July 19 - Ocean voyage, well a very short ocean voyage

Bill and our boat pilot Jason beside
our boat

As soon as I got up this morning I called in to the Bar Pilot office the make sure we were on time for our boat.  He said to call back about 10 as we were still scheduled for 10:30 but it could change.  He called later and said we needed to leave 10 minutes early, so we got ready and left to walk over to the Pilot house at 10:10.  Today was a shift change so we waited a little bit and signed waivers in case the boat sunk or something.  We rode out with the little boat pilot, 2 workers and a ship pilot.  It was pretty choppy going out so I was really glad I took my motion sickness pill before we left.  We drove out in a boat that’s at least 40 feet.  We sat in the cabin with the pilot and there are 4 more seats in the back and there’s a galley below. 

The ship pilot is climbing up the rope
ladder

The ships meet the pilot boats about 12 miles out, which is about 8 miles from the shore.  We leave from the Savannah River.  The pilot boat goes behind the ship and comes up along the side and they both move at the same speed and the ship pilot we are carrying climbs up a rope ladder to the ship.  Then he advises the ship’s captain of the sand bars, etc along the river channel.  It was so fast, I hope we got good video and pictures.  Then on the way back we picked up another pilot from off a ship he was on going back to sea.   The boat pilot did a couple of tricks for us with the boat, which was fun and then we headed back to the pilot house dock.  The ride back was much smoother since we were going with the tide.  The guys that work there have different schedules depending on their time with the company.  New guys work 4 weeks on and one off, then some are 2 one and 1 off put the pilots are 1 on and 1 off.  They have a really nice house when they’re working.  And I managed not to get sick!!!

We got back in time to go see the 2:00 3D Harry Potter movie.  Actually we had time to walk Xena and to have lunch at Wendy’s and stop at Staples.  The movie was good and it was sad that Harry is now over and gone.  It wasn’t busy at all.  On the way home we stopped at Wal-Mart, Dollar Tree and Krogers.  We were down to nothing for breakfast or lunch except cereal.  For dinner I made pork chops in the toaster oven and couscous with feta and a salad.  Bill said it was the most tender and moistest pork chop he’s had in a very long time.

 

After dinner we loaded two of the tires in the truck and drove them to the dumpster.  Xena got to ride along and then Bill walked her back while I stopped at the VIP room to put some of the groceries in the fridge and get the couch throw out of the dryer.  We’ll take the other 2 tires up tomorrow night.  Then I put bird seed in my feeder.  I put a batch of meatballs in the toaster oven and Bill did the dishes while I showered so I could do my little bit of ironing after my shower.

 

Kerry called to tell me about her yummy dinner that our apartment guests invited her to.  He’s a chef so she said she had a really nice meal and he gave her the leftovers.  I think she’s hoping for another invite. 

 

Blog typed, now to work on photos.