Getting underway from our Awendaw Creek anchorage, Rivah was fascinated with a visiting pelican that was swimming around the boat, I guess hoping for a handout. We are looking at another beautiful day with blue skies and light winds, but still on the cool side.
Just one bridge to pass through today on our way to Charleston, the Ben Sawyer swing bridge at Pt Pleasant. This is a very shallow section of the ICW but we had a couple of feet of tide to give us a cushion.
By late morning we had arrived at Charleston Harbor and were passing by Fort Sumter heading for the Charleston Battery along the southern shore of the peninsula.
We had been told not to enter the marina until closer to slack tidal current time which was in a couple hours, so we had some time to kill and spent it transiting along the Charleston shoreline checking out the million dollar estates down by the battery.
These houses will continue to be great investments for a couple more generations but its only a matter of time before global warming floods all the US coastlines.
This is the first year we have been able to get a slip in the Charleston Maritime Center marina. There are very few services here and it is quite difficult to get in and out because of the strong currents, but the location is ideal for visiting the city.
We had no trouble getting into our slip but departing was a different story. Fortunately there was plenty of maneuvering room and few other boats so we were able to escape without incident.
Our main reason for spending a couple days in Charleston was to visit with our school day friend and Sue's bridesmaid Paulette. We were able to spend most of the day with her and dine at a rooftop terrace restaurant. Other than a bit on the cool and blustery side, it was a great time.
Sue and I are avid walkers and Charleston has a beautiful bridge a couple miles long and 150ft high to walk over.
A great view of the entire Charleston Harbor from up on the bridge. You can see the USS Yorktown to the left, at the maritime museum pier. It was another blue sky day but the wind was blowing hard up at this height and the temperature in the low 50s made it a chilly walk.
We spent most of another day walking around town and taking in the sights. Sue wanted to visit all the church steeples in town - there were 7 or 8 of them - so we wandered about town and have pictures of them all.
We happened to pass by this bar near the marketplace at the end of the day and were immediately attracted to the gas fireplace tables as it was about 45 degrees out. I expect if the temperatures had been any higher there would have been more people here and you couldn't get a seat, but on a cold January evening there were only a few of us hardy souls out. It was a great way to end an enjoyable day.
