Hi everyone,
Well Ed and I are traveling on the Margarita northbound this week.
Ed and John started the week heading north out of ft. Lauderdale, fl last Sunday.
I flew into Charleston, SC, where they drove up and got me.
John had to fly back to Boston, due to his wife Pat had an a appendicitis, she is out of the hospital and doing fantastic.
Ed and I drove back to where they left the margarita at St. Simons island in Georgia.
The marina is Morning Star, where we had went to that nice restaurant for Ed and John’s
Aunt just last month. A lot of Ed’s cousins live on St.Simmons, it’s really beautiful here.
We decided to go up to the restaurant and eat some of this fabulous shrimp that Georgia is know for instead of cooking on the boat, which was a great choice. We had a lot of laughs with some other boaters traveling to Jacksonville, fl. The shrimp here as everyone knows this is local shrimp, it’s amazing.
The next morning we got on way and started traveling north, saw our favorite dolphins, Eagles and Ospreys.
A little weather was rolling in at the end of the day on Thursday, so we decided to stop at 6:0O pm at another, morning star marina in Savannah,which was a perfect spot. Purchased some diesel and Ed and I cleaned out our engine strainers, they were chuck full of sand, which was a great time to do this work.
Ed said, Meg lets just walk across the street and get some dinner considering we have been running all day and the day before I was up from 3:00am until midnight.
It was another great time out, we found a small independent bistro and the food was really done fantastic, even purchased a homemade brownie to go.
Friday morning we planned on getting on way early the next morning and get some miles under the boat, well the current was going in the wrong direction all day and was slowing us down a lot. I mean a really strong current.
We decided to push on until a little after dark, we found a marina up Jeremy creek, in McClellanville, SC.
The marina was Called Leland oil company and marina and it had great reviews.
I rang the marina and a guy called Rutledge answered and said , no worries just park your boat on our dock and I’ll see you in the morning.
I couldn’t believe his name was Rutledge, I never heard of a name like that before, I had him spell it because I thought that would be a last name.
So I asked, how do you spell that?
Mame, my name is, Rutledge, you know how polite those southern boys are.
When Ed and I arrived in the dark a huge shrimping fleet was there, a really nice looking young guy walked over and grabbed the line for me, in his white flip flops.
As we were talking, he said, yes, I’m the captain of that boat, pointing to the boat that was on our stern. I take it out long lining, he said, we send outl20 miles of line with hooks attached. It is wild he said, I’ll go get you a Mahi.
Today it got too rough out there , it was blowing 40 mph, that’s why I’m here waiting it out.
His name was Brian and he explained to us that he captains the vessels behind us from SC up to Maine and lives to fish.
His wife doesn’t love it too well, but he loves to be at sea.
Brian told me us the three boats that are directly behind us tied together are owned by an ER doctor out of Willmington , NC and he is only one year older then me, I’m, 38.
Also he told us that we have arrived in McClellanville and tomorrow is the largest shrimp fest just walking distance from us, all of the shrimp dishes made all types of ways, bands and events, then the blessing of these fleets.
I asked Brian, where are you originally from ?
he said, Windsor, Ct and he went to Cheeney Tech, in Manchester, for welding, then joined the coast guard where he fell in love with the ocean.
Ed and I couldn’t believe it that he is from our home town,
What a riot, but like I always say it’s ten degrees of separation.
That night we made food on the boat and called it a night so we could enjoy the fun the next day.
Friday morning, Ed saw a young guy walking the dock and Ed said to me,
I think that must be Rutledge?
I replied no way, I don’t think so, he’s too young.
Well Ed was right it was Rutledge Leland The fourth.
His dad is, Rutledge Leland the the third , and he is also the mayor of McClellanville.
We both just started cracking up.
We went to the shrimp festival and walking along the streets everything had a name on it of McClellanville on it, then we saw a famous authors plague that lived here and his name was
Rutledge,
I guess that’s where he got his name, it was really cool.
The town is really cool, very historical and the homes are so unique.
The shrimp fest was a really great time.
I met another person at the little craft show at the festival which I loved her honey and her soaps . I want to sell her stuff in my shop, when I asked her where she is from, she told me I’m from Danielson, CT and my husband is stationed in Groton, CT, I started cracking up. It was just so funny to me.
As we were walking around checking out everything , I saw a really cool old house on the green and a really nice looking girl walks off the porch.
I asked Ed, what’s in that house?
The young lady turned around as she over heard me and said, that’s where I live, that’s my summer house, Do you want o see it?
I started cracking up, I said, sure,
Ed said, I’ll be over near the water, he doesn’t like to get involved…
Well she was having a huge party in her summer get away house and it was really cool.
She told me that she loves this town because it reminds her of mystic, ct.
I said, that’s my. Favorite place,
I can’t wait to get back there.
She told me that Kevin Costner stayed here, he rented this home while he was shooting his movie, Patriot, which was filmed right here.
She hopes not too many people catch on, and rune this town.
Well it was three o. clock and Ed said ,
lets get going and head out and see how far we get.
I agreed and we headed out on our journey north.
We drove until dark again and I called a marina that I liked the name it sounded really cool,It was called Waca Watcha marina.
I was happy to catch someone before closing.
Betsy, said, yes we have space, no worries and a new restaurant just opened and it has a one man guitar entertainer, if your interested.
That’s all she had to say to me, music, I’m all about it.
Perfect timing we rolled into Waca Watcha just about darkness, went to the restaurant and the owner husband and wife introduced themselves to Ed and I.
Thanking us for coming when I asked are they locals, no.
She is from NY, and he is a doctor from Philadelphia, which never thought he would be accepted in the south, really nice people, we will be back.
We are cruising still north bound,
It’s the journey,
Not the destination !
Can’t wait to be back and see everyone at mystic river marina.
Sea you soon,
Love,
Meg and Ed
