I moved along on my sailing trip for a couple more days and knowing that there are things that come up that take work or learning, they finally came home to roost.

Friday night I came into the town of Beaufort, South Carolina about 6:30 pm just before sunset and I was reading my book on the details of the waterway and read of this 65 foot high bridge and knowing I was only 36 ft high and knowing I would easily pass under the bridge I proceeded on.  However I kept looking closer as I approached and realized this was a swing bridge and there was no way it was 65 feet high or it would have been a fixed bridge.  I saw the sign just as I was entering the runway that the bridge height was about 28 ft and I knew I was in trouble since I was moving too fast to stop.  I did the only other thing possible to try to avert the catastrophe,  I just turned the boat all the way left as I could and prayed!  This sweet boat can turn on a dime I found out at that instant and I turned back without no incident except to be totally embarrassed but no damage to my boat or the bridge.  I called the bridge tender and asked if they would open and they said of course and I think with the conversation that she had not seen what just had or almost happened to her bridge and my boat and pride.

Well that was the beginning of experiences in Beaufort.  They have a free wall to tie up to but I found that it was at least 6 feet up to the top where I could get off my boat and to add to it, the wall was totally encrusted with sea life attached to the wall that would destroy a boats exterior or the fenders used to protect the boat.  I did bump the wall as I was deciding I couldn't tie up there and went to the main city dock and as I was approaching, I was too fast and as I was preparing to jump off the boat and tie her up, she hit the dock and I went flying and fortunately nothing else but the wooden dock was in my way of the fall.  Again, no one hurt (much) but pride which took another bath that night.

I couldn't find anyone to check in with and pay a dock fee so I went out the gated area and still couldn't fine anyone so since my phone battery was dying, went back to the boat to retrieve a spare battery only to realize I was locked out of the dock slips where my boat was, my boat on the dock, me unable to get to her and my phone dead!

I finally had to wait until someone else was going through and they kindly gave me the code.  I could never find anyone to talk to about the docking fee so I went on my way dealing with another problem, I needed new batteries for my boat. I finally got a cab and got the batteries from Auto Zone and put them in the boat.  Since I was there, I took advantage of showers and laundry mat to get a real shower and clean clothes.  How refreshing!

I got up early for an early start on Sunday morning, got all ready and pulled in the lines and proceeded to turn the boat off the dock and leave when to my chagrin, the boat didn't turn but only ran into the bow of the next boat to mine.  Woke up the people in that boat, they helped me untangle the two boats from each other and come to find, the current coming on the rising tide pushed me against the dock and it would have needed to be a different maneuver to get off the dock and I hadn't looked at the tide so didn't know.  Again, another learning experience but I think I had my share of them in this town and since so many things were happening, I neglected to take any pictures!

Oh this one of the sun rise as I left Beaufort.
Never mind, I cannot find it but you all know what a sunrise looks like I think.