Captain's Log: Star Date: June 30,2008

SO...how is the ponytail coming along in regard to the fuel consumption?

Four Days in Charleston

It was with much anticipation that we approached Charleston. From the very start of our trip, we have been told wonderful stories and recommendations about Charleston. The city of Charleston and the North Channel are the two places that every Looper we have talked with has said are Must Do visits.

In order to reach Charleston from the ICW, you travel up the Ashley River which is rather nondescript. I am not quite sure what I was expecting, but this river was not it. However, we did see another Nordic sibling that lives on this river, so I was not disappointed after all.



Then all of a sudden, we entered Charleston Bay. The Bay itself is truly magnificent both in beauty and size. A great deal of American history took place upon these waters and shore. From the early 1700s through today, Charleston has always been a thriving seaport.

Standing tall is the Ravenel Bridge along with the USS Yorktown which is permanently stationed in Charleston.

As one sees the city from afar already one is caught up in the battles, loves and charm of the Charleston. The wealth of Charleston’s citizens is evident everywhere as is the pride they feel for their city, culture and history. From the water what is most notable about Charleston is the absence of tall buildings which allows the church steeples and original building profiles to be very evident.









Never have I seen so many beautifully maintained homes, gardens and public buildings in one location. While Savannah and Beaufort, South Carolina also represent wealth and culture in the South, Charleston is in a class totally different from that of the other two cities.









There are many jokes about the little old ladies who “man” the Historical Preservation movement in Charleston, but without a doubt these ladies have done their homework and with militant Southern Charm have seen to it that the homes, gardens and public buildings of Charleston have been maintained and restored in the most authentic and beautiful manner possible.



Friday evening after a short visit downtown, we decided to walk back to City Marina. We walked down Meeting Street which is the heart of the historical district.



It would have been a wonderful walk of about three miles back to the boat, but it was so unbearably hot that I could not concentrate on what I was seeing. I know I would have appreciated the sights more if the weather had been cooler. So we decided that we would take a carriage ride the next day to again see the same houses and to learn more about them. The carriage ride was well worth the money and time. I would very much recommend the carriage ride as the way to see Charleston in order to capture a total overview before setting out on foot.

I am not one for souvenirs per se but I do like to obtain local folk art or artwork from local artists when we travel (if I can afford it). One of the things that I most wanted was a Sweetgrass basket which are hand woven in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina.



The coiled Sweetgrass basket is an historically significant example of African-American cultural heritage that was brought by transported enslaved African people. Sweetgrass basket weaving (or sewing as it is often called) is seen as a gift from God. The craft which is handed down from generation to generation requires a great deal of patience and creativity as there are no set patterns. Each piece is unique and each artist develops their own style. We first saw them Friday evening at the City Market in downtown Charleston but something told me to wait in my purchase. I am so glad that I did because on Saturday we visited the Farmer’s Market which is held each Saturday morning. I have been to many Farmer’s Markets but this is certainly one of the best. There had to be at least a hundred vendors there all selling goods that are native or made in South Carolina. It was beastly hot but that did not prevent me from visiting each and every vendor. There were several vendors selling Sweetgrass baskets but I was captivated by a couple whose work was different from most of the others. I stopped to visit with them and they told me all about how the baskets are woven, how the tradition is maintained within families and how the materials were adopted to suit the plant life that grows in South Carolina. I purchased a basket as well as a pendent that I can proudly wear.

One of the things that I found most interesting about Charleston was that the rods in the homes and buildings that I thought were for hurricane protection are really for earthquake protection. These rods run through the buildings to stabilize the buildings and are often capped off with a decorative marker. Like the Midwest, the Eastern States of the US are also prone to earthquakes, with quakes occurring in greater numbers than in the Western US states but the magnitude is less.



Fort Sumter stands proudly off shore and surprisingly I found myself rather emotional each time I would look at the fort. I thought of course of the Star Spangled Banner but also the fort seemed to symbolize and personify the Civil War to me in a way that I was not expecting.

We had planned to leave Charleston after two days but FINALLY the rains came. With the rain came a small craft advisory that remained in effect for two days. Charleston Bay and Harbor is so large that the small craft advisory was issued for this area due to the exceedingly strong winds. This was fine with us as it gave us some time to relax and get caught up on laundry and blog entries.

Hours on the water: 4.5
Nautical miles traveled: 23.7
Number of bridges to be opened: 0
Time spent waiting at bridge: 0
Next Destination: Minin Creek Anchorage
What we're listening to: To the Nines by Janet Evanovich
What we watched: Beautiful Charleston
Lesson for the day: Charleston is indeed the jewel of the South
Obligatory knitting report: Hats for the Wunder Kids

Tom Creek Anchorage

As we left Beaufort it was a bright, clear and very hot day. It was also a day for us to see things in the water and in the sky. I know that I may be getting a little paranoid with having our picture taken as we pass each and every military vessel and base but all of a sudden we had fighter jets and prop planes flying very low over us again and again. I could actually see the flight crew in the cockpits.



Any minute I was expecting a seaplane to land on the water in front of us…Then my paranoia subsided just a tad when I noticed that I was seeing the same two planes over and over again…it seems that just as there is a Marine base south of Beaufort, there is a Naval Airbase just north and the two pilots were practicing their take off and landings (but I am sure that a crew member was snapping our photo as they passed overhead!).

Also along this stretch of water, we saw more dolphins than ever. They were either following us or they were everywhere. What we have noticed is that the dolphins in the Gulf of Mexico are more playful than the dolphins that we have seen in the Atlantic.


We also came upon another Osprey nest on a day marker.

We reached our anchorage by mid-afternoon with plenty of time to meet and socialize with Karen, John and Bill aboard the sailing vessel Alleluia. Karen and John spent the winter in Fort Lauderdale aboard Alleluia and with Bill’s assistance they are returning to their home in the Chesapeake area.

At sunset it looked like rain but the clouds just passed us by.






Notice how great the tides are in this area.


It was high tide when we arrived.



And low tide when we left in the morning.

Hours on the water: 5.5
Nautical miles traveled: 35.9
Number of bridges to be opened: 0
Time spent waiting at bridge: 0
Next Destination: City Marina in Charleson
What we're listening to: Finished Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil and started To the Nines by Janet Evanovich
What we watched: The sunset
Lesson for the day: It is always so good to meet new friends
Obligatory knitting report: Mittens for the Wunder Kids

Beaufort, South Carolina

Waking up after a wonderful evening of sleeping in the air-conditioned Lolligag, we were ready to explore Beaufort. We started with breakfast at the Blackstone's Cafe which came highly recommended as THE spot for breakfast or lunch. We had done our homework and we knew that this little town had more historical sites and antebellum homes per square inch than any other location in the South. We walked the wonderfully maintained downtown area which is full of quaint shops and restaurants. Unlike other cities where the downtown areas have been “restored”, it was obvious that downtown Beaufort had been maintained through the years. This may be why so many movies have been filmed within Beaufort and why the entire downtown area has been designated a National Historic Landmark.

Founded in 1711, Beaufort is the second oldest city in South Carolina, with Charleston being the oldest. It is actually located on Port Royal Island in the heart of what is known as the Carolina Seas Islands or the Carolina Lowcountry. Pronounced “byew-furt”, the citizens will be quick to correct anyone who confuses this Beaufort with the North Carolina city by the same name.

After spending the morning walking the downtown area, we took a surrey tour around town to see and learn more about the particular homes and sites.

Several of the larger antebellum homes have become Bed and Breakfast Inns but without exception all of the homes have been either maintained or restored with loving care and attention to historical detail. Like Savannah, Beaufort was spared from Sherman’s raid during the Civil War as the city was used as a major field hospital for the wounded Union Soldiers. Almost without exception, every home with more than three rooms was a hospital ward. During the height of the Union occupation, Beaufort had over twenty-three different hospital locations.

Even the churches were utilized and the graveyard headstones used as outdoor operating tables. As a result, while no graves were uncovered in Beaufort the headstones most likely do not represent who is actually buried in any given plot.



This house is referred to in Beaufort as the Trouble House. This is the location where the Confederate Succession Letter was conceived and written. From here the letter was sent to President Lincoln in Washington.



The trees of the South have become a source of fascination for me. Never have I seen such majesty and strength as the trees of the South represent – it is almost like the trees symbolize the will of the people of South in the quiet but stately way they exist. The branches of the great oak trees that grow downward and touch the ground are said to be angel kissed. Not Spanish Moss, but another type of moss that grows on these special branches is collected by the Gullah to be used for medicinal purposes as it is thought to be very powerful.

More than thirty-five movies have been filmed within the city of Beaufort. The most famous films have been Forrest Gump, Glory, The Big Chill, GI Jane and of course the films based on the Pat Conroy novels, The Great Santini, Prince of Tides, and Conrack.

All along the riverfront, swings are provided so that everyone can enjoy the cool breeze and watch the river traffic. We forgot to take a picture of the swings, so I borrowed this picture of Paul from Restless Wind’s blog. Thanks Paul and Emy!

Upon arriving back at the boat, we found two Coast Guard vessels docked next to us. One was a cutter that we had seen the day before and the other was what I think was a construction vessel with a huge crane attached. As always, the Coasties were very polite and curious about the Lolligag. They stopped by our boat with lots of questions and compliments.

Pat Conroy

One of my all time favorite authors is Pat Conroy who moved to Beaufort when he was fifteen years old. I was first introduced to his work via the 1974 movie Conrack starring Jon Voight which was derived from his book The Water Is Wide. The story is based on his experiences as a teacher in a one room schoolhouse on the remote island of Daufuskie located in off shore South Carolina. In the book Conroy tells the true story of how he was fired at the conclusion of his first year of teaching on the island for his unconventional teaching practices. This included his refusal to use corporal punishment on students and his lack of respect for the school's administration. The book won Conroy a humanitarian award from the National Education Association.

Daufuskie Island is a residential sea island between Savannah, Georgia and Hilton Head Island, South Carolina. It has a full-time population of around 429. The island was home to a sizable population of Gullah inhabitants from the end of the Civil War until very recently. The Gullah are the descendants of freed slaves. The 1988 Jimmy Buffett song The Prince of Tides laments the urbanization of the island and loss of the Gullah.

After reading his first book, I have figuratively waited in line for more of his writings and have read each one as they became available. Autobiographical in nature, Conroy has several times gotten in trouble with his family and fellow Citadel graduates for his blunt and often too honest portrayal of his characters.

In 1976, Conroy published The Great Santini.

The main character of the novel, Colonel "Bull" Meecham, is a Marine fighter pilot who dominates and terrorizes his family. The character of "Bull" Meecham is based on Pat's father, Donald Conroy. In the book My Losing Season, Donald Conroy was even worse than the character depicted in Santini. However, the books eventually led to reconciliation in Pat Conroy's relationship with his father and they became very close. His father, looking to prove that he was not what Pat Conroy described, changed his manners drastically. According to Pat Conroy, his father would often sign copies of his son's novels as "Donald Conroy - The Great Santini."

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Lowcountry to Beaufort, South Carolina

As we left Isle of Hope, we again noticed a change in the waterway and surrounding terrain. The water was still marshy but in a different way now. Instead of green grasslands, the plants were more straw like and large trees began to appear along the edge of the wetlands.





We meandered around and between Savannah, Tybee Island and the outskirts of the Savannah area in what seemed like all day. When we were at Isle of Hope Marina we were much closer to downtown Savannah than we were when we came to the Savannah River junction along the ICW. At the point where the ICW meets the Savannah River, downtown Savannah is located seven miles inland.

After passing the Savannah River junction and traveling north, we noticed that larger islands were beginning to appear. Most were uninhabited but I think most people will recognize this one:

Hilton Head.

Here are just a few of the beautiful homes on Hilton Head.







We did not stop at Hilton Head this time as we will stop on our way back to Savannah in the fall. Our plan is to see various locations on the way north this time and then see others on our way back south in the fall and then others on the way north again in the spring of 2009.

In the distance we could see the Marine water tower located on Parris Island. At this point Mark and I had a rather large discussion/debate/disagreement in regard to whether my brother Bill was ever stationed at Parris Island.



Mark said that ALL Marines had to first go to Parris Island and then were sent elsewhere for basic training. I totally knew that he was wrong and said so (it was my brother after all who was in the Marines). We finally agreed to table the discussion until we could consult with brother Bill – and guess what, I was correct! Bill was sent to San Diego and then to Camp Pendleton when he entered the Marines.

After passing the Marine base, we continued along the Beaufort River into the Downtown Marina at Beaufort. Downtown Marina was a most welcome sight as this was one of our longest days in both time and miles. We were both overheated, hungry and in desperate need of a shower.

Hours on the water: 7.5
Nautical miles traveled: 46.5
Number of bridges to be opened: 0
Time spent waiting at bridge: 0
Next Destination: Tom Point Creek Anchorage
What we're listening to: Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil by John Berendt
What we watched: Dolphins, lots of dolphins
Lesson for the day: It was a LONG HOT day
Obligatory knitting report: It was too hot to knit!