NFR Low Country - Charleston, SC

My cousin is getting married and this might be the last time my grandmother is together with all of the family. So the wife and I decided to take a little vacation and head for the Low Country. While this song is about Savannah, it is the first tune that comes to mind



Day 1 - We left Bozeman Tuesday and it was 20 below. Landed in Charleston 7 hours later and it was 75. Crazy. My wife also loves the humidity.

Day 2 - Charleston is known for shrimp and grits. So I wanted to check that one off. I get a few recommendations and we settled on Fleet Landing on the water. Place was phenomenal.

Ever get a bucket of Diet Coke?

Next we headed to Fort Sumter.

Interesting fact, the Ft was three times as high as what you see here but so much of it was destroyed during the war.

Another interesting fact, Charleston was basically the last to surrender. April 14, 1865 the Union Flag was hoisted over the Garrison. That was also the same day Lincoln was assassinated.

I'm fascinated with history. This ended up being much more interesting than I though.

It is a 30 minute ferry ride to the island where the Ft is located. On the way back we had great views of one of the most iconic bridges in the south. I want to try sailing.

There is so much history in this city. Today we are taking a walking tour downtown. Tonight we are doing a ghost tour. tbc....

 

[Matt B]

Boiled peanuts - I had the pleasure of working with a young lady from Georgia. She used to talk about "boiled peanuts" - which was foreign to me being a country hick from Sequim. After one of her trips back home, she brought us a fresh "bolled peenuts". What a treat! Cajun flavor?

+ some pepper flake

So the CofC sailing center used to be located at Ashley Marina. The marina store used to (might still) have boiled peanuts (regular and Cajun) and hot dogs. I used to ride our college house beach cruiser down there to eat snacks with my friend who worked at the sailing center. Snacks being boiled peanuts or sometimes the “dubble dawg” where I’d put 2 hot dogs on the bun in the styrofoam container and then slop on every condiment including chili and jalapeños. Punishing.

 

[NukeLDO]

Wadmalaw Island is the setting of lowcountry writer Pat Conroy's "The Water is Wide."....book better than the movie, but the movie does a decent job of it. Also spent many summers out there at a boy scout camp, canoeing, sailing, fishing.

 

[swimmy]

Made it to the Hunley. Very interesting and I have no recollection of this.

Here is a replica. No thanks. But these were all volunteers as most knew this thing was a death trap.

The scale is tough to imagine here but there was very little room.

The actual submarine is housed in an acid bath as part of the continued restoration. I'm not sure how much longer but the goal eventually is to get it in the dry and have it on display.

Afterwards I met my wife for one last walk through the city. There is so much to see here I could easily spend a few more days.

Tonight is the wedding and then we fly out first thing in the morning. So this will probably be my last picture dump. Cool city and thanks for playing along.

 

[NukeLDO]

Next trip down, do yourself a favor and go fishing for speckled trout on the fly.
Visit Middleton Gardens,
Go see the Angel Oak,
Find seashells on Edisto Beach,
Enjoy a lowcountry seafood boil,
and go catch some flounder off the point of Sullivan's Island as the sun sets.

 

[NukeLDO]

Next trip down, do yourself a favor and go fishing for speckled trout on the fly.
Visit Middleton Gardens,
Go see the Angel Oak,
Find seashells on Edisto Beach,
Enjoy a lowcountry seafood boil,
and go catch some flounder off the point of Sullivan's Island as the sun sets.

oh, and fossilized shark's teeth on any of the dredge spoil islands, particularly the one under the "new" Cooper River/Wando bridge....Drum Island.

 

[mems]

No reds?

 

[creekx]

Yesterday was a heavy day as we visited the McLeod Plantation. Many romanticize the Antebellum South but McLeod is known for telling about what really happened on these plantations. It was a very powerful experience.

This is what many want you to see...

But there is a very dark side of the story that is often side-stepped. These bricks were handmade by slaves, usually by the kids. Here you can see fingerprints that were left during the manufacturing process.

Here is the "housing." One room, no bathroom, wood floors.

One thing that was a sign of progress, on this tour there was a bi-racial gay couple along with a black man and his son. How fitting. We did not form the perfect union, but we strive to form a more perfect union. Very wise words.

Slavery will always be one of the great crimes against humanity. And the story should be told without sugar coating. If you ever find yourself in Charleston, I highly recommend this tour.

My wife is from Charleston, but only been back there once with her - need to do it again! That may be the same plantation we toured. Saw my first gator, and while taking photos of it I felt my toes on fire - was standing in a nest of those tiny fire (?) ants. What a dumbass tourist goober. She can't take me anywhere...

 

[MGM]

Excellent, thanks for sharing

 

[Bruce Baker]

Thanks for additional picture dumps and history. It was very enjoyable. Thanks for sharing.