layover

I got in a little late (around 4pm) but I had decided to try hard to make it here since this is a town I've always wanted to visit AND I need marina power to run my small space heater (the forecasted low was 40 degrees).  I got settled and did my first "load" of laundry in the galley sink.  It went reasonably well but I'm not sure the marina or the patrons appreciated seeing all my underwear hanging on the lifelines but I didn't have enough for a full load at the laundry.  I was a little unhappy with a couple things related to the Marina but the next morning I took my first walk into town and my attitude about Beaufort changed.  The houses in the historic district are beautiful.  There is lots of Spanish moss hanging from the trees that really adds to the charm.  At noon, I moved the boat over to the cities free "day only" dock and went for another walk to look a the large homes on Bay Street (along the waterfront).  I was really impressed.  Everyone looks so well maintained that a photo taken at any time could be on the cover of a magazine.  I also liked the downtown.  It was a compact but "real" downtown.  It had lots of nice shops and businesses.  On the back side of the businesses that line the south side of Bay street is a really nice waterfront garden area and brick waterfront walk.  I was sure glad I stopped here and spent the day.  Just before leaving the dock, I ran into a couple (Tina and Mike).  I had met them at Osprey Marina about a week before.  They told me they and another boat were going to leave at noon the next day to go offshore from Port Royal Inlet to St. Mary's River inlet - and wanted to know if I wanted to join them.  I told them I'd give it some thought but that there was a good chance I would - based, in part, on Mike having done lots of checking into tidal currents out and in, weather, swells, etc.  I went out and anchored the boat and started doing my own research into weather etc.  I concluded it was a good idea. 

Later in the afternoon, at anchor, the current shifted in the river. When it did, the anchor rode wrapped around the keel - as it had done about a week before during the night.  This time, I did some "googled" reading and ended letting out an additional 30 feet of rode.  The line sank before the current could run over the line and the line cleared the bow (and the keel).  I still need to come up with a better/long term solution.