Four Days Is A Short Stay In Charleston

It has taken a little time to get to this blog post, while it might seem like it has taken weeks to chronicle my trips to Moncks Corner and Charleston it is actually over 30 years in the making.

On the way to the Short Stay, at Lake Hartwell...

...Deb &...

...I stopped at the rest area with a view of the lake.

Some new friends.

While my most recent visit to the Charleston was in October I first visited the “Holy City” in 1983. On both visits I stayed at a place called the Navy Short Stay Outdoor Recreation Area near Moncks Corner. It is like a recreation area in the mountains like Lake Winfield Scott. Situated on the beautiful Lake Moultrie it has villas (which are like town houses), cabins, RV campground and tent sites for active/retired military personal and dependents. 

In Moncks Corner...

...headed to...

...the Short Stay.

Short Stay Office & Store.

Lake Moultrie.

Power plant.

Deb & the lake.

At the lake.

Deb looking out.

At the lake wall.

Sun over Lake Moultrie

The West Branch of the Cooper River.

Don't laugh but the first night we ate at Gilligan's.

On the wall was a record Catfish.

It was a different place when I first stayed here in 1983. Then the villas were trailers, which while not as nice as the current facilities were not half bad. However, the trailers like a lot of the area where blown away by Hurricane Hugo which rolled right over the Short Stay in 1989. So this was the first time I stayed in the villas and they were comfortable. 

The villas...

...the one we stayed at...

...from Lake Moultrie.

What I didn’t do on my first visit was enjoy the facilities of the Short Stay.  On our second day there I hiked around most of the Short Stay, about mile and a quarter. 

Got up for the sunrise.

From the beach.

Trees in the lake.

I have always wanted a sailboat.

A crane...

...mallard ducks.

At the Wetlands Fishing Pond...

...the ducks were eating.

Duck eating these bugs that were everywhere.

White crane.

Don't get to see these everyday...

...honeybee!

One of the odd things we saw on the first two days there was the number of vultures around the Short Stay. When we got there I would say twenty or more were circling and there were a number on the sea wall. Then on our hike, there they were again on the beach, sea wall, in the trees and on top of one of the villas. Dad’s old Navy buddy Gary and his wife Barbara had also come down from Tennessee. Dad and I said the vultures were waiting on Gary. 

A Turkey & Black Vultures, just two...

...of many...

...I mean many!

This one was waiting on Gary.

Three more.

Another thing we saw around the part like the see wall and a small wetlands called the fishing pond was signs saying Beware of Alligators. They are around here because a guy lost an arm to a 12 footer in Lake Moultrie in 2007, but I didn’t see one.

All around there the Gator signs.

Deb &...

...I with one.

In the mountains it is bears, but here Gators.

On our third day we enjoyed the lake by renting a boat. My Dad had to get a boat license and I went over with him to help with the test. When I got there the guy said it would be good for the two of us to take it so more than one person would be able to use the boat, so I got roped into taking the test. After a 45 question open book test I now can drive a boat in South Carolina. 

My boating license.

Our boat...

...& our Captain, my Dad.

Deb is relaxed with my Dad in charge.

Deb & here life jacket.

Dad & Gary talk about how the use to save the free world.

 A boat on the lake.

The round huts from the lake.

That is our villa...

...on the end.

Beach on another part of the lake.

Power plant & locks.

Power plant.

People fishing.

Pontoon boats can move fast.

More fishermen.

More boaters.

Sailboats!

Anyway, all six of us went out on the lake for a day of boating and fishing. It was the first time in a long time I had either been boating or fishing. Fishing is something I have always loved to do and to get back at it was nice. Oh, I was also the only one to catch a fish on this day. It was a monster catfish that would make Jeremy Wade jealous. It also was the first fish I caught with my fishing rod that I found at the dump. Something else I had done in a long time was enjoying a sunrise and sunset in the same day. Fishing, sunsets and grilling it doesn't get any better.

Fisherwoman Deb.

I still got...

Eat your heart out Jeremy Wade,

Now that is fishing, just need  to catch a "red eye."

Deb casting...

...& fishing.

It is time...

...for sunset...

...it was beautiful...

...not much else...

...needs to be said.

Good bye Mr. Sun.

The orange streak is cool on the plane.

Slither of the moon.

At sunset.

Deb at sunset.

Time to grill.

Nice!

While the Short Stay and Lake Moultrie were fun we had to make a trip to Charleston, just like I did in 1983. Back then I went to Fort Sumter, the Union stronghold that the Confederacy attack igniting the Civil War. My memories have somewhat faded but I do remember the boat ride out and that the fort was really cool. As much as I like Fort Sumter I liked Patriots Point just a little more.

Waterfront Park from a boat in 1983.

Charleston Harbor.

Fort Sumter in 1983.

From the wall...

...of Fort Sumter in the 80's.

For those who don’t know Patriots Point is the resting place for retired warships. There is a submarine, the USS Clamagore, a destroyer, the USS Laffey. But, the centerpiece of the collection is the USS Yorktown, an aircraft carrier that served in World War II. This Essex-class Carrier was the second to carry the name Yorktown. It was commissioned in 1943 before going into retirement in 1970. The ship was moved to Charleston in 1975. When I went there in 1983 I got to walk through the ship, including the Bridge. There were also a number of different planes on its deck. One of the most famous things to happen on the Yorktown in recent years was it played host to a College Basketball game between Ohio State and Marquette. The game was cancelled during the first half because of problems with the floor.

The USS Yorktown in 1983...

...from the dock.

The destroyer USS Laffey (L), NS Savannah (BG) &...

...& USS Clamagore.

Anti-aircraft gun & the other ships.

Super structure of the Yorktown.

Aircraft elevator.

Some of the planes on the deck.

Looking down the flight deck.

Yes, that is me with an aircraft...

...& on 3″/50 caliberanti-aircraft gun.

My Dad & I in 1983.

On my visit there were two other ships, one was the only American nuclear powered merchant vessel the NS Savannah. It was moved to Baltimore in 2008. The other ship was the Coast Guard Cutter USCGC Comanche. Like the trailers at the Short Stay the Comanche was a victim of Hurricane Hugo. Damaged during the storm it was towed off Charleston and sunk in 1991. 

The USS Yorktown today from Waterfront Park.

Fort Sumter & a clipper ship.

The pine apple fountain wasn't working.

Deb at Waterfront Park.

It is nice.

Waterfront walk to this...

...fountain, it kind of looks like a water spider.

While Deb and I didn’t visit Fort Sumter or the USS Yorktown we did see them from the first place we visited the Waterfront Park. This is a large area with trees, a couple of fountains and a nice pier with great views of Charleston Harbor. After enjoying the view and even watching a dolphin swim by us headed up Vendue Range. We passed these cool bronze maps of the city from the 17^th to the 20^th Centuries.

On the Waterfront Pier.

Deb & the pier.

Some of the boats...

...Charleston Harbor

Looks like a pirate ship...

...& a pirate.

Pier wildlife.

He was good.

Waterfront plaque...

The bronze maps: 17th Century...

...18th Century...

...19th Century...

...& the 20th Century.

Deb & I at the spider fountain.

We ate at a nice dessert place called Belgian Gelato and went into a store with some cool metal pirate flags. Speaking of place to shop, after passing the old U.S. Customs House (where they use to hang pirates) we headed over to the Charleston City Market. Stretching six city blocks from Meeting Street to East Bay Street it is what it says a city market. The market was started in the late 1700’s
it has survived, despite being damaged on multiple occasions including Hurricane Hugo. I will say it is pretty cool.

I had coconut.

Deb & the metal pirate flag.

Norwegian Consulate.

U.S. Custom House...

...& the plaque.

They aren't getting this pirate.

This bar flying the flag...Go Hawks!

Charleston City Market.

Inside...

...the city market.

City Market plaque.

Front of the City Market at Meeting Street.

Deb on the City Market steps.

One of the highlights on the walk back was passing the old St. Philip’s Episcopal Church and its historic cemetery. Other cool churches we spotted included the Roman Catholic Cathedral of St. John the Baptist and the French Huguenot Church which is one of only two remaining Huguenot churches in the United States. Our last stop in Charleston was a trip to The Battery and White Point Gardens.

St. Phillips's Episcopal Church...

...& the cemetery.

Beautiful flowers.

Another view of the cemetery...

...& St. Phillip's.

Roman Catholic Cathedral of St. John the Baptist.

The French Huguenot Church.

Another old building.

Lovely orange flower.

Some other photos...

...from around...

...around Charleston.

The Battery is the old defensive seawall and promenade. It along with White Point Gardens are unofficial know as Battery Park. This area severed as one of the places Fort Sumter was shelled from in 1860, the first shots of the Civil War. Both are now tourist destinations. The old seawall serves as a place for people to stroll and get a good look at the antebellum homes along the Battery. White Point Park has a number of statues (including ones to the Confederate Defenders of Charleston and the defenders of Fort Moultrie) and old cannons that use to protect this end of the city. Also, there is a grove of trees and a nice gazebo. It is a must see when in Charleston.

Some of the old...

...antebellum homes...

...at the Battery.

Looking into Charleston Harbor from the Battery.

Fort Sumter.

Guy in a boat.

Some beautiful azaleas...

in bloom.

Cool plaque.

Sun is starting to set.

White Point Gardens.

Statue of William Moultrie (who the lake is named after).

13 inch mortar.

Deb with Confederate columbiad...

...me too.

Gazebo.

Deb with a "Mexican" phone & it still worked.

Sunset in White Point Gardens.

This cannon is still pointing toward Ft. Sumter.

Now on my last visit when going to Patriots Point we had to cross the old Cooper River Bridge. Well the old bridges was replaced in 2005 by a new structure the Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge, the third longest among cable-stayed bridges in the Western Hemisphere. So, Dad and Terry took us across it, the bridge reminds me of the one in Tampa. 

Old Cooper River Bridges in 1983...

...& the new Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge today.

Headed over the bridge...

...at sunset.

It is a nicer bridge & you can now walk across it.

Well, we ended the day at this excellent barbeque restaurant called the Music Man. The barbeque, which featured a vinegar based and mustard base selection, was really good. But what I really liked was the stuff called Hash. This is a blend of minced up pork and barbeque sauce served over rice…YUM!

Music Man BBQ...

...& my dinner.

Overall this is was a fun four days in South Carolina and I would like to think my Dad and Terry for invite us down. I hope to make another visit in the future because I didn’t get to Cyprus Gardens or see an Alligator.