We love Charleston :-)

Turns out the problem we had with the engine was due to bad fuel - a common enough issue with boats, it appears, from all the stories we've now heard, but not a problem we'd ever had before.  We likely picked up some bad fuel at the Carolina Beach State Park Marina, which we expect (in retrospect) doesn't have the same volume of fuel sales as other places. So from now on, we only buy fuel where lots is sold.

After being towed back in to Southport at Cape Fear, the fuel filter was changed and the next morning we set out again off shore for an overnight trip to Charleston. That night sky was filled with big bright stars, it was warm and quite calm with no traffic to speak of. But in the morning as we approached Charleston channel, the new fuel filter clogged again. We anchored outside the channel to try to change the filter again but couldn't get the 2-part Racor apart, even with the proper tools.  We rinsed the filter well with clean fuel, put it back, and then it took us hours to limp into Charleston at low speed, against a wicked current and with no wind to use to sail.  We had booked a marina here for a week, so today a fuel cleaning service polished the fuel (i.e. filtered all the gunk out of the fuel and sucked up all the sediment at the bottom of the diesel tank). Hopefully that will take care of the problem.

While in Charleston we've visited with our friend Sunny who lives nearby in Mount Pleasant. She took this photo of us at the dock, sitting on Neverland. Thanks Sunny - we love this photo!

I didn't get a decent photo of Sunny this time, but here we are in 2013 at the restaurant "High Cotton". We always have fun roaming around Charleston with Sunny - in the past we've visited plantations, explored the entire downtown on foot, kayaked in Shem Creek, gone on bike rides, all kinds of stuff. She's a dear friend and superb hostess!! 

And of course we eat and drink all along the way - this was oysters and champagne last visit at happy hour at Pearlz Oyster Bar (duh - I need to remember to take more photos this trip!)

This trip we also met up with Sharon and Greg (from Dreamcatcher) and had a superb dinner and a whole evening of animated conversation at "Blossom", pictured below. After dinner we walked a bit and wandered into Camelias, which sells all kinds of luscious pastries. We were too full to eat any more, but this place is worth a visit on another day.

Of course, the architecture in Charleston makes for wonderful long rambling walks all through the city. I'm not sure what this brick building was originally, but now it's law offices.....

Along the waterfront are extensive walkways, fountains, benches and shady trees.

Late in the afternoon, the sun makes warm patterns on cobblestones, shutters, window boxes and iron grillwork.

Can't miss a visit every trip to "Rainbow Row"

Meanwhile back at the marina, Halloween may go on forever. This skeleton has been at the helm for days and days.

Yesterday we took a walk on the brand new boardwalk along Shem Creek (sort of between Mount Pleasant and Charleston?). This shrimp boat is the one from which Sunny buys fresh shrimp right at the dock.

We saw a couple of guys fishing and they had attracted this very large, bold egret, who paced the railing nearby, waiting for some lunch.

Tonight we're going into town for the Art Walk, since it's the first Friday of the month. There are about 3 dozen galleries participating in Charleston, so it will be an interesting evening. Tomorrow we depart for points south along the ICW. We will anchor out somewhere along the ICW in low marsh for the night, and the next day we'll stop in Beaufort SC, another favorite destination.