DAY ELEVEN -- September 27, 2009

9:21 am -- the Navigator pulls away from Wrightsville Marina with a marine weather forecast which includes thunderstorms and water spouts.   It seems prudent to stay inside and weigh our options mid-day.

11:13 am -- We pass mile marker 300 on the Inland Waterway -- just for perspective -- Coinjock is mile marker 50.  We travel along the Cape Fear River off the coast of North Carolina.  The weather is great -- partly cloudy with no rain and limited winds.

1:40 pm --  we are at mile marker 337.9 traveling on the Little River approaching the Sunset Highway Bridge --  a pontoon bridge with scheduled openings on the hour.   The South Carolina border is three miles away.  It  is slow going today --- but a great ride along the inland waterway.  Mary and I are enjoying this -- we admire and/or criticize all the homes along the way -- we can stand up -- we can go below -- the bouncing around is at a minimum.

The problem is that we cannot go very fast -- Captain Ed must slow down when smaller boats are approaching  Signs reading “You are Responsible for Your Wake” are posted everywhere.  We encounter -- on a couple of occasions -- small boats pulling people (usually kids) on great big inner tubes.  They circle us so they can ride our wake.  It is nerve racking for us because you never know when one of these kids is going to fall off the tube.  Another annoyance are the abundance of jet skis on the water ways -- a real menace -- as they also play with Navigator’s wake

5:11 pm -- we arrive at Wacca Wache Marina -- about 60 miles north of Charleston, SC.  It is a lovely place -- the restaurant is called Hannah Bananas and there is an entertainer tonight  known as:  The Beach Cowboy (Jason Parchert).

After Navigator has been fueled and docked -- Mary and I take showers while Captain Ed gives the boat a thorough washing -- it must have taken him at least ninety minutes.  So Mary and I decide to have a drink at Hannah Bananas.

The Beach Cowboy is most entertaining and it is fun to watch the local patrons -- there is a conch blowing contest -- we decline to participate but enjoy being spectators.

From our table on the patio we have a view of the setting sun.   Eddie finally joins us, insisting that we order another drink -- before he goes back to the boat to cook our dinner.

After a great meal  -- we have a crew meeting to discuss tomorrow’s options.   Destination possibilities are Charleston if we must travel inside -- Hilton Head if the weather allows us to go on the open ocean.

We getting closer!