2018 Charleston Pinopolis Lock Cooper River Run/ Hilton Head Gathering 5/12 and 5/13 2018

[Seadeals]

Seadeals and the Hokey Pokie took out at WO Thomas and are on the road. Great trip everyone!

 

[Mainah]

Lock crew just departed st johns harbor.

 

[Rob9550]

Make sure you all post pics! Hate that we missed the run this year.

 

[Mainah]

Lock crew is back loaded on the trailers.

 

[Seadeals]

Downtown Beaufort at the city dock

The Beaufort dock

View from the room (Marriott Shelter Cove)

The boat had an exceptional place to rest as well. The staff at Shelter Cove delivered the best service I have ever received from a marina.

Shelter Cove waking up

An unpicked Mother’s Day bouquet in the hotel gardens

43 miles per hour never looked so placid

Painting white lines on the surface of the earth

I don’t think a single person passed this one today without snapping a photo.

Savannah Highway bridge

One of the Savannah Highway towers

You know you had fun on the boat when the pump cuts you off at $100 and you get to swipe again. Not a bad price for ethanol-free. I burned 35 gallons on the way down ($150 at Shelter Cover). I ran faster (mostly WOT except for no wakes) on the return and burned 38 total.

 

[robert843]

@Seadeals I have to agree I was extremely impressed with the Shelter Cove Marina staff by far my best marina experience ever as well I will have to make sure and go on and review them as they were awesome. For anyone ever planning a trip to Hilton Head I would highly recommend using these guys they had us all set up upon arrival brought golf carts down and carried all our bags and crew to the hotels by golf cart even volunteered to come pick us up at the hotels in the morning by golf carts. When we arrived there were easily three crew member from the Marina assisting loading bags and shuttling people around they were great. I did not take a picture of that boat but did look at my wife and asked can you believe that is someones pleasure boat.

 

[Andy S]

Just made it back to the house. @veedubtek and I plus our spouses stopped for dinner at Charleston Crab House, great meal to finish a great weekend.

Here are some nighttime pictures of the pleasure craft in Charleston harbour.

 

[Wisefam22]

We made it back. Just pulled into drive. Will wash tomorrow and put away until we go camping st lake norman next weekend.

 

[Wisefam22]

Just made it back to the house. @veedubtek and I plus our spouses stopped for dinner at Charleston Crab House, great meal to finish a great weekend.

Here are some nighttime pictures of the pleasure craft in Charleston harbour.
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I was sure you would make it back before us... glad you made it down. Man she was a beauty (pleasure craft) coming under bridge and seeing her.

 

[Wisefam22]

I wouldn't have thought the lake would have been the roughest part of ride back. My kids got scared. 3 ft chop from different angles was fun. My wife is wondering about bimini trip... I told her I would take the boat out 20miles in the gulf and back to show her it's not bad. Good thing I have until summer 2019.

 

[Mainah]

We had a great time and I need to edit down some fixed go pro footage. The lock was really cool and it was my first time seeing most if what we saw. The Cooper river requires a chart plotter or Navionics apps along with paying close attention as it gets very very shallow and twisty in spots with no visibility below the surface.

If someone slows to no wake on the ICW where there are not any no wake signs you probablly want to follow suit. Just past SJYH launch across from a busy sandbar with no markings for those cruising down the ICW and we saw tow boat recovering an overturned boat there on the return. Talked to the state police at SJYH onand they confirmed 4 people survived. The channel markers in the center are spot on

Lake Moultrie sure had a bite yesterday and was the roughest water we saw on the whole trip. I had my tabs 60% deployed and was doing 27 mph. Took a bit of spray a couple of times but the boat stayed planted on the water pretty well. Could see @Wisefam22 in his 232 with only the jets in the water a couple of times.

Don’t use the Hills Landing Ramp unless you have 4wd. For a single overnight it was a bit long of a boat trip. The lock is cool but likely much better to leave from Charleston if headed to Hilton Head for one overnight.

Is was great cruising with @Wisefam22 and @Wesley D. Great guys with great families. If you ever get a chance to check out @Wesley D custom built boat it is super cool in its own unique way.

Looking forward to seeing some folks out at drift jam in a few weeks.

 

[robert843]

Here is some of what we saw on the trip. I let me kid have the camera so there wasn't a lot of footage of people probably should have recorded at the pool or dinner that night to get everyone. I also should have got some shots of @Wesley D boat that thing is cool.

 

[BigAbe75]

Well, after what we thought were bearings trouble turned out to actually be brake problems, which caused the bearings trouble, we ended up back on the trail toward home with trailer brakes temporarily removed, new bearing seals and a fresh complement of grease.

(Shout out to Lebanon RV in Lebanon TN for having great staff and being the only place in town willing to help out some stranded travelers. Awesome folks there.)

On the way back, we spent the night on Kentucky Lake and got to explore it and Lake Barkley. Beautiful lakes and very unpopulated. Hardly anyone on the water Saturday evening or Sunday morning. One note, bring your lunch... we asked at several marinas and apparently there’s only about 3 restaurants on the water. I couldn’t believe it, for the size of the lakes.

Got home Sunday night about 6:30, and today have a call in to the local trailer repair shop.

Kentucky Lake at sunset.



Glad everyone had a great trip! We did, too. It just wasn’t the trip we were expecting.

 

[Wisefam22]

We had a great time and I need to edit down some fixed go pro footage. The lock was really cool and it was my first time seeing most if what we saw. The Cooper river requires a chart plotter or Navionics apps along with paying close attention as it gets very very shallow and twisty in spots with no visibility below the surface.

If someone slows to no wake on the ICW where there are not any no wake signs you probablly want to follow suit. Just past SJYH launch across from a busy sandbar with no markings for those cruising down the ICW and we saw tow boat recovering an overturned boat there on the return. Talked to the state police at SJYH onand they confirmed 4 people survived. The channel markers in the center are spot on

Lake Moultrie sure had a bite yesterday and was the roughest water we saw on the whole trip. I had my tabs 60% deployed and was doing 27 mph. Took a bit of spray a couple of times but the boat stayed planted on the water pretty well. Could see @Wisefam22 in his 232 with only the jets in the water a couple of times.

Don’t use the Hills Landing Ramp unless you have 4wd. For a single overnight it was a bit long of a boat trip. The lock is cool but likely much better to leave from Charleston if headed to Hilton Head for one overnight.

Is was great cruising with @Wisefam22 and @Wesley D. Great guys with great families. If you ever get a chance to check out @Wesley D custom built boat it is super cool in its own unique way.

Looking forward to seeing some folks out at drift jam in a few weeks.

I was going a little faster on the lake... running about 30-32mph opps.. maybe that's why it wasn't as smooth dont tell my wife. I just set the throttles and let her go.

We had a blast. Locks and river we great time but nothing you need to do more then once.

The extra hour drive down to charleston and shorter over all trip to HHI would have made more enjoyable for my kids.

My daughter has new nickname though "trimtabs" she was all over the boat on way back... until we got to the lake.

 

[Wisefam22]

Only pictures I took my wife has some more.

 

[Mainah]

Almost forgot ... Also a glowing experience for us at Shelter Cove Marina. They knew who we were when we got there. Had our bags unloaded and boats topped off within minutes of arrival and then played taxi with the golf carts. Called Sunday morning when we were getting on the elevators at the hotel to head out and they beat us to the lobby with two golf carts at 7:40 am on a Sunday. Not exactly cheap at $90 per night but you get what you pay for including a very well protected cove.

The Marriott is also my recommendation for where to stay. We had reservations elsewhere but were afraid to let skin touch some surfaces there. Shelter Cove golf carts to the rescue and they brought us to the Marriott. Wether it be AAA, corporate, or other discount a two bedroom, full kitchen, and living room suite with two balconies can be had for $301 per night before taxes at the last minute. If splitting with someone else the rate falls in line with the cheaper options.

 

[Mainah]

Only pictures I took my wife has some more.

Your kids were so well behaved. Kudos to you and your wife.

 

[bronze_10]

I was disappointed @robert843 didn't have the complete trip video completed and posted before the trip was over.. But I guess the next day is good too

 

[robert843]

I was going a little faster on the lake... running about 30-32mph opps.. maybe that's why it wasn't as smooth dont tell my wife. I just set the throttles and let her go.


The extra hour drive down to charleston and shorter over all trip to HHI would have made more enjoyable for my kids.

I really enjoy doing the lock run ever year and I already know my crew is going to make me do it later this year since we skipped this part. I agree these were two separate trips though trying to combine the two would have been a lot for my crew by the time we got back to Charleston they were done if we would have still had to run up the river it may have been a mutiny. Next year we will possibly just offer a lock run or maybe if there is any interest a Savannah GA to Jekyll Island GA or Jacksonville FL .

 

[Ramblin Wreck]

Definitely a good little haul all the way from the lake to Hilton. I'd personally love that entire run but would want to make it a 3 to 4 day adventure so you can slow down and enjoy, Charleston, Beaufort, & Hilton Head a little more. When I did Charleston to Hilton Head last year, I thought the distance was just about perfect for a quick 1 night trip. I got enough water time to be pleased didn't feel rushed to push the pace.

@robert843, @veedubtek, @Andy S how did ya'll enjoy the trip to Hilton in comparison to the Cooper run? They're both great, but curious to read your opinions.