Say Good-Bye Cruisin' Together: June 2013

Today we traveled 75 miles from Charleston, SC to Port Royal Landing Marina, Port Royal, SC. We had intermittent rain and sunshine most of the day. We learned what is meant by the "mud flats" -- it's low tide in many areas where the docks don't go over water, they go over mud. We also had a little dolphin swim next to our port side for about ten minutes. They are such majestic creatures. This is the first one that swam alongside us.

We arrived at Port Royal Landing Marina around 4:00 PM and by that time there were whitecaps on the ICW with wind gusts at 38 mph. Not an easy time of it tying up, but here we are glad to have two dockhands helping us and happy to be tied up and in the air conditioning. The evening was rather calm, but now the wind is picking up and we are rockin' and rollin' once more.

Here are a few of today's photos:

Our route today

Intermittent rain and sunshine

Wadmalaw River

Army vessel on Wadmalaw River

Tug and barges

Mud flats -- notice beneath the long dock is mud

Mud flats

Eerie photo of storm brewing

After the rain, the skies began to clear

This little dolphin swam along our port side for 10 minutes

Dolphins are majestic creatures

Beaufort, SC (pronounced Bew-fort) not to be confused with Beaufort, NC which is pronounced Bow-fort. Whitecaps forming.

Arriving at Port Royal, SC with 38 mph winds

Tied up at Port Royal Landing Marina, Port Royal, SC

Saturday, June 29, 2013

CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA PART 4

These are photos of our tapas style dinner at Hyman's Seafood Restaurant and photos of downtown Charleston. It's a most beautiful city:

Complimentary hush puppies and cajun sauce -- delicious!

This is Carolina Delight -- a crab cake on a grit cake covered with Alfredo sauce and a side of coleslaw. It was wonderful.

Ralph's dinner was a southern favorite: Shrimp and Grits and a side salad. The owner sent over a plate of cheesey grits and fried green tomatoes and we ordered a side of french fried dill pickles. Everything was excellent. The staff is friendly and courteous and the service perfect.

Fort Sumter Memorial Museum

Charleston Aquarium

This cute kid was selling palm roses to benefit his basketball team.

This isn't a very good photo, but the palm roses are unique and I like them

Two mannequins from Woolworth's at the trolley stop

Transferring to the downtown trolley

Lovely little shops in downtown Charleston

Bike taxis are popular

Downtown Charleston, SC

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Downtown Charleston, SC

Clever name for a jewelry store

Downtown Charleston, SC

Daughters of the Confederacy -- tunnel beneath the building

We thought we might stop by the bakery for dessert -- we didn't...we were too full from dinner

Hyman's Seafood is comprised of 5 buildings together

Always a long line, this employee takes names -- our wait was only 15 minutes

Here we are at Hyman's

We have a window table -- 3 stories up

Say Good-Bye at Charleston Maritime Marina

Tonight's back yard

Saturday, June 29, 2013

CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA PART 3

Photos of U.S.S. Clamagore Submarine:

Entrance to WW II vintage diesel submarine, USS Clamagore

The Captain tours it alone --this is not for me!

Down into the bowels of the USS Clamagore

Sadly, the Clamagore is slowly rotting away

Exiting the USS Clamagore

View of the top of the USS Clamagore

Saturday, June 29, 2013 Continued

CHARLESTOWN, SOUTH CAROLINA PART 2

Photos from the U.S.S. Laffey Destroyer moored at Patriots Point, Charleston, SC

U.S.S. Laffey Destroyer commissioned February 8, 1944

On April 16, 1945 while operating off Okinawa, Laffey was assailed by 22 Japanese bombers and suicide kamikazes. Five kamikazes and 3 bombs struck her and 2 bombs scored near misses to kill 32 and wound 71 of her 336 man crew, who in their heroism shot down 11 attackers and kept her afloat. She was decommissioned in 1975 and arrived at Patriots Point in Charleston, SC in 1981.