Ready to Sail South

We transited from Charleston to Beaufort, South Carolina, arriving at dusk and anchored in the Beaufort River just south of the city docks. The river was crowded with boats poised go south an dwe anchored a little further into the channel that we'd have liked. NO matter, or so we thought, no one will pass by before morning, and we planned to tie up to the city marina and stretch our legs ashore for the first time in 5 days. So, of course at 6:45 am, in the dark, the heavy thrum of a straining engine gets louder and louder. One hundred yards away is the beginning of the largest parade of vessels we've ever seen on the inland water way. An ocean going tug floats past pulling some sort of structure that looks like a3 story hotel with all lights blazing, behind that, a second, smaller barge marches by. The second grouping consisted of an other ocean going tug, pulling a huge barge with a steam shovel on board, connected to a SECOND, smaller tug, which in turn was connected to another vessel, that started as a barge, but diminished to a snakelike tail of several hudred yards, supported in the center by a THIRD tug. The initial tugs were sporting lights, white over white over red.....which indicates tug in tow with poor ability to manuever.....not what you wat to see when your boat is too far into the channel.