March 28, 2013 Day 321
The
Downtown Marina of BeaufortBeaufort, SC
Total miles to date: 5286.2
We
departed the Shelter Cove Marina at Hilton Head promptly at 8:00 this
morning. Rick and Marie came over to say
goodbye and to help with our lines. (Marie also sneaked an Easter basket filled with goodies into our salon when we weren’t
looking!). They are such great people!
We
wound our way back out of Broad Creek, passing other marinas. Shelter Cove is
literally up the creek, but it was worth the detour! We travelled under a bright sunny sky but the
wind made for a fairly choppy ride. We eventually
entered Calabogue Sound, Skull Creek, Port Royal Sound (where we could see the
ocean) and then the Beaufort River. When
we passed Parris Island, home of a major Marine training base, we noted the name
on the water tower: “We Make Marines”!
We
arrived at the Downtown Marina of Beaufort at 12:30 and tied up on their transient
T-Dock. We wasted no time getting checked in and then headed for the historical
area – right off the dock. We had already
decided the best way to tour Beaufort is by carriage ride, so we got our
tickets and twenty minutes later, we were on our way. Beaufort dates back to 1710
and has many homes on the historical register, most from the 1800’s. The Union troops were in control of Beaufort
during the Civil War and many homes were used for hospitals. Spanish moss hangs from live oak trees and provides
beautiful canopies for the narrow streets and lovely homes.
 |
| The historic Rhett House now an Inn |
Beaufort
has also been the site for many movies such as The Big Chill, Forrest Gump, The Great Santini, The Prince of Tides, GI
Jane, and more. The river and the
historic houses make Beaufort the perfect setting.
 |
| Beautiful mansion |
 |
| The bridge from Beaufort to Lady's Island. This was used in Forrest Gump as the Mississippi River! |
After
our carriage ride, we browsed through many of the small shops, walked through
the park along the waterfront, stopped for ice cream, then returned to our
boat.
We
had dinner on board (love the crock pot with a delicious pork tenderloin waiting
for us) and then relaxed for the evening.
We
will leave in the morning and travel about 40 miles to an anchorage.
 |
| A beautiful sunset and sailboat silhouettes |
