20 Aug 13

We pulled out of the Cooper River Anchorage at 8:45, just after high tide, to make sure we had plenty of water to get into Mackay Creek, which is on the west side of Pinckney Island, just west of the north end of Hilton Head Island. We motored all the way to the north end of Skull Creek and then turned north, downwind, but into the tide into the Chechessee River. We stopped the engine and sailed all the way to the turn into Mackay Creek; only 1.7 miles, but it took us 40 minutes with a foul tide (2.4 knots) and only 8 - 10 knots of wind to push us along. This is another really cool anchorage; mostly deserted, with a National Wildlife Refuge on all sides. We went for a long walk on Pinckney Island; saw a few birds and an alligator in a nearly dry pool (guess he was waiting for the tide to come back in. Later, I got the kayak out and ghosted along the shore, watching the egrets, nurse sharks, dolphins and some small rays swimming along the shore. Spring tides, as today is the full moon, so we have a 2.9 m tidal range between high and low. The marsh grass in Mackay Creek is nearly completely submerged at HW. Full moon is so bright we can read by it.