Charleston

We get up at 6:00 AM for an early start so we can get through the badly shoaled area behind the Isle of Palms, just north of Charleston. High tide is at 7:15 AM and we want to make the first opening of the Ben Sawyer Bridge, just after the shoaled area at 9:00 AM. I don't mind going through a shallow area at low tide or a rising tide. A little time and the tide will correct any close encounters with the bottom. A declining tide going hard aground could be a much more significant problem. Since we are so close to high tide, I need to pay attention to the published information on how to navigate this area at low tide to avoid the bottom all together. The lowest depth we see is 9.6 feet. Since we are 5.6 feet above low tide, the depth at low tide would be 4 feet. Our 4'-8” keel depth would not get us through then. There are about 8 boats that make it through this area, but we all have to wait for the bridge to open closer to 9:30 AM 

Ben Sawyer Bridge

Dodging shipping traffic, heading to Marina

We make a reservation at the Maritime Center Marina on the east side of Charleston which is within walking distance of most of downtown. We tie up around 10:30 AM. A nice warm day, feels like summer, temperatures in the high 70's, warm breeze. 

Arthur Ravenel Jr,. Bridge, Charleston Maritime Center in foreground, Manana third boat from left

Fleet Landing

We later head to Fleet Landing for lunch an old Navy facility over the water on a pier and get a table outside. Just a beautiful day. The food not so much. Linda and Sabrina get fried oysters, which are not much bigger that the smoked ones that come in sardine size cans for hors-d'oeuvres. I have a shrimp stew that was very good.

 

"Lynx" our dock mate

Car Carrier ship, there are a number of car manufacturers in South Carolina

In the afternoon we go on a bus tour of Charleston, but our monotone driver sends Linda to dream land and she has a rather restful tour. She does fail the final exam, before we depart the bus.