South Carolina
Nice sunrise the morning of Wed., Ap. 24, prior to us leaving the Isle of Hope.
While we were preparing to depart, a cruise ship came through the rather narrow fairway in front of us.
This was followed by a tug and barge. Busy little waterway!
We were underway by 7:30, once again traversing the multiple rivers, creeks, and sounds that comprise the AICW. Today began with Skidaway River which led to Wilmington River then Savannah River through Fields Cut followed by Wright River to New River to Ramshorn Creek then Cooper River to Calibogue Sound! Pretty sure I’m going to stop trying to account for all of the twists and turns.
Some sights along the way included: more houses with docks appearing to stretch endlessly from the house to the water and seeming so high above the water (at low tide) because of the significant tide swing; a boat sitting on bottom in low tide; extravagant houses that line the shoreline in many spots; shrimp boats; and, someone parasailing.
We passed Hilton Head and entered Port Royal Sound leading into the Beaufort River with Parris Island, Marine Corps Recruit Depot, to our west.
We arrived at Beaufort around 2:00, and Dennis’s brother, Steve, and his wife, Ellen, met us here a little later in the afternoon. After a brief visit on the boat, we had the opportunity to catch up further over a wonderful dinner in town. We’re still working on the art of selfies.
Steve and Ellen kindly loaned us their car for a quick provisioning trip after brunch together the next morning (Thurs, Ap. 24) before they headed home.
That afternoon, we joined Chuck and Kim (“Til You Can’t”) on a horse-drawn carriage ride around lovely Beaufort. The following photos are from both our carriage ride as well as our walks around the town. The fourth photo (pink-colored home) is a picture of the house where the first Ordinance of Secession was drafted in 1860 (as South Carolina was first).
It was the production of Sea Island cotton, rice (especially Carolina Gold) and indigo that made this area extremely wealthy in the 18th century. President Lincoln, after learning about the plans for secession, sent ships to supply Ft. Sumter and later to control and occupy the coastal portions of the state. Many of the residents in the area subsequently fled. The Union took over the town for four years, repurposing numerous houses for such uses as hospitals and offices. Consequently, a good deal of the historic homes survived.
Beaufort is in what is called the Lowcountry, comprised of sea level salt marshes, and receives an amazing 50” of rain annually which of course often causes flooding. We saw second floor verandas where reportedly boats would “dock” during flood times in years past.
The other claim to fame for Beaufort is that “Forrest Gump” was filmed here as well as parts of “The Prince of Tides,” “The Big Chill,” “The Great Santini,” and “Full Metal Jacket.”
In Beaufort, we heard many Parris Island marine corps jets flying over the area. The other thing we heard, and had been hearing since Fernandina Beach, was a ticking sound coming from under the floor. I’d noticed it especially in the aft cabin, and Dennis had pulled up every hatch and looked into every part of the boat he could to determine where the sound was being generated from – to no avail. Talking to other boaters, they also had “torn the boat apart” looking for the cause. Chuck (“Til You Can’t”) thought it was an electrical issue. Another boater thought they had a critter aboard making the sounds. We were able to put the question to rest after Chuck’s Google search revealed that it was caused by creatures called snapping shrimp whose snaps (echoing in the water below the hull) make it one of the loudest creatures in the ocean. Whew!
Travelling to Charleston on Fri., Ap. 25, we again traversed numerous rivers and creeks, but I’ve officially stopped recording them, as there are so many. Again, we saw plenty of homes, newer and older, along the shoreline plus the occasional crab pot visible in low tide.
But, a different sight was the American Waterways Wind Orchestra boat, former home of the American Wind Symphony Orchestra which was founded in 1957. For decades, the vessel acted as a floating stage for the musicians who performed in various towns and cities throughout America, Mexica, Canada, the Caribbean and northern Europe. People would bring folding chairs and blankets to the riverside to listen to the concerts.
Approaching Charleston, the very large city marina came into view.
We stayed at what is called a megadock there, fine for us but a bit tough on the dogs who had their work cut out getting to a patch of grass on shore! The cruise ship, American Independence” was across from us on another megadock.
We got a kick out of the “coyotes” tied at random spots along the docks in order to deter birds from messing on the docks (first picture below). Nelson and Ivy both approached them warily at first but eventually caught on to the ploy. A very large ocean-going racing sailboat came in while we we there (third picture below).
Saturday morning (Ap. 26), we took the marina’s shuttle downtown to tour points in the city starting with the city market which begins in the first floor of the historic building below then continues several blocks behind.
Charleston is known as “The Holy City” because of the number of churches here. One we happened upon was called the Circular Congregational Church.
The adjacent colonial burial ground had monuments dating back to 1695.
Other sights included cobblestone streets, rainbow row (historic townhomes restored and painted their original pastel colors), an inn from which Robert E. Lee watched as The Great Fire of 1861 approached, and some of the historic homes along the waterfront.
That afternoon, Dennis, Chuck (“Til You Can’t”) and Lee (“Remedy”) took the ferry to Patriot’s Point and saw the “Yorktown,” an aircraft carrier commissioned in 1943.
Sunday morning, Ap. 27, we biked into town with Chuck and Kim (“Til You Can’t”) and took a horse-drawn carriage ride around Charleston. While not as informative as the carriage tour in Beaufort, we enjoyed seeing and learning about Charleston via this means. Pictured below (right) is a powder magazine, a colonial gunpowder storage building.
Dennis and I caught the last ferry out to Ft. Sumter that afternoon and braved some strong winds for a tour.
President Lincoln sending ships to resupply Ft. Sumter, a federal installation, resulted in an ultimatum from the Confederate government that the fort be evacuated. The Union officer in charge at the fort refused, and the first shots of the war were fired on Ft. Sumter on Ap. 12, 1861; the rest is history.
Leaving Charleston on Mon., Ap. 28 with “Til You Can’t,” we’d planned to stop at a marina at McClellanville, but soon learned that the canal approaching the marina was much too shallow for our boats during low tide. So, we then worked to find an anchorage that would provide some access to shore for dogs. We anchored in the Santee River, an area where the “Swamp Fox,” Francis Marion, hid from the British during the Revolutionary War.
While the dock was a state-operated, gated, and locked entity, we were able to use the boat ramp that evening for a dog run. As we were pulling up and greeting a man and his son fishing there, the son suddenly got a substantial tug on one of his fishing lines. After quite a fight with it, he pulled up a 42″ and 30 lb. Red Drum. The father said that it was the catch of a lifetime. The son, who we learned is in the Coast Guard, was understandably ecstatic. It was really cool just watching it! We’d forgotten our phones, so the proud father sent us some pictures.
Back at that same boat ramp after walking the dogs for their morning constitutional on Tues., Ap. 29, we heard a low growling noise. Looking around, I saw that the sound was coming from an alligator in the water to the right of the inflatable. We quickly got the dogs in and were on our way. Once back at the boat, you could stand there and hear the growling all around. Evidently, the growls are a form of communication, and it was mating season. Weighing the anchor, I noticed that there was part of our styrofoam buoy missing. Alligator bite?
The trip to that night’s marina was uneventful in comparison. We first passed a crab fisherman (third picture below) when leaving the Santee Creek then got (necessarily) very close to a barge working in the same span of the bridge through which we had to travel.
We made it to Wacca Wache Marina in Murrells Inlet, where we were able to have dinner with Doug and Alison (“Ripple”) who drove over to meet us as well as Chuck and Kim (“Til You Can’t”) and Doug and Barbara (“2nd Chance”). Doug and Alison, who live nearby, completed their Loop recently, so we were able to celebrate them “crossing their wake.” Doug and Barbara, whom we met in Grafton, IL, last year and travelled some time with, happened to be at Wacca Wache and joined us! They completed their Loop in FL but are taking their boat to NY where it will remain for their use during summers.
At this small marina, we also saw Steve (“Asylum”) that we’ve docked next to in the Thousand Islands several times! Small world.
In addition to their usual large tide swing, this area was experiencing “King tides” a period of the highest high tides and lowest low tides. As a result, “Til You Can’t” was nearly sitting on the bottom and couldn’t move first thing in the morning on Wed., Ap. 30. After sufficient water pooled under their boat, we were able to get underway down the swampy but pretty waterway.
Because Doug and Alison (“Ripple”) and their neighbors, Arlon (who we’d met on first part of Loop) and wife, Kay, live right on the AICW, we planned to wave to them as we passed, but Doug beat us to it by waiting for us in his runabout! Did get to wave to Arlon and Kay who were waiting on their veranda.
We saw a lot of development along the way here, especially near Myrtle Beach, with most houses being three-story, single-family homes but still many large and elaborate homes, as well.
Saw a shrimp boat working.
Got a little busy in spots.
As we neared Little River Swing Bridge, a boat was anchored in the middle of the channel. Turned out it was a medical emergency, and the bridge attendant had to hurry to open the bridge for a fireboat coming to assist the woman on board the anchored boat. EMTs were nearby on shore waiting to be picked up.
That evening, we anchored at Bird Island by the Little River Inlet from the ocean. Though it was windy, the dogs enjoyed the beach and had to sniff at the many expired jellyfish.
Tomorrow we head to North Carolina.
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