Velcro Beach

Vero Beach (Florida), as well as several other cities here in the Southeast USA, have gotten the nickname "Velcro Beach" because many cruisers stop there, and like it so much that they stick around and don't leave.  

Charleston is a lot like that too. We are having a hard time leaving - the city is so great, and our marina is within a mile (walk or bike or free shuttle van or free trolley or rides with friends' cars) of just about everything.  We have met maybe about a half dozen other boats that have come here and are still here, and are planning on spending the winter right here. We keep finding more things to do, places to see, and just hanging out. 

I have finally (almost) caught up on boat improvements and maintenance that I have been accumulating and putting off for the past few months. We now have a locking, non-backflowing marine toilet. New sail slides in the mainsail mast-track. New antifreeze in the fresh water side of the diesel engine. More cruising guides and chartbooks. More navigation software for the MacBook and iPhones. Shopping for spare parts at West Marine. A semi-infinite (!) number of great restaurants - good seafood and not too expensive; although the best is still Ilona's cooking right here on our boat.

We are planning (hoping) to leave here on Saturday - weather, tides, currents, and attitudes permitting.  Hope to make it down the coast to Beaufort, Hilton Head, Savannah, and finally NE Florida by mid-December-ish.  Stay tuned.

There must be some way out of here (said the joker to the thief) ...