August 27, 2018 Mission22

Left camp and took the short walk to river beach. Launched there and headed a hundred feet or more offshore. Rounded the corner and headed south.

Ran into a vet in his Epic kayak training for his next race. I am sure he will do well.

Ran into 2 other kayakers who had been out fishing. Heading in due to weather.

I paddled past Tybee and little Tybee islands and made it to the south end of Ossabaw island.

Set camp ate dinner and settled in. Peace was broken by sudden rain storm. I has to quickly set up tarp over the tent in the rain to stay dry.

Met the island turtle lady. Mattie!

The wind and the fine sand made a mess of the inside of the tent. You can’t avoid it.

With everything wet decided to stay another night.

August 26, 2018 Mission22

Weather kept me on Tybee another night. Decides to go explore what is close to campground.

Stopped at kayak shop, spoke briefly with owners as they were leaving to make a delivery. Do business here.

Went to Claudes Pig and shrimp, not your fanciest restaurant but the food and service are top notch. If you like bbqs and a good limeade this is a must stop for lunch. Be sure to read all the signs hanging around the place.

Stop and talked with the photographer at his little shop. A must stop as his perspective is better than the standard run of the mill shots. May go back some day to see what I can buy for my home.

Had some great steak with mycamp neighbors. Thanks you two!

August 23, 2018 Mission22

Woke up early and cooked grits for breakfast. packed and took off for Hilton Head.

Made Hilton Head and saw a 5 ft alligator stopped at Skull River Boathouse for lunch and charge my phone. Made Dafuskie Island and found another oyster shell berm just big enough to camp on. The side of the berm was steep and a 6 ft shark swam right along the side. I slept nervously all night expecting him to leap out and grab me and drag me under. I wasn’t that far from the water.

I had freezes dried beef and veggies for dinner.

A couple of tour boats went by me twice.

August 22, 2018

Worked on kayak at the hotel. Had to get manager to give me ride to lowes. Found out on ride he worked for them once too. Finish fixing rudder cable. I bought 20 ft of cable, ferrule, and linesmen pliers.

On the way back to marina I talked to a guy who i thought was Sgt. White but wasn’t. Talked briefly with the crew at the carwash about 5he Mission22. Stood at attention saluting as a military funeral went by. Talked briefly with a producer about doing films about veterans.

Kate bought me lunch, she is such an angel!

Bought 12 bottles of water at ship store and then paddled off.

Ended up sleeping on a salt marsh berm of oyster shells across from Parris Island. Funny I didn’t hear revile in the morning.

August 21, 2018 Mission22

Meeting Kate Walsh from the Island News for breakfast and an interview. Then it’s time to look at left rudder to see if I can repair it. I hope it’s something simple.

I was thinking of stopping at Hilton Head but I will go to Tybee Island GA.

Well the day was a lesson in preventive maintenance. It took all day plus the help of a local man to get the cable out of the adjuster. It took a combination of soaking it in liquid wrench and then putting it in the fire then quenching repeat many times.

I had walked the few miles to the hardware store to get what I needed but bought the wrong size cable.

I ended up asking Kate for a ride to get right cable. Thank you Kate for the ride and your generous donation you are truly a great person.

I am back in the Quality Inn for another night. I finally figured out how to get the cable on the foot paddle.

I need to find someone with cable cutters to get a clean end to feed through the tube.

August 19, 2018 Mission22

Shaun is a gracious host and new friend. Not only did he cook an awesome dinner last night but cooked a good hearty breakfast this morning.

We went to the grocery store this morning so I could get a few things. On the way back we took a tour of Rockville, population 300, with its dirt roads and a number of big houses and a beautiful church.

Packed the kayak and it was time to get to the water. Shaun had to launch his boat then come back for me and the yak. Launched about 12:15 pm and set out for Edisto Island. I had planned on going down the ocean side to save time but when I reached the river there was 2-3 foot chop. I figured it had to be worse on the ocean side. The skies looked threatening all day, mostly cloudy and black. zi made it to Dahoo boat ramp at the bridge and pulled in to eat and stretch. That’s when the weather took a turn for the worse. tstorm was upon us and people were frantically trying to get their boats out at 1 of the 2 ramps.

I helped as much as I could. Got a few people to take my pic with my yak for Facebook to spread the mission word.

Made reservation at the Edisto campground and then had to email Shaun to come Portage me there due to storm.

oh! saw my first alligator about a mile before the bridge.

Shaun arrived we loaded the yak and he drove me to camp.

set up reloaded yak time for sleep

August 18, 2018 Mission22

Spent the night at a Marriot for a good deal of $250. Matteress was soft so after tweaking my back picking up kayak to get it behind fence it was not a great night sleep.

woke up had breakfast then a 3.5 mile walk to hardware store to get what I needed to repair the wheel.

Met a veteran in the store who gave me a ride to the marina which was out of his way.

Fixed the wheel and the marina lent me one of their guys to get the yak to the dock. Then I had 2 guys waiting for gas help me put the yak in the water.

Down the river I went. Landed on a beach at an inlet which looked like the local hangout. Talked to a bunch of people about Mission22. I was invited to spend the night at his house

I took the offer

August 17, 2018 Mission22

Awoke packed camp ate breakfast and set off for the river.

Trying to make Edisto Island.

Well made it to end of John’s Island.

I had to pull kayak up a steep bank by myself put it on dolly then headed for closest restaurant.

Macanns Irish pub! good shepard’s pie. friendly staff.

Then went down the road to marina when I got there the dolly axle broke

The marina is private with no ramp but they are letting me keep it there until tomorrow

I have to go to hardware store to get what I need and then fix it

They suggested the Marriot down the street

I was lucky to get a low price of $250.

leaves me pretty much broke until first of the month