Lowcountry Arrival

*    Savannah, GA to Lady’s Island, SC   *

There was a big change in topography as we cruised further North to Savannah. Georgia and South Carolina cruising is different than anything we’ve encountered. We suspect the whole East coast might be for us having spent all our boating in the rivers and great lakes prior to hitting the gulf in 2021. The marshland is as far as the eye can see, there are multiple streams, intertwining, shifting with current and the huge tidal swings (5 – 9 feet) twice a day keep you on your toes. We are officially in Lowcountry.

The Lowcountry derives its name from its low-lying topography. From Savannah to mid Carolina, a large part of Lowcountry sits at or below sea level. The Lowcountry is known for its seafood, salt marshes, rich history, beautiful white sand beaches, barrier islands, native live oak trees, Spanish moss, and palmetto trees. The large tide swing nourishes and revitalizes all the winding, twisting, grassy-edged creeks and rivers that define the area.

We were able to secure a dock right downtown in Savannah in the heart of River Street. These docks are first come, and we were happy we arrived early on Sunday before small boats came to downtown for the day. The hustle and bustle of the city, as well as an active port, kept us with plenty to do and see.

We tried riding our bikes, but Savannah isn’t the most bike friendly city. Between the Cobblestone streets, the big incline from the dock up to Bay Street, and narrow roads, we didn’t feel very confident of our safety. However, we were able to grab lunch a little further away from River Street and get in a grocery run.

We ditched the bikes the next day and walked. We were able to visit Forsyth Park and over half of the squares that Savannah is known for. The fountain has been in Forsyth since 1858 and the parks perimeter measures a mile. The fountain is the most visited attraction is Savannah.

We lunched at Vinnie Van Go-Go’s in City Market and enjoyed the heavy influence of all kinds of art created by the students from SCAD (Savannah College of Art & Design). Our day took us by the Mercer House (saw a placard out front) that was used in Clint Eastwood’s Midnight in the Garden of Evil starring Kevin Spacey but didn’t realize what it was until we returned to the boat and looked it up (it’s a museum now but we saw no way to enter).

River Street was right off our starboard side and kept us entertained with musicians who played each day, artists who set up their displays, and the hustle and bustle of people just enjoying the riverfront. We found the coldest beer in town just steps from our boat and with a $2 happy hour price, it was a must do! Our first Lowcountry shrimp boil was delicious as it just tastes better in the south!

Our boat so close to the river walk that at high tide the walkway was the same height as our aft deck. Many stopped to talk to us about our journey. Some were boaters and knew about the loop and others perplexed on how we got to Savannah from Missouri. Our hailing port is IUKA, MS and it is displayed on our stern. The MS is Mississippi but many think Missouri. They become very bewildered when we say we are from Indiana and left from Louisville, Kentucky and our now in Savannah. Most, like on Jay Leno’s jaywalking, are clueless that our waterways connect as they do, and we could cruise to the East Coast from the Ohio River.

The Savannah River is home to a very active port, with large container ships. We witnessed on average 10 container ships each day transit the river just off our port. They are HUGE and one feels insignificant in their presence. The large ships are extremely quiet and can sneak up on you if you aren’t paying attention, a recipe for disaster. There is a ferry boat that transports those wanting to cross the river and back, it makes a 3 stop route, 3 times per hour, 15 hours a day, and passed just off our port side boat 90 times each day! And then, the Georgia Queen, a river dinner boat, was docked just off our stern. They left for cruises 3-4 times each day. Add in the pleasure boaters who zoomed up and down the river, made an active, continual boat in motion stay. Though the location and activity trumped the movement of our boat.

We enjoyed our 3-days and River Street including celebrating our 24^th wedding anniversary. Like many places on our journey, we would have loved to have stayed longer, but it was time to move on up the coast.

We had an uneventful journey to our next destination thanks to planning and all the charts our captain uses from aqua maps, Navionics, and another track source called Bob 432 tracks. This Bob guy and a small army of comrades regularly transit the ICW and track water levels, shoaling, and navigational hazards. They provide the track one should take to have the best water under the keel. They provide files to download into your charts. It is all done as a labor of love and there is no cost. They are constantly being updated with the latest data and are much more accurate than other sources. It’s an invaluable tool and has saved us groundings and props for certain. His cult following motto is – In Bob we trust! And we do.

Our short (21.4 miles) cruise took the Now or Never and crew to Harbour Town, most recognizable by the iconic red and white striped lighthouse that serves as the backdrop for so many photos That same lighthouse is also the dominating figure in the distance for the final approach for the Heritage PGA Golf Tournament. As we entered the Calibogue Sound and neared the harbor, and saw the lighthouse, a flood of memories came back to Tasha.

Beginning in Savannah through our destination at Lady’s Island, was a walk down memory lane for Tasha and her youth. It had been thirty years since her last visit to this island.

Tasha’s family had a villa on Hilton Head Island, just a few blocks from Harbour Town in the 70’s and 80’s and she spent countless evenings in Harbor Town listening to the sounds of Gregg Russell. Over 40 years later, he is still here, just not the nights we were.

Oh, so close, and our boat was docked just feet from the Liberty Oak where he sings. To cruise into that harbor on our own boat, after spending many nights staring at the boats in the harbor made a surreal moment. We just wish Tasha’s parents, Kurt and Sally were here today to share this journey.

Having read in our welcome information and heard from friends that e-bikes were not allowed on Sea Pines, we left on foot the first morning. If you’ve been to Harbour Town, you know it has a few shops and restaurants, but isn’t close to anything else without a long walk. The trolley wasn’t running yet as it was considered out of season (we were 10 days early!). We made the short walk to Stoney Creek Villas and Tasha got her photo outside the front gate. Lots of fun times here and her last memory of a family vacation with both parents. We walked further and much of the area Tasha no longer recognized. The 30 plus years have led to further development, the rain came, and we retired to the boat early.

We just might have broken the rules of Sea Pines the following day in the rain and overcast day and taken our bikes out. We wanted to venture further out on the island. No one said a word, as we made our way to South Beach for lunch at the Salty Dog in the rain. On the way home a wrong turn ended with us riding through the golf course, it was beautiful. The paths like Jekyll Island, weave in and out of the oaks and the Spanish moss, along the marsh, and beautiful homes. The rain added to the serenity and beauty of it all.

That night we climbed the 114 steps to the top of the Harbour Town Lighthouse.

Because of the inclement weather, it was windy and gray but a beautiful sight to behold. The views of the Calibogue Sound, the golf course, and the Harbour Town Marina were wonderful. It was a great end to our stay.

One of the wonderful parts of the trip is the people you meet and run into again along the way. We wanted to see another part of the Island and our friends, Nancy and Ken, on Blue Phoenix were at Palmetto Bay, so we made a 3-mile voyage to Palmetto Bay Marina further North on the Island for one night. We were joyfully greeted by Remy’s friend Roxie, their sheep-a-doodle, a dock pal from Clearwater. She’s a sweet pup and we were happy to be in her company. It has been eight weeks without our girl, not that anyone’s counting.

We biked 3 miles for happy hour in Coligny Plaza and returned to the marina to enjoy an evening on a new friends beautiful 85’ Burger with a host of colorful characters and stories one could never make up in your wildest dreams. Our takeaway was realizing how dull our life is as we had a hard time contributing to the conversation, but nonetheless were welcomed with open arms and had a most enjoyable evening aboard this beautiful classic yacht.

We had a leisurely morning at the dock timing the tides for our next arrival before making the 31-mile run from Hilton Head to Lady’s Island. As we left Palmetto Bay Marina, we passed the northern shore of Hilton Head and the Hudson’s Shrimp Boats and restaurant, a family favorite for shrimp right of the boats. It was good to see it still here 40+ years later!

Our journey took us by Parris Island, a Marine Corp. Training Depot on Armed Forces Day. Tasha’s dad Kurt, reported to Parris Island in 1955. Upon returning home on leave to Ohio in early 1956, he married Tasha’s mom Sally, and they both returned to South Carolina. A buddy of Kurt’s lived on Lady’s Island and offered his housing on Lady’s Island and moved back to base so the newlyweds had a place to live together. They made Lady’s Island and Beaufort their home just shy of a year before moving to San Diego for Kurt’s next assignment. Tasha has always been a bit disappointed that they moved home to Ohio to start their family. The Parris Island water tower reads: We Make Marines. As per our facebook post, Tasha wonders what role this island had in shaping Kurt’s life and the trajectory of the family. She certainly feels a calling to the area.

Living on Lady’s Island in the 50’s, drew them to Hilton Head for a family vacation in the early 70’s. The family visited Parris Island, Lady’s Island, and Hilton Head, and they were hooked on the simple beauty of the area, thus buying the HHI villa. The Hilton Head Island of today is not the Island Tasha spent time on in the 70’s and 80’s. Such as life, it’s nice, but not the quaint, tranquil, modest, island of old.

We arrived at Lady’s Island with a strong high tide current running through the channel at the marina. The captain did a masterful precise dock job and was complimented by the dock master. Captain Dave has the currents down, it’s just the tides we’re still working on!

We’ve left the resort style marinas of Hilton Head and are now in a small town, small island marina (just our style), and certainly going to have fun checking out Lady’s Island and Beaufort!

Cheers!  David, Tasha, 

                  & Remy forever in our hearts!

 

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