Here’s a picture of the flattop salt marshes of the GA ICW at sunrise. It is quiet here in the morning except for the distant call of birds, dolphins snorting as they surface and fish jumping. We split the trip to Savannah into 2 parts with a longer 66 mile day to Kilkenny with a rising tide and had no problems with Mud River. The next day was a short hop to Savannah through Hell’s Gate which was being dredged so this section should be much better in the future.
Savannah is another southern city rich with hospitality, food and history. James Oglethorpe founded the city in 1733, planned it around 4 squares which subsequently expanded to 24 and thought that it would prosper if there were no lawyers, whisky, slaves or Catholics. Things have really changed as modern Savannah has the second largest St. Patrick’s Day in the nation complete with a Mardi Gras style party for 400,000. Savannah also bills itself as America’s Most Haunted City and has the ghost tours to prove it. With its tragic and violent past history of war, fires, epidemics and sensational murders (Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil), spirits are here if you are receptive.
Summer has definitely come to Savannah this Mother’s Day weekend with temperatures in the 90’s and we cold blooded Minnesotans were wilting a bit. We took the Oglethorpe Trolley tour to get orientated and then over the next 2 days, took 3 Savannah Walks tours highlighting Civil War history, the amazing Colonial, antebellum and Victorian architecture, the gardens and ghosts. To cool down, we toured the air conditioned Maritime Museum and Savannah Museum as well as grazed in restaurants on fried green tomatoes, grits, collard greens, and anything pecan. Paula Dean, the fabulous GA cooking show host, was in town but we could not get a table at her restaurant, Lady and Sons. Next time.
Since we had a rental car, we had time to go to the Sea Turtle Research Center. Only 1 in 4,000 hatchlings live to reproductive age and it is amazing to see the work the center is doing with sea turtles that have been injured or ill.
We were glad to catch up with Dan and Deb on “Freedom” and will probably see them again soon in Charleston. We stayed at Isle of Hope Marina which worked out well. They even sponsored a barbeque lunch on Saturday.
Savannah is another southern city rich with hospitality, food and history. James Oglethorpe founded the city in 1733, planned it around 4 squares which subsequently expanded to 24 and thought that it would prosper if there were no lawyers, whisky, slaves or Catholics. Things have really changed as modern Savannah has the second largest St. Patrick’s Day in the nation complete with a Mardi Gras style party for 400,000. Savannah also bills itself as America’s Most Haunted City and has the ghost tours to prove it. With its tragic and violent past history of war, fires, epidemics and sensational murders (Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil), spirits are here if you are receptive.
Summer has definitely come to Savannah this Mother’s Day weekend with temperatures in the 90’s and we cold blooded Minnesotans were wilting a bit. We took the Oglethorpe Trolley tour to get orientated and then over the next 2 days, took 3 Savannah Walks tours highlighting Civil War history, the amazing Colonial, antebellum and Victorian architecture, the gardens and ghosts. To cool down, we toured the air conditioned Maritime Museum and Savannah Museum as well as grazed in restaurants on fried green tomatoes, grits, collard greens, and anything pecan. Paula Dean, the fabulous GA cooking show host, was in town but we could not get a table at her restaurant, Lady and Sons. Next time.
Since we had a rental car, we had time to go to the Sea Turtle Research Center. Only 1 in 4,000 hatchlings live to reproductive age and it is amazing to see the work the center is doing with sea turtles that have been injured or ill.
We were glad to catch up with Dan and Deb on “Freedom” and will probably see them again soon in Charleston. We stayed at Isle of Hope Marina which worked out well. They even sponsored a barbeque lunch on Saturday.
