Charleston, Georgetown and Bucksport - Loop Trip Days 131 - 139

Charleston will be an extended stop for us. There is so much to do and see that we are staying for five full days!  On our first day, we ran into Lee and his little dog Lola. Last time we had seen them was in Tarpon Springs months ago. This was also a rainy day and when we got to town, it really started coming down. A quick brunch of biscuits at Callie's was first before walking down to the Market Street area. Regina found a handwoven grass basket that she wanted for the boat. We learned all about the various materials used to make it and how to care for it from the lady who had actually woven it!  This whole area is covered with shops and restaurants which we checked out. One place that is always interesting is the building where our former marketing coordinator at RPA had a bed and breakfast. It's no longer there, but still have fond memories of staying there. From the market area, we walked to Poogan's Porch for dinner. 

Charleston Market

Upstairs was the B & B

5Church is a restaurant in a former church

Interesting light fixtures in 5Church

Sunset

The Megadock

With much to catch up on about Lee's adventures, we contacted him to arrange for lunch on Saturday. He had cut across the Okeechobee Waterway while we had gone to the Keys. Lots of fun to hear about the different experiences on our routes. It was also a day to get some laundry done which got half done during lunch and finished right after. I was able to get some fuel for the boat while Regina got that done. We then got the shuttle into town to see The Vendue Rooftop. I don't know if this is new, but it is new to us and was cool with views over the city. Next, we went back to Market to Ruths Chris for happy hour dinner. Don't tell anyone or its going start getting to crowded to go, but they have a fabulous deal for small plate (not really small) dinners which are great. Afterward, it was back to the marina just in time to catch a beautiful sunset over the Ashley River. 

Vendue rooftop view

Ashley river sunset

Easter Sunday was sunny and warmed up by about noon. The shuttle was headed for town on the regular schedule so I ordered tickets for a tour at the Calhoun Mansion. This is a 23,000 square foot mansion on Meeting Street, in sight of The Battery, which was built in the late 1800's. Not sure why we've never realized this was here. The current owner is an international law attorney who practiced in DC but is now retired and lives in the house. The tour guide called it the OMG house. This made sense as soon as we walked in. While the home is incredible in its detail and craftsmanship, it is cram packed with period pieces. You are not allowed to walk through the individual rooms, probably because it would be virtually impossible to find a path.  Pictures inside were not allowed which would illustrate this must better. Walking around in the garden after the tour, we actually met the owner siting on a bench next to fountain!  He was friendly and totally unassuming. From here we walked around on King Street, found an early dinner at Toast and then visited a tiny little spot called Proof.  By now it has gotten dark and it's no longer warm and by the time we got back, coats and jeans would have been nice. 

Fountain in the Calhoun garden

Calhoun Mansion front

Calhoun Mansion rear

We had been looking forward to the next couple of days. First, on Monday, Marie and her son Jason, came to see us. We've known them for almost 25 years and Marie just moved to Charleston from Marietta. The afternoon was spent laughing and talking about everything imaginable. Lee's daughter, Laura, had just flown in from San Diego and they came walking by so we invited them on board to join in the party. Lee had been walking Lola so she came as well and slept in his lap. Our little group broke up and Jason drove us to dinner at Page's Okra Grille over the Ravenal Bridge next to Shem Creek. As many times as we've been in that area, we had never even noticed this restaurant, but we should have. It was packed and the food was excellent - definitely a do over!

Marie and Jason on board

On Tuesday, my old friend from high school, college and first business partner, Tom and his girlfriend Minerva, drove over from Knoxville to visit. They were arriving in the afternoon so Regina and I got the 11 AM shuttle to the grocery store to stock up on a few necessities. This little added perk offered by the marina is great.  They come back to get you when called and will take you to your boat in a little cart to haul all your stuff. Tom and Minerva arrived about 3:30 and we started catching up on all the things that have been going on. It's been way too long since I've seen Tom and much has happened. It was a really rough day on the marina dock so we grabbed a shuttle to town to find a calm place to sit before dinner. The driver suggested the Cocktail Club. This little place has no sign outside, not on the map, located on a second floor and was so really unique that it should not be missed. From here, we went to Coast for dinner. This place is located in an alley beside an Italian restaurant that smelled so good we almost cancelled our reservation! Great dinner and a great night. 

Tom and me

Speakeasy interior

Tom and Minerva

It continued to be a rough night before our morning departure as the winds did not subside. Neither of us slept well and the alarm come way too early, but arrival at Georgetown needed to be at high tide and we had to go almost 70 miles so it was get up and get going. Leaving Charleston it is due east across the harbor and up the first section of the ICW putting the sun straight into the eyes. After the sun finally got higher and the direction became more north, the comfort level increased a lot. This leg had some great scenery with large expanses of sea grass and wetlands broken occasionally with developed areas. There were a few shallow water sections that were identified as concerns, but we had no problems. We got into Harborwalk Marina just after high tide with slack current. There was a pretty good wind that pushed us right onto the dock and we were quickly tied up. Allen and Debby are flying in from Knoxville to visit for a couple of days. They landed not long after we got in and we met at the B&B where they're staying to chat for a while before dinner at Big Tuna. Tomorrow we will start exploring the town. Track and photos - www.ramblr.com/web/mymap/trip/273527/1001524

On the dock in Georgetown

The Bid Tuna

For day one in Georgetown, we all met at the Kaminski House Museum. This home was built in 1769 by Paul Trapier. The home was past along through family and others until purchased by the Kaminski's in 1931. There is much to the story of the family, but the most interesting is that Commander Harold Kaminski USN was the duty officer in Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. After our tour here, we went to Buzz's Roost for lunch and then to the South Carolina Maritime Museum. We went through all of the exhibits before going back to the boat for a while. As we watched the sun start to set, it was time to head off to Harborside for dinner. This was a good place that we had almost all to ourselves and had pretty good Italian food as well. We planned our morning schedule and headed off for a good nights sleep. 

Allen and Debby join us at the Kaminski House

Me and Allen on the porch swing

It's a front stair, back stair and the little door on the mid-landing goes to a kitchen stair!

Exercise time - 1950 style

Cannon found in the river here

Georgetown Marina

Sunset on the Sampit River

On Friday, we met for breakfast at the Coffee Break Cafe before Allen and Debby had to fly back to Knoxville. This turned out to be a beautiful morning that was all sun and blue sky with temperatures that warmed quickly. After eating, we walked back to the B&B with them to say goodbye and then went down the street to see the old churches and cemetery. At the Episcopal Church, we ran into the gentleman who was the building manager and he gave us a tour of the sanctuary. This was one of the oldest churches in South Carolina which was completed around 1750. Construction took about 15 years because it was built with ballast brick and they had to wait for ships to come and collect the bricks!  At the time, there were no facilities in America to make bricks. Check the photos of the interior showing the "family pews" which were rented as a way to make money.  Next we did the Rice Museum to learn all about how during Colonial days this was the crop that made South Carolina the wealthiest southern state. It took a long time to prepare fields and establish rice production and before that the cash crop was indigo. This plant produces the blue dye that the English used for their Naval uniforms resulting in the name of the color "navy blue". Since this was our last day here, we had to do more so the Swamp Fox Tour was next. This was a trolley of sorts and the guide rode us around town and gave us history of the town and the various homes and their families. This town really does have its roots in the Revolution and the Civil wars. Our last dinner here was at 700 Grille - really great place. We met the owner and his wife. They had started this restaurant about five years ago and it was burned to the ground along with several other businesses about three years ago. The name was changed and they got a new location just up the street to start over. If you ever come here, go to this place - they know how to run a restaurant and the food is fabulous. 

Prince George Episcopal Church

Interior

Family pew

The Parish House was once the city jail

Saturday was departure day from Georgetown. This has been a fun stop, but the tour must move on. It was a bit gray today and rain is forecast for later. This again is another ICW section that is almost untouched except for what we learned about at the Rice Museum.  The fields lie unused, but the story of their creation is mind boggling. These were cypress swamps which were cleared, filled to raise the level above flood plain and irrigated to become rice  fields.  The destination was Bucksport Plantation for a fuel stop and an overnight stay. I tried to time the arrival with tide, but it didn't work quite right. I had to take two laps at both the fuel dock and the face dock where we were tying up. The current and the wind played havoc with going in the desired direction.  Their restaurant was closing at 5 so we grabbed a quick lunch while three loads of laundry were washing. About the time Regina got everything in the dryer, the skies opened and it poured down on and off for the rest of the afternoon and night. Hopefully tomorrow the weather will be better. Track and photos - www.ramblr.com/web/mymap/trip/273527/1003620

Bucksport Marina