We left Little River inlet with a goal of heading to Charleston. We were the last boat out, getting a later start with the idea of arriving Charleston Harbor in daylight.
Initially, sailing was good and we were able to sail all day. It was mostly a beam reach in light winds and we sailed with full main and Genoa.
Dolphins were regulars at the boat. We could see them under the clear water. There were several jumps that were not caught on camera but we are getting better. We also passed large schools of baitfish that were being pursued from above and below .
Most of the day we were on bearing 210. The sun was behind our sail until about 2 pm when it finally came to the west side of our boat and warmed us up.
Sunset was beautiful. After dark, the winds dropped and we motor sailed and then just motored. The stars were out but we missed the moon. Next time we do a night passage we not only need to check the wind, tides, sea state and weather but also the moon phase.
Night travel was exciting and full of dread. We really were reliant on our electronics. We could not see much. We were able to see and identify other boats on our chart plotter. We saw Wind Dancer, a passenger ship. Sailing vessel Nyah, and several other large ships were anchored outside the harbor. Every now and then, we could hear a loon call or a splash reminding us that there are others using this waterway.
As I finish this post, we are approaching Charleston Harbor. It is still dark but we are hoping the sun returns in an hour or so. We have a reservation at the Seabreeze Marina. We look forward to a nap in the cozy cabin.