We did 68 miles to get to Charleston on 5/14 only to encounter strong winds and T-storms so we anchored for an hour behind the trawler, Avalon, in Wappoo Creek and waited for the weather to blow through before attempting to dock at Charleston City Marina, aka The Megadock. We had heard horror stories of boats colliding here due to the strong current but we timed our arrival with slack tide and had no difficulty. The only trouble for yours truly was getting disorientated and not being able to find our boat in this mega marina.
It was our last chance to have dinner with Dan and Deb from Freedom as they will be storing their boat here for the summer and heading back down to the Bahamas again in the fall. Loopers Rose and Gary on Rose's Pick will be leaving their boat in FL and will also be heading back to the Bahamas this fall. Bob and I have seriously thought about this but we are not ready yet to give up the summer boating season on the Great Lakes. The Bahamas have definitely been the best part of our Loop so maybe in the future…..
We had only planned a 2 day stay here in Charleston, but with gale force winds, high seas, rain and a small craft advisory, we stayed a week. The upside is that there is so much to do here; downside, this is a pricey marina. Charmin’ Charleston is a succinct description of this genteel lady of a city filled with historic registry homes, overflowing gardens, savory food and welcoming people with the softest drawl.
We started our stay with an overview mini-bus tour, and visits to the Charleston Visitors Center and Charleston Museum. All of these will acquaint you with the Revolutionary and Civil War history of the area as well as point out other sites to visit. We really like to walk a town and Charleston is the place to do it. We toured the Calhoun Mansion, the Nathaniel Russell, the Joseph Manigault and the Heyward-Washington Homes but you can stroll down any street in the historic district, look for the Carolopolis Award from the Preservation Society of Charleston, and see equally stunning examples of Charleston’s golden age. Magnolia is the flower of the South and we were lucky to be here when the trees were flowering.
I have always wanted to tour a plantation and we took a tour bus 15 miles to the Magnolia Plantation and Gardens located on the Ashley River. This area was heavily damaged in the Civil War and this house (picture #4) was moved here after the Civil War. The back story of plantation life is well told in the Old Slave Mart Museum on Chalmers Street situated on the site of the infamous Ryan’s Slave Mart. You can hear first hand stories of the slaves who were bought and sold here and the chilling effects it had on them and their families as their blood, sweat and tears paid the price for this opulent plantation lifestyle.
The Civil War started here when the Confederates shelled and captured Fort Sumter which lies in the mouth of Charleston Harbor. It was held for 4 years by the Confederacy but sustained heavy damage due to Union bombardments and naval blockades. You can tour the Fort Sumter National Monument by boat or just tour the museum in Charleston.
We had great food anywhere we stopped but the seafood lunch at Hyman’s was great. We want to thank Bob and Helen on Allez for their hospitality. They are MTOA Port Captains and will be starting the Loop next year.
It was our last chance to have dinner with Dan and Deb from Freedom as they will be storing their boat here for the summer and heading back down to the Bahamas again in the fall. Loopers Rose and Gary on Rose's Pick will be leaving their boat in FL and will also be heading back to the Bahamas this fall. Bob and I have seriously thought about this but we are not ready yet to give up the summer boating season on the Great Lakes. The Bahamas have definitely been the best part of our Loop so maybe in the future…..
We had only planned a 2 day stay here in Charleston, but with gale force winds, high seas, rain and a small craft advisory, we stayed a week. The upside is that there is so much to do here; downside, this is a pricey marina. Charmin’ Charleston is a succinct description of this genteel lady of a city filled with historic registry homes, overflowing gardens, savory food and welcoming people with the softest drawl.
We started our stay with an overview mini-bus tour, and visits to the Charleston Visitors Center and Charleston Museum. All of these will acquaint you with the Revolutionary and Civil War history of the area as well as point out other sites to visit. We really like to walk a town and Charleston is the place to do it. We toured the Calhoun Mansion, the Nathaniel Russell, the Joseph Manigault and the Heyward-Washington Homes but you can stroll down any street in the historic district, look for the Carolopolis Award from the Preservation Society of Charleston, and see equally stunning examples of Charleston’s golden age. Magnolia is the flower of the South and we were lucky to be here when the trees were flowering.
I have always wanted to tour a plantation and we took a tour bus 15 miles to the Magnolia Plantation and Gardens located on the Ashley River. This area was heavily damaged in the Civil War and this house (picture #4) was moved here after the Civil War. The back story of plantation life is well told in the Old Slave Mart Museum on Chalmers Street situated on the site of the infamous Ryan’s Slave Mart. You can hear first hand stories of the slaves who were bought and sold here and the chilling effects it had on them and their families as their blood, sweat and tears paid the price for this opulent plantation lifestyle.
The Civil War started here when the Confederates shelled and captured Fort Sumter which lies in the mouth of Charleston Harbor. It was held for 4 years by the Confederacy but sustained heavy damage due to Union bombardments and naval blockades. You can tour the Fort Sumter National Monument by boat or just tour the museum in Charleston.
We had great food anywhere we stopped but the seafood lunch at Hyman’s was great. We want to thank Bob and Helen on Allez for their hospitality. They are MTOA Port Captains and will be starting the Loop next year.
