Then we passed by the Parris Island Marine Corps training center....
Beaufort is a pretty town which has maintained its old buildings. The waterfront is inviting with a large green space and at least a dozen of these porch type swings overlooking the water.
This is an example of the buildings in town---the house is now a bank. Streets are narrow and the sidewalks more so...there's barely enough room for 2 people to walk side by side.
Here is another house which is now an inn. There was a wedding going on here when we walked by.
On Sunday, the 13th of April, we went to church at St. Helena's Episcopal which was founded in 1712. Construction of the church was started in 1724. It was used as a hospital during the Civil War. There is a 6' brick fence around the whole block surrounding the church.
As was customary, the cemetary is right outside the church. Again, many headstones dated from the 1700's. It was a surprisingly large church with a wonderful choir.
Leaving Beaufort, we traveled 3 hours that day, averaging 7 mph. We had arranged to stay overnight at Dataw Island where their fuel was the least expensive since we left Cape Coral. When we arrived there, we learned that we were just 6 miles from Beaufort by land roads !!! We have been on so many rivers which are all part of this waterway, and then there are even more creek and other rivers flowing into or out of the ones we've been on. They twist and turn every which way. Without the GPS and chart, you could surely get lost. Here are a couple of alligators near the pond on Dataw Island.
Dataw Island is a purely residential community with the exception of the marina. But we enjoyed taking a bike ride around. We visited the remains of an old plantation which apparantly is one of the best examples remaining of the tabby stone construction. This is the oyster shells held together with cement. Building foundations included the main house, kitchen, some of the slave quarters, stable, and chapel. The family was all buried outside the chapel. Unfortunately, we didn't have the camera along then !!!
After that, we decided to get more information on the island so we went to the welcome center where the local realtor gave us the grand tour. Very nice...here they were still playing croquet (appropriately dressed of course) on the lawn of the clubhouse. Two golf courses, tennis, beautiful clubhouse, and very nicely maintained homes and landscaping. Prices ranged from the high 200's to millions+. I could live there...........We were held up in Dataw Island for 2 more days because of high winds and cold. At this time of our lives, we prefer to keep warm and we can do that if we're at a dock with electricity. The temperature got into the 40's and with the wind, it was cold !!! So on Wednesday the 15th, with the weather improving, we left for Charleston. We'll be staying at the Maritime Center which is in historic part of Charleston. There are a couple of things Bob wants to do on the boat, and I need some things done....permanent, hair cut, pedicure etc. Next week, there'll be the Looper Rendevous which has scheduled a plantation tour for us as well as a tour of the Yorktown aircraft carrier. Actually, we'll be having dinner one evening on this carrier.
