Foggy morning sortie

Last night was clear, temperatures remained in the 60s and the air was still. I predicted fog on the river in the morning. I was right.

Visibility was very limited  at 0730 today.

South Carolina looked spooky from the Georgia side of the river.

The water temperature was 55F. The air temperature was 61.

From a quarter-mile away, the I-520 bridge appeared as just a phantom in the distance.





The soup thickened approaching downtown. We could hear outboard motors. A rapidly moving pontoon boat, showing no lights, materialized about 50 feet off our starboard bow.

The driver appeared surprised to see Ms. Bettencourt. He waved.

Other motors were heard nearby. We came about and fled downstream -- at 3 knots-- groping along the South Carolina bank.

The sun became barely visible above Red Buoy 100. (Click a photo to enlarge).










Just drifting, we eventually fetched up on a bank at the mouth of Horse Creek, a little tributary flowing out of Mill Valley in Aiken County, SC.

A spikey deadfall blocked passage up the creek. A breeze sprang up. And the air began to clear ...













... so Ms. Bettencourt backed out and motored downstream in a long, lazy loop back to her home dock on the Georgia side. She was secure in her berth at 0900.

Total cruise time 90 minutes. Present visibility is unlimited.