Charleston: We Learn What “Southern Hospitality” Means!

Days on Cruise: 17

Today’s distance: 44 statute miles

Time Traveled:  5 hrs  45 mins

Total trip odometer: 525 miles

We’ve fallen a little behind on blogging, so we’ll try to catch up here.  The stats above are for our arrival in Charleston two days ago.  We didn’t include them in our “bad things happen” post because it was already waaaay too long.

We arrived in Charleston about 3 pm Monday and settled in at the Maritime Center on the north side of the Charleston Peninsula; it’s  a great marina and only $1.50 a foot with the Boat U.S. discount, the least expensive marina in town, located within short walking distance of all the downtown places of interest, and quiet.

Three hours later, after naps (recall our sleep the night before was short and not restful) we were picked up at the marina by Jerry and Jenny who are Great Loop Harbor Hosts here in Charleston.  We don’t use last names of people  in our blog to protect their privacy, unless they’re business people who’d appreciate the exposure; you’d be surprised what you can find on the internet.  If you’re an AGLCA member, you know how to find Jerry and Jenny, and we highly recommend you do so. We also bought half of our charts and guidebooks from them  last Fall,  as they have completed 3/4 of the Loop but have taken a break at home in Charleston to help out with newborn twin grandbabies.

We went to Jerry and Jenny’s lovely home which they described as “quite new”; it was built in the 1870s which is not regarded as particularly old in this town which boasts more than 6,000 antebellum houses!  We had a glass of wine and good conversation in their beautiful garden, then walked down the street to a local eatery (which has been written up in the NYT’s food section) called Hominy Grill. It was the best food we’ve had since we left Seattle three months ago. Cathryn conjured up memories of her mother’s and grandmother’s good Southern cooking by ordering turnip greens and okra to go along with her crab cakes and grits.

After dinner Jerry and Jenny gave us a windshield tour of some of the historic district and told us some of the history of Charleston.  Jenny, who volunteers at the local Historic Society, gave us three days’ tickets to the Historic Homes and Gardens Tour currently underway. We’d read about this in the guidebooks, but the tour is typically sold out in January so we we’re extraordinarily fortunate to get them.  Thanks Jenny!

Just to underline the extent of the Southern Hospitality they offered, today Jerry is loaning us his truck so we can make a trip to West Marine (to replace a barbecue grill part Cathryn inadvertently “threw” into the water a few nights ago) and to buy a few more groceries. Astonishing generosity!

We’ll post the rest of our Charleston update tonight.