The morning of Nov 5th leaving Ocean City started out calm, but the seas built to 4-5 foot chop by 10am. We set out at dawn to get ahead of the worst seas because Cape Hatteras is renown for extreme ocean conditions and our experience was consistent with the reputation.

After about 7 hours of being tossed, we tucked into the city marina at Morehead City, NC. The marina offers a loaner car, so I set out for some essential provisions like wine and Jefferson Oceans bourbon.

Knowing that Friday was forecast to be more of the same choppy seas, with a small craft advisory, we set out of Morehead City at first light, only to be met with 5’ swells.

It quickly turned into 2-3 foot wind driven whitecaps with 5-6 foot swells which feels like a rollercoaster ride. Having left at dawn with no breakfast, we were ready for lunch at 10am, so we slowed the boat down enough to go below to make some ham and turkey sandwiches.

After 8 hours of heavy seas (exhausting!) we turned into the entrance to Georgetown, SC and took the Intracoastal Waterway (ICW) to McClellanville.

McClellanville is an old, beautiful, quiet shrimping village. We walked about 10 minutes to a local restaurant called TW Grahams, which reminded me of Hymel’s in Louisiana…a generations-old dive with great seafood and service.