Saturday, November 19th

The anchor is up in Parrot Creek just before sunrise.  By 9:30 AM, Cutter Loose passes through the Ladies Island swing bridge and past the small village of Beaufort, SC.  Under normal circumstances, we would pause to revisit this historic town.  But it is early in the day, and with plenty of sunshine we decide to move further south.  

[caption id="attachment_1984" align="alignleft" width="150" caption="Harbourtown Light, Hilton Head Island"][/caption]

Following the Beaufort River ship channel, we pass the Marine Corps boot camp facility on Parris Island.   At Port Royal Sound, the ship channel proceeds south through the inlet and into the Atlantic Ocean.  The ICW crosses the Sound and enters Skull Creek and eventually Calibogue Sound, inland waterways that form the western shore of Hilton Head Island.  We pass familiar sights, including the Harbourtown lighthouse, viewing them for the first time from the water.  Having enjoyed several visits here, the gravitational pull of Hilton Head is strong.  We resist the temptation and continue south to Daufuskie Island for a remote overnight anchorage on the New River.  

[caption id="attachment_1985" align="alignright" width="150" caption="Ferry dock at Daufuskie Island, SC"][/caption]

There is a dramatic change in scenery today.  For the past few weeks, we have been surrounded by lowcountry marshes alongside narrow waterways when not in urban areas.  The tree-lined shores and broader bodies of water with white beaches are a welcome departure from marsh grass.   The inland waters at Hilton Head are stunning...little wonder that 2.5 million people visit the island each year.