We had an extended stay in Georgetown, SC, as we waited for a safe weather window to sail from Charleston to Fernandina, FL. Georgetown is a more convenient place to loiter compared to Charleston because it has a free town dock to tie up to during the day and anchoring spots just off the docks with no currents, waves or strong winds.
Over our 4 day visit we explored the museums (briefly), the brewery (extended), several restaurants and 3 trips to the ice cream parlor.
Georgetown has a great walkway along the length of the waterfront. They are also working to tear down the old steel mill at the end of the harbor and extend the boardwalk around to that area. That's a real long term project as the steel mill is not quite half way gone.
Each morning we would take Rivah for a short walk which is about all she can handle at 14yrs old. Then Sue and I would do a several mile walk usually down to the park at the end of the peninsula. We had great weather the whole visit with blue skies and temps in the 60s and 70s. Big difference from 30/40s in North Carolina.
Morning coffee along Rivah's morning walk. There were three good coffee shops in town.
On Thursday, the Winyah Bay Brewing Company opened for the weekend. They had some good stouts and IPAs.
On our last day we splurged and had a beer on the waterfront at marina prices. It was worth it. Sue really liked the Imperial Milk Stout and I had a good hazy IPA.
Georgetown has a very pretty and compact downtown. Here's a photo of the clock tower, important because there is a community effort underway to limit building heights to less than the clock tower. The issue, of course is a developer that wants to build multistory, high rise condos on the waterfront.
Georgetown is gearing up for a big celebration on July 4th, 2026 along with other cities. They do have an impressive history of engagement in the Revolutionary War as well as the Civil War. The point out that Georgetown is the port where the Marquis de Lafayette first stepped foot in America on his way to meet up with George Washington. The Swamp Fox, Francis Marion also fought battles in the Georgetown area keeping the British from occupying South Carolina beyond the Charleston town walls.
Sue got herself a great nautical shirt at the Maritime Museum which she loves.
I noted that the museum was full of stories about ship wrecks, not my favorite topic.
It was a breezy day as a strong front blew through with rain last night and brisk NW winds today, gusting to 35kts. That's why we are still in the ICW. Tomorrow the wind will be down to 10-15 and great for our transit overnight to Florida. Its normally a 24hr offshore trip from Charleston to St Mary's Inlet at Fernandina.
