Friends We Have Yet to Meet

“Have we met before?” Brenda asked this good-looking guy at a Looper gathering last night.  As their eyes met, he gave little to no response (you know the look… when you’re going way back into your memory closet, trying to somehow find some sort of a recollection…).  Then the attractive woman next to him came to his rescue and asked, “Does he remind you of someone famous?”  Brenda’s response…”Maybe that’s it!”  The ensuing conversation (Mike included) with the Welsh-accented Quentin and American Caline—a couple from New York City who love boating and traveling (jokingly, “half”-Loopers—not officially looping, but have boated at least half of America's Great Loop from Canada to the Bahamas!) left us parting ways with plans to reunite before we begin cruising up the Hudson River. 

Yesterday we took our bikes to shore and rode the “The Spanish Moss Trail” to the little town of Port Royal.  We continued to Sand Beach, had lunch at “Fish Camp,” visited the National Military Cemetery, and revisited Beaufort’s antebellum neighborhood.  At the end of the day, we picked up mail at the Marina Office and returned to the moored Velsignet.   While Mike was working in “the office” (salon) and Brenda in the kitchen (salon), moored boat neighbors and fellow Loopers Betty and Mike (MV “Mon Ami”) stopped by in their dinghy to announce that a Looper Docktail gathering was starting NOW under the marina gazebo.  We dropped what we were doing.  Mike packed the backpack with something for us to drink.  Brenda added cut-up veggies to share.  We were back in the dinghy in no time.  Off to join friends we had yet to meet!

It’s a clear and sunny morning in Beaufort, SC.  The temp is currently 66 degrees and the high will be near 82 degrees.  The SE wind is 3 mph with gusts up to 6 mph.   Low tide will be at 12:40 pm and high tide is at 7:10 pm.  Our water depth is ample in the waterways today so cruising towards Charleston, SC on a lowering tide should not be a problem.  We’ve plotted our route for the day—just 32 miles—and will anchor this evening, arriving in Charleston on Wednesday.  Reservations are made at the Charleston Mariner Center marina, Sunday brunch reservations made at “The Husk” (Celebrated Chef Travis Grimes is the nephew to Long Lake friend and neighbor Pat Grimes), and we’re in communication with our niece, Claire Brolsma of Charlotte, NC for getting together at some point.  Ready to take off!

I think the Beaufort sign is indicative of the charming town.  Our Long Lake friend and neighbor, Jay Johnson, recommended we visit this place and we're so glad we did!  Jay and his wife, Jane, visited this area many years ago and he remembered Brunswick Stew, the Carriage Ride and Chocolate Popcorn!

This photo is of the marshland along the path to the Sands Beach.  It's not a beach you'd swim in the water...tides are strong and bottom is said to be "pluff mud."  

Another photo depicting the "low country."  We've come to appreciate this scenery as we gain an understanding of how the tides ebb and flow through it.

This was taken from an observation deck off a wetlands path in Port Royal.  The brown you see in the flat area is actually water...covered with an algae that one often sees in water that doesn't flow.  The many birds were singing and swooping around.  Because there were signs warning of alligators, we looked for alligator eyes to be peeking through the surface, but alas, we did not see any.

The Spanish Moss Bike Trail is a paved trail that spans a total of about 16 miles.  It's a pleasure to ride on!

This National Cemetery has buried in it those who died in the Civil War and all wars since for which the US has been involved.  It's a sobering place.  More sobering is that during the Civil War, more than 45% of the those buried were unknown and therefore unnamed.