MV Dirona travel digest for Charleston, SC 2017

Position: 34°26.21'N, -76°47.20'W

As forecast, the winds dropped to near zero overnight and will remain reasonably calm for the next couple of days before another system comes through. We got underway at 5:47 this morning on a 212-mm overnight run to Charleston, SC. Current conditions are excellent with winds barely 3 kts from the east and a low southeasterly swell. We expect the winds to pick up a bit this afternoon to perhaps 15 knots then fall off again overnight.

Position: 33°15.65'N, -78°28.05'W

The winds picked up stronger than forecast from the SW this afternoon, bringing 25-kt SW winds on the bow, with gusts to 30. Boat pitch has been over 10 degrees and up to 14 at times. The winds have since settled back down to around 10 knots and pitching has reduced to barely 5 degrees. We expect these conditions to last the rest of the run.

Position: 33°7.95'N, -78°45.80'W

The cargo ship Sea Land Meteor just passed us en route to Jacksonville, FL. Other than a few sportsfishers off Cape Fear, we've not seen much other traffic on this run.

Position: 32°47.81'N, -79°33.94'W

Conditions have been ultra-smooth that past few hours for our final run into Charleston. We're twenty-two miles out now and can see large ships moored to our south off the port and lots of AIS targets. We'll likely show up on the Charleston City Marina web cam in a few hours.

Position: 32°44.73'N, -79°51.29'W

From a distance at sea, the cable-stayed towers of the the Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge look like two giant sails. The bridge opened in 2005 and at 1,546 feet (471 m) is the third longest cable-stayed bridge in the Western Hemisphere.

Position: 32°45.17'N, -79°51.99'W

Confederate soldiers fired the first shots of the American Civil War on Union-held Fort Sumter in 1861, and took the fort the next day. Today the fort is part of the Fort Sumter National Historic Monument and is open to the public for tours.

Position: 32°45.58'N, -79°54.08'W

The USS Yorktown is the second of twenty-four Essex-class aircraft carriers launched during World War II. The Yorktown served in World War II and Vietnam and was the recovery ship for Apollo 8, the first manned spacecraft to orbit the moon. Today the Yorktown is a National Historic Landmark and open for tours as part of the Patriots Point Naval and Maritime Museum. In 2012, the second annual Carrier Classic college basketball game was held on the Yorktown's flight deck.

Position: 32°45.57'N, -79°54.74'W

A first look to downtown Charleston. The city looks different from other downtowns in that there are no tall buildings. We're told that this is due to zoning restrictions that limit building heights.

Position: 32°46.20'N, -79°56.42'W

Grand homes line the waterfront as we continue north to Charleston City Marina. Charleston is famous for its historic buildings and classic architecture.

Position: 32°46.41'N, -79°56.86'W

The US Coast Guard Cutter Cormorant, an 87ft Protector-class coastal patrol boat at Coast Guard Sector Charleston.

Position: 32°47.06'N, -79°56.45'W

We walked into town for lunch from the marina. Along the way we passed Bethel United Methodist Church, a National Historic Landmark. The church was founded in 1797 and the current building was constructed around 1850.

Position: 32°47.11'N, -79°56.28'W

Looking down a promenade between buildings of the College of Charleston. Founded in 1770, its the oldest municipal college in the country.

Position: 32°47.31'N, -79°56.29'W

King Street is full of restaurants and shops. We had an excellent pizza lunch at Formula One-themed Monza restaurant.

Position: 32°46.69'N, -79°55.98'W

The Charleston Library Society was founded in 1748 and promotes life-long learning through discussion programs and access to its collection of books, manuscripts and archival material. This building looks much older than the 1914 date when the society moved into their first purpose-built building.

Position: 32°46.58'N, -79°56.03'W

John Rutledge, the first governor of South Carolina, lived in this pre-revolutionary war home.

Position: 32°46.54'N, -79°56.36'W

Cooper O'Conner House was built around 1855. During the Civil War the Confederacy confined several Union officers here. This was known to the Union and photographs after the Federal occupation show all the surrounding houses in ruin except for this one.

Position: 32°46.55'N, -79°56.40'W

Colonial Lake was built in 1869 as part of the Commons that were set aside for public use in 1768.

Position: 32°46.50'N, -79°56.72'W

A view to the other side of Coast Guard Sector Charleston as we walk back to the marina. On the docks are two Response Boats ‐ Medium and two Metal Shark 29 Defiant Response Boats ‐ Small.

Position: 32°46.62'N, -79°57.09'W

We saw a couple of Nordhavns on the dock as we arrived and walked down to check them out. This is Nordhavn 47 Migration of Newport, RI.

Position: 32°46.52'N, -79°56.95'W

Nordhavn 43 Travail of New Castle, NH. Both Nordhavns appeared to be stored here for the winter.

Position: 32°46.67'N, -79°57.16'W

We have a great berth at the Charleston City Marina overlooking the Ashley River. We're on the outside because there was no space inside, but we actually prefer it for the view and would request it should we return.

Position: 32°46.66'N, -79°57.16'W

We got the bikes out this morning to ride across the Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge.

Position: 32°47.53'N, -79°55.89'W

An excellent lunch on the patio at the Bay Street Biergarten. Although we like high-latitude cruising, we have to admit we are enjoying the warmer weather further south.

Position: 32°48.18'N, -79°55.05'W

The Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge has a pedestrian and cycle lane that was surprisingly busy given the 6-mile round trip. We passed at least a hundred people. This is looking east beneath one bridge tower to the next.

Position: 32°48.18'N, -79°55.05'W

Looking south across the USS Yorktown from the Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge to sea. The diesel submarine USS Clagamore is visible at the right of the picture. Both ships are part of the Patriots Point Naval and Maritime Museum.

Position: 32°48.16'N, -79°54.58'W

After crossing the bridge we biked down to the end of the 1250-foot long Mt. Pleasant Pier that extends under the bridge.

Position: 32°48.16'N, -79°54.59'W

Looking up to the Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge from the Mt. Pleasant Pier.

Position: 32°47.56'N, -79°54.25'W

The Cold War Submarine Memorial has excellent interpretive signs detailing the history of submarine evolution during the Cold War.

Position: 32°47.33'N, -79°54.48'W

The destroyer USS Laffey moored beside the aircraft carrier USS Yorktown at the Patriots Point Naval and Maritime Museum. We plan to visit in a couple of days.

Position: 32°47.12'N, -79°54.48'W

Taking a break along the boardwalk at the Charleston Resort and Marina with the Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge in the background and the USS Yorktown just visible on the right.

Position: 32°47.44'N, -79°54.35'W

The Spirit of Charleston mustn't draw much—that's pretty shallow water.

Position: 32°47.67'N, -79°54.14'W

The College of Charleston has a large sports complex at Patriots Point, including a tennis center and stadiums for softball, soccer and baseball. This is the softball stadium.

Position: 32°48.14'N, -79°54.70'W

A Maersk container ship heading to sea between the Charleston Resort and Marina and the island Shutes Folly, viewed from the Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge. It sure looks tight. The name Shutes Folly derives from an early owner, Joseph Shute, using the Colonial custom of describing a Carolina sea island as a "folly."

Position: 32°47.53'N, -79°55.55'W

Jennifer standing on a map of Ireland in the Charlotte Street Park. The memorial recognizes the contribution of the many Irish who contributed to Charleston's early growth and development.

Position: 32°47.50'N, -79°55.64'W

A BMW plant is just outside Charleston and thousands of BMW vehicles were ready to load at the docks adjacent to the Charlotte Street Park.

Position: 32°47.51'N, -79°55.52'W

While we were at the Charlotte Street Park, several large container ships arrived and departed, passing in the tight channel. It looked pretty risky.

Position: 32°47.51'N, -79°55.53'W

Cosco Ningbo passing under the Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge. The clearance looks tight, but the bridge has a vertical clearance of 186ft and the ship has an air draft of 75ft, so there's plenty of room.

Position: 32°47.33'N, -79°55.51'W

The marina at Charleston Maritime Center has shoaled in extensively and currently most of the docks are closed. We've read the docks also took some damage from Hurricane Mathew.

Position: 32°47.32'N, -79°55.43'W

Dredging operations off Union Pier in downtown Charleston. We've heard the dredging is to allow larger cruise ships access the port.

Position: 32°46.74'N, -79°55.52'W

Fountain in Charleston's Waterfront Park.

Position: 32°46.68'N, -79°55.50'W

A second fountain, the Pineapple Fountain, at the Waterfront Park. Pineapples are common motifs in Charleston, representing hospitality.

Position: 32°46.84'N, -79°55.63'W

The majestic US Customs House building just off the waterfront was completed in 1879 and has been used ever since as a US Customs House.

Position: 32°46.86'N, -79°55.65'W

From the street we could see a rooftop terrace above the Market Pavilion Hotel and went up to check it out. The first thing we saw getting off the elevator was this beautiful pool.

Position: 32°46.86'N, -79°55.65'W

The Pavilion Bar at the top of the Market Pavilion Hotel was fabulous. Tables under lighted umbrellas lined the patio, with propane heaters to take off the chill.

Position: 32°46.86'N, -79°55.65'W

We were just early enough to snag a table along the edge with a view to the city, the harbor and the Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge. What a magical spot.

Position: 32°46.86'N, -79°55.65'W

We shared several excellent seafood appetizers for dinner. You know we really like a place when we post four pictures of it. :)

Position: 32°46.65'N, -79°57.14'W

Our Maretron N2kView system is configured to light and/or alarm on events that need attention. Here you can see our freshwater tank is down to less than 50 gallons and we've lost the primary heading sensor. The water problem is quick and easy to correct, but the heading issue is unusual. We've never found the SC-30 at fault for a lost heading and haven't seen a heading loss for months, yet here in Charleston we've seen dozens in the past three days. We've read of several other Nordhavn owners who have had similar problems in this area that cleared up once they left. It's likely there's some kind of local interference in this area, but we won't know for sure until we've left.

Position: 32°46.65'N, -79°57.14'W

We're finally far enough south that the water hasn't been shut off on the docks for the winter. So we're taking the much-needed opportunity to fill the tank.

Position: 32°46.65'N, -79°57.14'W

Our Giant FCR-2 bikes require remarkably little maintenance, but the brakes on both needed replacement.

Position: 32°52.48'N, -79°59.62'W

A delicious meal at Basico Mexican Taqueria in North Charleston before attending an ice hockey game.

Position: 32°51.94'N, -80°1.37'W

In Norfolk we watched the ECHL Admirals play the South Carolina Stingrays. Now we're at the home of the Stingrays we decided to go watch another game. This evening the Stingrays beat the Tulsa Oilers 4-1. The Stingrays organization puts on a great show, the fans are enthusiastic, the level of play was excellent, and we had a super-fun evening.

Position: 32°47.42'N, -79°54.42'W

We arrived at the Patriots Point Naval and Maritime Museum a few minutes before they opened at 9am and didn't leave until nearly closing time at 6pm. There's a lot to see and do. We started on the USS Yorktown. This was our first time on an aircraft carrier and we spent a good half of the day there.

Position: 32°47.40'N, -79°54.50'W

Jennifer at the helm of a TF-9J Cougar carrier-based fighter and trainer on the USS Yorktown hanger bay #2.

Position: 32°47.42'N, -79°54.51'W

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Position: 32°47.42'N, -79°54.51'W

Carrier Air Traffic Control Center (CATCC) is responsible for aircraft control and recovery.

Position: 32°47.42'N, -79°54.51'W

The Combat Information Center (CIC) tracks and identifies all contacts reported by lookouts, radar and sonar.

Position: 32°47.46'N, -79°54.51'W

The view to Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge from the flight deck.

Position: 32°47.47'N, -79°54.51'W

This E-1B Tracer is one of at least a dozen planes on the Yorktown's flight deck.

Position: 32°47.47'N, -79°54.51'W

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Position: 32°47.44'N, -79°54.51'W

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Position: 32°47.42'N, -79°54.52'W

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Position: 32°47.42'N, -79°54.51'W

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Position: 32°47.39'N, -79°54.51'W

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Position: 32°47.37'N, -79°54.51'W

Jennifer standing on one of the Yorktown's five arresting cables near an S-2 Tracker.

Position: 32°47.38'N, -79°54.50'W

James' favorite fighter, an F14A Tomcat

Position: 32°47.40'N, -79°54.50'W

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Position: 32°47.41'N, -79°54.51'W

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Position: 32°47.41'N, -79°54.51'W

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Position: 32°47.42'N, -79°54.51'W

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Position: 32°47.43'N, -79°54.50'W

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Position: 32°47.43'N, -79°54.50'W

In the pilot house at the helm of the Yorktown.

Position: 32°47.43'N, -79°54.50'W

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Position: 32°47.42'N, -79°54.51'W

With over 3,000 men on board, the Yorktown is a small city and has full dental and medical facilities.

Position: 32°47.43'N, -79°54.50'W

Bringing up steam in the engine room. The Yorktown has 9 steam boilers and 4 turbines that power 4 propellers. With 120,000 shaft hp, the ship can reach speeds of 32.5 kts.

Position: 32°47.43'N, -79°54.50'W

The propeller shaft is painted in a candy strip pattern to make it obvious when it is spinning for safety reasons.

Position: 32°47.25'N, -79°54.39'W

We had an excellent lunch at the nearby Fish House in the Charleston Harbor Resort and Marina with a view to the ships at Patriots Point and the Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge beyond.

Position: 32°47.31'N, -79°54.52'W

On the way back from lunch we toured the USS Clamagore, a 322-ft diesel-powered submarine commissioned in 1945. The submarine can carry 24 torpedoes and has 10 launch tubes, 5 forward and 4 aft.

Position: 32°47.31'N, -79°54.52'W

The forward engine room on the USS Clamagore. The sub has 4 General Motors V16 diesel engines driving electrical generators and could reach speeds of 20.25 kts at the surface and 8.75 kts underwater.

Position: 32°47.31'N, -79°54.52'W

Note the berths tucked in around the torpedo holders. Space is tight on these diesel submarines.

Position: 32°47.39'N, -79°54.50'W

In the engine room of the destroyer USS Laffey, was commissioned in 1944. The ship is nicknamed "The Ship that Would Not Die" after surviving an air strike of 22 Japanese bombers and the most relentless suicide kamikaze air attacks in history. Five kamikazes and three bombs struck the ship, killing 32 and wounding 71 of the 336-man crew. The crew managed to shoot down 9 attackers and keep the ship afloat until it could be towed to port.

Position: 32°47.36'N, -79°54.48'W

The Laffey tracked Russian submarines during the Cold War. A new exhibit in the Combat Information Center (CIC) uses holographic images to re-enact a tense submarine encounter.

Position: 32°47.48'N, -79°54.32'W

A 1960's era QH-50 drone helicopter on board the Laffey. We didn't realize drones even existed back then.

Position: 32°47.42'N, -79°54.34'W

Dog tags outside the Vietnam Experience represent all the South Carolinians who died during the Vietnam War.

Position: 32°47.39'N, -79°54.35'W

The Vietnam Experience was surprisingly good and explained the history and evolution of the war with sound effects and authentic exhibits. This is a UH-1M helicopter, nicknamed "Huey" after the HU-1 designation.

Position: 32°47.36'N, -79°54.34'W

Looking down into part of the Vietnam Experience from an observation tower.

Position: 32°47.36'N, -79°54.32'W

The Sikorsky UH-34D Sea Horse first flew in 1954 and was used for combat duties and assault during the early years of the Vietnam War.

Position: 32°47.34'N, -79°54.34'W

This overturned jeep exhibit was complete with steam rising from the radiator.

Position: 32°47.34'N, -79°54.33'W

Looking into the bay of a CH-46 Sea Knight cargo helicopter often used for medical evacuations.

Position: 32°46.71'N, -79°55.62'W

We had a great pizza meal at the Lagunitas brewery in downtown Charleston. The brewery is built in a three-floor 1800s-era building with a huge atrium in the center. Here we are in their third-floor lounge overlooking the city before heading downstairs for dinner.

Position: 32°46.66'N, -79°57.14'W

Jennifer returning from a grocery run by bike.

Position: 32°46.65'N, -79°57.14'W

We weren't able to pickup the marina WiFi and on investigating the problem found a cable issue. Here James is testing out a new cable, and alternately a new antenna, to narrow the problem down to a bad cable.

Position: 32°52.85'N, -79°58.81'W

A fun meal at Sesame Burgers and Beer prior to the hockey game.

Position: 32°51.93'N, -80°1.35'W

We had such a good time at the Stingrays game earlier this week that we decided to attend another. This time the Stingrays beat the Greenville Swamp Rabbits 3-0 in a super-exciting game.

Position: 32°46.65'N, -79°57.14'W

A sailboat has been aground on the opposite side of the Ashley River since we arrived. The sail suddenly came loose this afternoon and tore itself up in today's big winds.

Position: 32°46.65'N, -79°57.14'W

The cold weather has caught up with us. The temperature was 29.2°F (-1.5°C) when we got up this morning. At least the water hasn't been shut off yet.

Position: 32°46.65'N, -79°57.14'W

A layer of frost covered the marina docks this morning, with sea smoke at the water surface. I guess we spoke too soon about the warmer weather further south. We're still above the frost line. Locals tell us we've now experienced the entire South Carolina winter. :)

Position: 32°46.40'N, -79°56.57'W

On a bike ride around the Charleston waterfront we passed the Coast Guard. The Captain of the Port building was constructed in 1934 and previously was the Sixth Lighthouse District headquarters. The Lighthouse Service emblem of two torches on either side of a lighthouse is visible at the top center of the building (click image for larger view).

Position: 32°46.28'N, -79°56.39'W

One of many multi-million-dollar waterfront mansions along Murray Blvd. This one was built in 1914.

Position: 32°46.17'N, -79°55.81'W

White Point Garden at the southern tip of Charleston was first used as a public garden in 1837. The park also houses many historic military artifacts and memorials. Charleston citizens gathered here On April 12, 1861 to watch Confederate soldiers fire the first shots of the American Civil War on Union-held Fort Sumter.

Position: 32°46.19'N, -79°55.79'W

The bandstand in White Point Garden was built in in 1907. Outdoor concerts were held here until 1978 when they were outlawed due to neighbor complaints about the noise and commercial activity.

Position: 32°46.18'N, -79°55.72'W

Waterfront promenade across the road from White Point Garden.

Position: 32°46.34'N, -79°55.66'W

The area around White Park Garden is famous for its pre-revolutionary-war plantation homes and mansions built in the Georgian, Neo-classical, and Greek Revival style.

Position: 32°46.44'N, -79°55.63'W

Rainbow Row is a series of 13 houses built on 79-107 East Bay Street that are the longest cluster of Georgian row houses in the United States. The newest was built in 1845. The name Rainbow Row derives from the colorful pastel colors they were painted when restored in the 1930s and 1940s. The houses pictured are just south of Rainbow Row, but follow the same style.

Position: 32°46.50'N, -79°55.63'W

In the 1700s, Charleston was a walled city, the only British walled city built in North America. A 6-ft-wide seawall was built of brick and extended about 15ft above the low tide line. An earth wall, believed to be about 8-10ft high, protected the land side. By the 1730s, most of the earthen walls were demolished to allow for city expansion and the harbor-side fortifications were demolished or buried some time after the civil war. The wall and its location weren't rediscovered until the 1920s. This is a section of a parapet, or upper portion of the wall recovered in 2008.

Position: 32°46.54'N, -79°55.48'W

A great view to the Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge from the Charleston waterfront.

Position: 32°46.87'N, -79°55.73'W

We stopped in for a drink at Henry's. Opened in 1930, Henry's is the oldest continuously operating restaurant in the state of South Carolina.

Position: 32°46.57'N, -79°57.03'W

Moonset, one day before full, over the James Island Expressway Bridge.

Position: 32°52.37'N, -80°2.11'W

Today we toured the Boeing South Carolina Plant and saw the first 787-10 nearing completion. We'll blog the details.

Position: 32°46.70'N, -79°55.89'W

A delicious lunch with Steve Dryden on the patio at Eli's Table. Steve has a boat in our marina and stopped by to say hello. He is CEO of SentinalSix, a situational awareness startup, and arranged our tour at Boeing.

Position: 32°46.65'N, -79°57.14'W

We just bought a new Uniden Bearcat radio scanner for races we'll be attending from Daytona Beach in February. Race officials communicate via radio, as do the drivers and their teams. Fans use scanners to listen in. We've got two headsets and a splitter coming too, so we can both hear.

Position: 32°46.65'N, -79°57.14'W

James reinstalling the stack grill after replacing the failed WiFi cable.

Position: 32°46.57'N, -79°57.03'W

After galvanizing our chain in Baltimore, we decided to switch over to our spare anchor swivel as the current one was showing significant wear after six years of steady use. But the bridge loop on the spare Ultra UFS13 wouldn't fit over the anchor shank of our Rocna 70. In an impressive show of customer service, Quickline honoured the discount we'd received when we bought the spare three years earlier and shipped us the next size up, a UFS16. We were worried the USA16 might be a little too large to fit our 7/16" chain, but the chain just fit in the swivel bolt. You can see how much bigger and beefier the UFS16 is compared to our old UFS13.

Position: 32°46.57'N, -79°57.03'W

Our previous Quickline UFS13 anchor swivel has seen hundreds of anchorings since we took delivery of Dirona in 2010. The swivel still seemed fine and worked well, but is showing significant wear.

Position: 32°46.57'N, -79°57.03'W

Sunset viewed between the bows of Dirona and Hercules in our new berth. We extended our stay for a week, but needed to move down the dock a bit to make space for a larger incoming vessel. We last saw Hercules, a 75ft Molokai Strait, in Southwest Harbor, Maine. You can just see it on the left of this picture as we are departing Southwest Harbor in the fog.

Position: 32°46.57'N, -79°57.03'W

Sunrise lighting up the James Island Expressway Bridge.

Position: 32°46.57'N, -79°57.03'W

Out in the tender looking back to Hercules and Dirona on the Charleston City Marina dock.

Position: 32°46.72'N, -79°57.22'W

Nordhavn 47 Wayfinder at the Harborage at Ashley Marina.

Position: 32°46.70'N, -79°57.23'W

The outgoing Ashley River current pushing the very loosely-tied Carolina Queen off the dock.

Position: 32°46.97'N, -79°57.47'W

Heart Beat is the third Nordhavn 47 we've seen in Charleston.

Position: 32°47.00'N, -79°57.59'W

Looks like a strong winds might have damaged the hurricane regulations sign.

Position: 32°46.88'N, -79°57.70'W

More vessels aground along the Ashley River. Several have orange markers on them.

Position: 32°46.95'N, -79°57.72'W

The historic Ashley River Memorial Bridge was opened in 1926 and is one of four drawbridges in South Carolina.

Position: 32°46.95'N, -79°57.72'W

A second bridge was added across the Ashley River in the 1960s to handle increased traffic.

Position: 32°47.04'N, -79°57.73'W

The Ashley River is full of dolphins. We see them all the time from our berth.

Position: 32°47.81'N, -79°58.37'W

View to the Ashley River of The Citadel military college. Established in 1842, the Citadel is one of six Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) colleges in the United States.

Position: 32°49.17'N, -79°57.93'W

The Hagood natural gas turbine power station can generate up to 122 MW.

Position: 32°46.59'N, -79°57.85'W

The circular sign directly above the stern of this boat at Ripley Light Marina shows where the water level reached during Hurricane Hugo.

Position: 32°46.34'N, -79°57.24'W

We're back on the Intracoastal Waterway, but this time just in the tender. The ICW continues south from Charleston along the Wappoo Creek.

Position: 32°45.95'N, -79°58.48'W

The tender tied off on the Charleston Crab House dock for lunch.

Position: 32°45.94'N, -79°58.49'W

An excellent lunch on the deck at the Charleston Crab House with a view to the Folly Road Blvd Bridge. With a bridge view along the ICW, we felt like we were back at the Waterside Cafe in Palm Beach.

Position: 32°46.02'N, -80°0.17'W

A mass of pilings from docks extended out across the shallows along the Stono River. The docks are clearly visible in satellite imagry of the area.

Position: 32°48.09'N, -79°55.09'W

A great view to the Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge from the tender. The tug Moira McAllister is passing under.

Position: 32°48.27'N, -79°55.06'W

The Maersk Missouri has plenty of room to pass under the 186ft Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge, but it still looks tight.

Position: 32°49.01'N, -79°54.58'W

The tugs Moira McAllister and Patrick McAllister assisting the Maersk Missouri into port.

Position: 32°49.77'N, -79°53.65'W

A big puff of black smoke from the Maersk Missouri as it nears the berth at the Wando Welch Terminal in the Port of Charleston.

Position: 32°49.98'N, -79°53.59'W

Last year the Port of Charleston took delivery of two new super post-Panamax cranes to handle the oversized container ships arriving via the expanded Panama Canal. (The new cranes are a darker blue than the rest and are standing between the Maersk Missouri and the Axel Maersk.) The $27 million cranes are 155 feet tall with a 200-ft outreach. The Port of Charleston also has plans to dredge the channel to a depth of 52ft by 2019.

Position: 32°47.65'N, -79°55.54'W

The Roll-On/Roll-Off (RORO) vehicle carrier Orion Highway at the North Charleston Terminal. The ship was built in 2016 with a modern hull shape to maximize vehicle carrying capacity. The bridge on the Orion Highway is right above the bow rather than the more common, and more protected, amidships or aft.

Position: 32°47.81'N, -79°55.64'W

New vehicles from the nearby BMW plant being loaded onto the Orion Highway. That sure is a boxy-looking ship.

Position: 32°46.94'N, -79°55.38'W

That dredger we saw a few days earlier is still at work.

Position: 32°46.57'N, -79°57.03'W

Two men arrived across the river in a center-console this morning. One wearing hip-waders walked out to the grounded sailboat and salvaged some gear.

Position: 32°46.57'N, -79°57.03'W

Our project for this weekend is to install our new Netgear R7000 Nighthawk router. Here we are loading DD-WRT, a Linux-based open-source router firmware package. Our ultimate goal is to have several WAN connected and can manually switch between them in software, either manually or through automatic fail-over. For example, we'd like to default to an external WiFi connection if available and otherwise run off a cell phone hot spot. And if neither is available or fails, we'd like to fail over automatically to our KVH mini-VSAT satellite system.

Position: 32°46.57'N, -79°57.03'W

With DD-WRT installed and running, we temporarily installed the Netgear R7000 router in place of our existing Cradlepoint router to test it out.

Position: 32°46.57'N, -79°57.03'W

Participants in the Charleston Marathon heading south along the waterfront.

Position: 32°46.57'N, -79°57.03'W

We're happy with how the new Netgear R7000 router performs, so we've permanently installed it. The switchbox below the router switches the router input between whatever is feeding our Bullet WiFi radio (currently either external Wifi or our cell phone hot spot) and the KVH mini-VSAT system.

The next step is to enable support for multiple active WANs in the router so that we can simply switch between our three internet sources in software rather than using the hardware switch or having to change the Bullet Wifi source. As a base for what we're doing, with a DD-WRT open-source routing software running on the Netgear R7000 Nighthawk, we're using Multi-Wan support by David Medders.

Position: 32°46.57'N, -79°57.03'W

Our old Cradlepoint router has been in place since the boat was new in 2010. We've not been happy with it recently, partly because we can't get a good signal in the cockpit, but also because it is flaky and either locks up or performance degrades periodically in ways that are difficult to isolate.

Position: 32°46.57'N, -79°57.03'W

We've now got the first stage of router multi-WAN support working where we have three WANs connected to the router and can manually switch between them. We've written a small web app that displays the current router state and allows us to select which of the three WANS we want to use via a via radio-button.

The status page shows which of our three WANs currently are active, when their state changed and when the last failure for that WAN was. In this example, the external WiFi was made the active WAN on Jan 19th 8:58am and the KVH mini-VSAT has been down since Jan 18 at 6:52pm (forced down for testing). The cell phone hot spot is available to be made active via the radio button. Subsequent stages of this project are to report on data usage and to support automatic fail-over to the KVH system and to restrict the traffic on that WAN so we don't incur a bigger-than-necessary satellite bill.

Position: 32°46.57'N, -79°57.03'W

We loved the name of the Charleston City Marina's black water pump-out boat.