Friday, November 16, 2012

On the ICW Again

With good memories and a bit of sadness, we threw off the bow lines last Saturday and said farewell to Charleston. We had a great month there, and can't wait to do it again next year, but it was time to move on.  Just before 7 we waved goodbye to our new friends Ellen and Jeff aboard the Selene 53 Trinity and slipped onto the ICW.

We settled quickly into our ICW routine: up before the sun, coffee on, the Admiral at the wheel and the Cap'n raising the anchor. Once we get moving, I get set up for the day:


Coffee, check, Cell Phone, check, Waterway Guide, check, Water, check, Scribbled Schedule for the Week*, check, iPad for reading the newspapers, email, electronic charts checking in on Facebook, playing Sramble, Googling names of passing boats, etc. check.

* I will admit this is a picture from the trip from the Chesapeake to Charleston.

See how dark it is in the background??  Leaving at 0 dark 30 causes that......

Anyway, this week has been much like others on the ICW. Up early, long hours, ever changing landscape, bridge openings to wait for, shallow spots to negotiate, anchoring mid-to-late afternoon (more late than mid this trip) early dinner, reading or tv, then off to bed, sometimes by 9 -- because the alarm goes off about 5:30AM to do it all again.

It is really not as bad as it may sound -- dolphins swim beside us on a regular basis some offering spectacular shows of agility**, the pelicans entertain us with their awkward dives, about mid-day Tuesday just before we crossed the Georgia Florida line, we noted an increase in Palm trees along with the temperature, and today the water has turned to turquoise.

We have not seen as many boats along the waterway this year -- we are not sure if  we are early or late for the migration, or maybe it's the Sandy effect. We expect a lot of boats who may have planned to head south were delayed by the storm, or may have decided not to make the trip at all.   Everyday, though, we seem to fall into a rhythm with a few other boats, leading or following and exchanging radio messages along the way.

We should be at our winter slip in Stuart, Florida by late this winter afternoon: another  Snow Bird winter begins.

**Dolphins swimming alongside on the Indian River, south of Melbourne, FL:


Tuesday, November 13, 2012

Gated Charleston

Gated Charleston


While walking the streets of Charleston, it doesn't take long to realize that gates are popular there. Originally designed to keep out unwanted guests (human and livestock), today I like to think they are more decorative than declarative.

One day I took a Gate Safari and this is what I saw:


Some are quite simple:




Some are imposing









Most are made of iron.....



But some are made of wood....




Many are quite ornate....





Some offer an intriguing peek at what lies beyond......




Many feature a rosette design.....





And some are historic.....





But they are all beautiful.........

Friday, November 9, 2012

Preserved vs. Restored

The Cap'n and I have continued our house touring over the past few weeks. There seems to be a bit of history at every corner, and fortunately for us, what wasn't burned in the war is still available for us to enjoy.

There is great emphasis placed on the difference between Preserved homes and Restored homes. For example last weekend we visited two planation homes along the Ashley River: Drayton hall and Magnolia Plantation. Drayton Hall is the only plantation home along the Ashley that was not burned or somehow destroyed in the War of Northern Aggression. After the war, the Drayton family continued to own and occupy the residence until 1974 when it became a  property of the National Trust for Historic Preservation.  Drayton Hall has been Preserved, meaning no changes have been made to the structure by the National Trust. In fact, even the family did not add any modern conveniences, such as bathrooms, to the house.

Here is Drayton Hall, a prime example of Georgian Revival Architecture, focusing on the 3 B's: Big, Bold and Balanced:



A view to the river  from the second floor






The rooms of Drayton Hall are empty of furniture, but as our tour guide promised, she filled them with stories of planation life, family life and the history of our country.  The walls and ceilings themselves have stories to tell, offering glimpses of the original paint colors and intricate carvings:



A family growth chart dating back to the 1800's:


In this photo below, notice the brown area in the center. From chemical studies of the wall, it has been suggested that the discoloration was caused by the oils in human skin. Perhaps this is where an enslaved worker stood, hands behind his back,  awaiting his master's orders:


Here is the lower level hearth where meals were prepared (with sleeping quarters to the right). In summer months the family would sometimes take their meals here where it was cooler, requiring the enslaved workers to rearrange the furniture. The last owner of the house, Miss Charlotta, would often "camp out" on this level, running an extension cord from the caretaker's cottage to operate her fridge.:


I really enjoyed this Preserved home. A few online reviews said it was boring because there was nothing too look at. Instead, it allowed us to use our imaginations and see the layer of years.

In contrast, built in 1808 the Nathaniel Russell Museum in is a Restored  Federal townhouse near Charleston's Battery. According to the Historic Charleston Foundation's website "Set amid spacious formal gardens, the Nathaniel Russell House is a National Historic Landmark and is widely recognized as one of America's most important neoclassical dwellings."





It has been Restored to reflect life in the early to mid-1800's, using replica wallpaper and some period furniture although very few pieces are from the Russell family collection. The most significant detail of the house is the 3 story free-flying Honduran mahogany staircase. Once current renovations to the house are complete visitors will not be invited to climb the stairs - we were lucky to be among the last to do so. Our guide explained that the staircase is getting 'tired.' She led the way up the steps, admonishing us to hold on to the right hand rail!


Hanging above the staircase is a 1786 George Romney portrait of Mary Rutledge Smith, a prominent Charlestonian, with her son Edward.  We were not allowed to take any photos indoors, so this is all I can share. It is a beautiful home, used primarily as a private residence over the years by the Russell family, but also employed as a Catholic girls boarding school for as time.


Preserved or Restored?  There is a need for both -- but for now, I vote for Preserved!