Charleston Today...can't remember what day it is

Up early for once since Sunday when the boat started rocking like a van on prom night...it was a freighter that had just passed our marina and I'm so glad I got to see it.  Quiet, Huge...talks softly and carries a big stick.  And it also gave me the opportunity to get you another sunrise photo so you don't go into sunrise photo withdraw.

This morning's alarm clock

I then rallied Mark and Jon to go for a jog...I don't know that they fully understood what I had in mind but somewhere along the line (around mile 2), I lost them.  I had an awesome 4.25 mile run that took me along the Battery waterfront and had it not been for my knee (aka, I'm old and got tired) I could have made it back to the boat.  Gotta work off beer, pizza, wings and BBQ somehow.  Mark and Jon managed to beat me back to the boat.  It's almost as if they didn't run as far as me, crazy huh?

I have a feeling they are not having fun

Part of my run

Very nice run view

The good news was that the UPS guy was delivering our part when Mark happened to be at the office...well before noon.  We couldn't find anyone local but got the part from Annapolis in less than 24 hours.  I'll give a shout out to Bayshore Marine for that one!  They came through!  So the guys got to work on the engine and I could not even being to tell you what I did.  Seriously, I have no idea.  Oh wait, I just realized that I worked for a while while they fixed the engine...wow, how quickly we forget.

Within record time they had the part in and the engine up and running.  Pretty awesome job fellas!  For a fun summary of that project, please take a look at Mark's Captain's Log entry!  He's good at downplaying things but the work they did was a really big deal and anyone else would have had to pay out the nose to have it done unless they happened to be aircraft engine mechanics or engineers or building their own airplane or "diesel engine whisperers".  Score one for the gearheads!!

Then we had a nice visit with Island Kaiya, Riaan and Brenda.  What a treat.  Discussions were had, plans were made, decisions finalized.  We are heading out Friday a.m. from Charleston Harbor to one of two options into the area around Beaufort, SC (aka Parris Island for all you USMC folks).  I am very happy to get my wish of one more day here.  When we do leave, it will be a one day (emphasis on the 'day') trip out and we'll need to find a good strong anchorage by sunset Friday because 20-25+ knot winds are predicted to make there way in overnight and all day Saturday.  Again for parents reading this, there is no freakin' way in hell I am going out on the ocean in that type of wind on Saturday or any other day...nor will I allow your sons to do it either.  I'm pretty cool, I like to think, but I promise I will go "full on Manassas" if that is even mentioned ;-)

After that nice visit, Mark connected with Pamalynn who are heading out tomorrow a.m. for a long trip from here to Brunswick, FL.  We are going to be sending them our best for a good trip and for fair winds because it will be about 30 hours out for them.  I miss them and do hope very much we see them again soon.  They were so kind to take us under their wing!  Thank you again, Ed and Pam. XO

Of course, no day for us would be complete without bad eating choices...so off we went in search of Nick's BBQ.  How do you say?   YUMMMMMM!  Then we popped to the Apple Store where I played with the new 6+ while Mark and Jon were forced to assimilate and make an appointment to meet with an Apple Genius so they can get new batteries.  When I heard this I was all, "WHAT?!".  There was other commentary but I don't want to offend any one more than I already have with my post comments.  So then we walked back to the market, complaining about Apple the entire way of course.  I picked up some sawgrass tiny baskets (tiny because they charge way too much for them and I didn't have $500 on me at the time) and met them at Henry's on the roof for a beer.  I walked in and looked around the bar when an older fella asked, "Are you meeting an internet date here?"  Me, "Ha ha, no...well lemme see if my boyfriend is upstairs."  Him:  Hardy laugh.  Oh I am just the funniest.

Cool Station

Cute

Nick's BBQ - Yum!

Does anyone know what they are doing with this facade?

Then we returned to the boat and immediately got out our Apple computers and proceeded to tappy tap tap tappity tap not speaking for the next two hours LOL.  Mark keeps threatening to have us lay all of our devices out for a shaming photo...not sure the table is big enough for:  Three Apple laptops, one Surface Pro, one Dell Laptop, two iPhones, one iPod Touch, one vintage iPod, one Kindle, one MIFI hotspot, and one Palm Pixi.  Zoinks!!

We need help, I mean seriously.

Tomorrow we will enjoy this fine city for the last time (for now) including a big trip to Harris Teeter for provisions.  Then we will leave our marina in the early afternoon, get dieseled up, get water topped off and meet Island Kaiya at a staging anchorage so we can head out early in the morning on Friday.  Did I mention I want to live here...I just need $1.8M please (found a nice 4 bedroom 3.5 bath house with roof top terrace).  XO Suzanne

It's going to be hard to say goodbye!