Mark and Nicole's Big Adventure

Beaufort, Mosquito Creek, Charleston, Georgetown. We re-acquainted ourselves with these four South Carolina stops as we continued our trip northward. It's a good feeling to return to towns and marinas you know. Plus, it's spring in the south. The azaleas were in full, glorious bloom. As for Mosquito Creek, one of our favorite anchorages, we experienced fully the reason for its name. Them little buggers were prolific and hungry! Cruising past Hilton Head to Beaufort, we enjoyed pretty skies and water. A pod of 10 dolphins, adults and little ones, kept us entertained for several minutes near Hilton Head. The sighting was by far the most impressive of any we've seen on this cruise. In a seemingly purposeful "final act," the entire pod swam next to the boat, the dolphins pressed side to side as they gracefully launched themselves through the water. Lowcountry marshes nearly close enough to touch. Beaufort sunset. Charleston's two marinas on the Ashley River are ho

After our memorable stay at Cumberland Island, we were pumped for more gorgeous Georgia. I should note that many boaters bypass Georgia waters and go outside because of two supremely inconvenient shallow sections of the ICW. For a boat our size, Little Mud River and Jekyll Creek are impassable at low tide. If you choose to boat through Georgia, you pay close attention to the tide charts and are prepared, depending on timing, for either a very early start to the day or an overnight stay on anchor or in a marina to ensure safe passage. The upside of taking the extra time is enjoying a very beautiful part of the country. We spent a night at Jekyll Island Marina so we could traverse Jekyll Creek the next morning on a rising tide. Shallow spots notwithstanding, we had a delightful time exploring this very popular barrier island. Similar to Cumberland, Jekyll Island drew the rich and famous in the early 1900s --  names including Vanderbilt, Morgan, Rockefeller, Pulitzer -- who built summer &

It still surprises me when a trip, any trip, assumes a "theme" that impacts the overall travel experience in an unexpected, marvelous way. For this ICW adventure, the state of Georgia became our special surprise. Heading south, we moved through Georgia's waterways quickly as we were intent on getting to Jacksonville, our winter destination. Even in that brief time, though, we oohed and aahed about Georgia's tranquil waters and stunning morning and evening skies. On our return trip through the same waters, gorgeous Georgia continued to draw us in and we lingered longer. Cumberland Island is the largest of Georgia's barrier islands and is accessible only by boat. It gained notoriety in the late 19th century as a summer sanctuary for the rich and famous. Today it's a magical, mystical place covered by a canopy of dense live oaks, Spanish moss, and palmettos. The lucky visitors that make the effort to explore here can hike and camp, see the ruins of a Carnegie man