We have winter, too.

We heard it was coming and it did - a freezing rain and sleet.  Not a creature is stirring, not even a mouse, that I can see.    So we're in messing with our computers and I'm getting around to writing a blog.

This is a picture of downtown Beaufort and the city marina, taken from the bridge.  We've walked over a couple of times.   Sunday night it was to go to Saltus River Grill, where a jazz group plays on Sunday evenings.   Very nice food and atmosphere.  A treat to us for staying in and not going out to eat very much.

The latest re our stay here is that the cause for the transmission failure has been determined to be lubrication failure and poor alignment.  So the boatyard has taken responsibilitly for poor installation and has credited us back most of the cost of the installation, plus the cost of the transmission.   And they've shipped the rebuilt/new transmission (all it needed was a new bearing) to us here.   When it's here and the weather warms up, our local technical person will reinstall it along with his refurbishing and installation of the engine.    He then plans to go on a sea trial with us to see and hear that it is all working okay.

The big question is coming:  what to do next?    Spend a month going south to Florida and stay a month then head back up or spend two months either on or off the boat then  head north.   We think that once the transmission is in, we'll have an inspiration and know what to do.

In the meantime, there isn't much new to report so I haven't posted.  We've been happy just getting up each day and figuring out what to do as it evolves.   Maybe we needed to be grounded to slow down and live this way.

Just coasting

We are still in Beaufort, SC, waiting for word on who and when someone is going to install a transmission to replace the one that failed.

For some reason, this is not all bad.   We've enjoyed cooking and watching movies and reading in the boat.   Last weekend, we rented a car ($9.99/day).   Above is the picture of the place we stopped at on our way back from the beach.  More on that later.

Lots of days, just to get a walk in, I go over to the abandoned land across the road, above.

On the way, I pass a local hang-out - the Fillin' Station.   Simple bar, but on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, they serve simple cheap food, usually on the deck out back.   We've been here a couple of times, once to have their Thursday menu:  two pork chops, green beans, scalloped potatoes - $8.00.  Saturdays, it's bone-in T bone steaks for $10.

I'd been trying to get a picture of these little ducks for days.  Finally they swam just along the dock next to us.  This is zoomed up.   I think they are buffleheads - a duck we saw in Texas coast last year.   The smallest duck, shaped just like the rubber ducky and often diving just when you want a picture.

The first day we had the rental car we explored the little town of Port Royal - the very oldest settlement on the east coast, three years older than Jamestown and St.Augustine. Not much historical to see, but a very pretty town with quaint houses.   We stopped at this restaurant where we saw some photographs in the lobby taken by a friend here at the marina!    

Just driving the roads, we didn't see much we wanted to come back to in Hilton Head.

The second day we had the car, we went shopping and came home with such treasures!  It was like Christmas back on the boat.  We bought a little TV - they have cable here - so now we are kind of "in the loop" again.  We've only watched the news once though.  Mostly it's movies and PBS stuff.   And we bought some small rugs to cover the floors in the boat - the floors have been COLD.  And a great drainboard for washed dishes.  Great improvements in our comfort.

The third day, Sunday, that we had the car was a little warmer.   We drove out to Hunting Island State Park, stopping on the way for a brunch.   We learned that Hunting Island is the most visited state park in South Carolina and for good reason.   It's on the ocean, but has many acres of other habitats.   We first walked along the beach to the lighthouse,

And along a trail from the light house where  we saw some birds in marshy areas.

Oops, I've run out of pictures to tell you about!   We bought mustard greens, cauliflower, broccoli, squash and parsley at the place with the sign at top and have enjoyed having the fresh stuff as an automatic answer to "What can we have with that?"

Last night we made Taco soup, a la Jimmie and Sue, at a Spanish group - you know who you are.

Today, Friday, Tom and I hoisted the motor out off its mounts, onto the galley floor and I spent most of the day, scrubbing it, using a cleaner recommended by Jim, our lovely local mechanic.  He will be coming back to reinstall the cleaned injectosr and to  replace the hoses and electric lines and to generally get our motor into its best condition for continuing onward, once we get a transmission back to install. 

The whole time I worked, the sun was shining and it was so warm I needed to wear just a short-sleeved shirt.   By the time we finished (Tom was standing by to coach and support my efforts), it was still sunny so we headed out  in the dinghy to go fishing.  But just off the dock, the sky darkened and we turned back.  It's sprinkled a little, but is calm and dark now.   Should be rainy and low 70s tomorrow.  And sunny for many days after that.   Not the worst place to be during the winter.