Osprey Marina, Waccamaw River, to Duck Creek

Tuesday, November 3, 2015

We awoke to rain, and I took care of some paperwork chores before returning the rental car.  

Osprey Marina and the friendly staff were hard to say good bye to, though we eventually did around noon.

We travelled in a day of rain, through one of my favorite stretches of the ICW down the Waccamaw River.  This area is still recovering from its "1000 year flood" with the rains from the feeder bands of Hurricane Joaquin.  Cypress swamps are designed to flood, and I'm sure the flooded waterways aren't affected nearly as much as some of the homes in the area.

We passed Thoroughfare Creek, which we had greatly enjoyed on our way north, but, decided to head south a little further to check out a new anchorage somewhere.

The Socastee Swing bridge was still closed to the north, and we only met three northbound vessels, one which I suspect was a local.  The other boat was unaware of the closure, in spite of USCG broadcasts every 30 minutes.  The only other vessel we met was a tug pushing a barge, as he was entering the Waccama from Winyah Bay.

We saw several individual large wading birds, all hunkered down in the rain.  One eagle sat in the top of a dead tree.  There were some pretty good sized fish rolling in the Waccamaw.

In the past, I have anchored In Minim Creek, to the west of the ICW, and had planned to anchor on the east side tonight.  I saw two vessels in there, so we eased down to Duck Creek, where we dropped the hook on a 5.9' spot, which, I figured at low tide with these waters would be at least 7.5'     That is about mm 416

Osprey Marina

Monday, November 2, 2015

I seldom write a post like this, BUT

YOU NEED TO STOP AT OSPREY MARINA

If you like a great sheltered marina, an over the top friendly and competent staff, and a peaceful environment, you should stop at the Osprey Marina, SC mm 373.  The staff shows the gracious charm of good Southern hospitality, going out of the way to make boaters feel welcome.

In addition to some of the lowest diesel prices around, their rates are $1/ft... daily for the first 3 days.  After that, your rate drops to .25/ft.  We stayed for a week, on a transient floating dock.  We had 30/50 amp electrical service available to us, with metered charges for electric.  After a week, I owed $5.00 for my electric.

I needed to leave the boat for a few days to go give my Dad a hand, and Ellen stayed on the MERCY.  It was important to me to leave the vessel in a safe area, where it would not need to be moved; and where there were folks around to assist Ellen, if needed, if there were any difficulties on the boat.  They caught our lines in the rain, and were bright and cheerful, in spite of the weather.

The bridge construction nearby has put a strain of added mileage necessary for some of the employees who live nearby... if they didn't have to go around a closed bridge.  

As I write, the Socastee Swing bridge is broken, unexpectedly stopping ICW traffic, at the peak of their busy transient season.  The management called the vessels scheduled to come to their docks, warning them of the unexpected ICW closure.  I only hope all the folks who grabbed a dock in Myrtle Beach for extra days won't pass the Osprey!

The 1000 year flood in SC has no doubt negatively impacted the business, and created extra work for everyone working there, but the staff is upbeat and treats everyone as though they are a treat to the business.  Everyone likes to feel special, and these folks know how to do it sincerely.

The marina is in the middle of nowhere.  There is a local small zoo nearby, and a neighboring field full of goats.  The dogs loved lots of areas to walk, and the two leggers enjoyed a welcome package, breakfast treats in the morning, and some of the nicest folks around!

I was impressed how often the folks stayed well past closing to wait for late arrivals.

Additional info is on their website:  http://www.ospreymarina.com/

Enterprise rental car will pick you up here! (and bring you back....) There is a grocery store about 3.5 miles away.  There is a restaurant that will pick you up, and a pizza place that makes deliveries.  If you enjoy tranquil, protected docks in a gorgeous setting, you need to stop here!

Tell them MERCY said "hi!"

Little River, SC to Osprey Marina, SC

Tuesday, October 27, 2015

This morning we thought we were in no hurry to depart from our anchorage.  Though the wind had howled during the night, and there is a fair current running through Little River, we were tucked in a great place, protected from the seas, if not the wind.

As we were approaching high tide for the inlet, there were coastal flood warnings out for the area.  The super moon and other astronomical factors, plus a NE wind just kept the water coming in.

I looked up and saw a huge wooden box that had been high and dry in the marsh the day before begin to float, and then to beeline in our direction.  We picked up the anchor and moved as sticks, branches, and debris that had been on high ground came free into the waterway.

We idled past the houses near the inlet, not willing to drive the water an inch higher from the boat's movement.  The current pushed us all the way to Osprey marina.

The trawler Osprey, who had been anchored further towards the inlet than we had, crept along with us.

We went though the high waters, and yelled at one large outboard who was running past the houses in a squat position.  I saw one sign someone had put up that said, "If you want to plow, buy a farm."

Some angry neighbors tried to hail a sportfishing boat that was in a hurry, and for a while I wondered if they'd be at the next bridge with the sheriff.

Other than that, I think much traffic stayed off the waterway for the day, to let the wind blow, and the waters recede.

We pulled into Osprey Marina shortly after noon, arriving to a warm welcome by the friendly dockmaster, Myles.  What a gorgeous setting the marina is in.  I love the big trees around the marina, that is just far enough to be protected from the wakes of the ICW.  They showed me how high the water had been two weeks earlier from the 1000 year flood.