Friday, 04/23/21, dawned sunny, with clear blue skies, although with a chilly nip in the air. Steve and I took the Grayline Bus Tour of old town, Beaufort, SC, and learned a lot! Our tour guide was excellent and even dressed in Civil War period costume. He shared many fascinating historical details and even sang to us at one point, with a wonderful voice! The was supposed to be a total of three couples on this tour, but we wound up being the only one who showed, so we got a private tour!
The most interesting thing we learned from our tour guide was called The Port Royal Experiment, which took place in Beaufort, SC, back in the 1860s. The Port Royal Experiment was a program begun during the American Civil War in which former slaves successfully worked on the land abandoned by planters. In 1861, the Union captured the Sea Islands off the coat of South Carolina and their main harbor, Port Royal. The white residents fled, leaving behind 10,000 black slaves. Several private Northern charity organizations stepped in to help the former slaves to become self-sufficient. The result was a model of what Reconstruction could have been. The African-Americans demonstrated their ability to work the land efficiently and live independently of white control. They assigned themselves daily tasks for cotton growing and spent their extra time cultivating their own crops, fishing and hunting. By selling their surplus crops, the locals acquired small amounts of property. Among the Northerners who arrived as teachers were Mary Lambert Allen and her husband, William Francis Allen from West Newton, MA. Detailed descriptions of their daily life are provided in Allen’s diaries, which have been transcribed. Admiration for the hard work ethic of the former slaves is mentioned, as well as the urgent need for a basic education of which they had been deprived. In 1862, General Ormsby M. Mitchel helped African Americans to found the town of Mitchelville on Hilton Head Island, SC, and life ran smoothly for all concerned. All total, just under 200 plantations were involved in the experiment and prospered. However, in 1865, President Andrew Johnson ended the experiment, returning the land to its previous white owners, and the African-Americans were forced to either evacuate the area, or take jobs working for the new land owners.
We also learned about prominent American politician, publisher, businessman, and maritime pilot, Robert Smalls. Smalls was born into slavery in Beaufort, SC, but freed himself, his crew, and their families during the American Civil War by commandeering a Confederate transport ship, CSS Planter, in Charleston Harbor on May 13, 1862, and sailing it from Confederate-controlled waters of the harbor to the US blockade that surrounded it. He then piloted the ship to the Union-controlled enclave in Beaufort-Port Royal-Hilton Head area, where it became a Union warship. His example and persuasion helped convince President Abraham Lincoln to accept African-American soldiers into the Union Army. After the Civil War ended, Smalls returned to Beaufort and became a politician, winning election as a Republican to the South Carolina Legislature and the United States House of Representatives during the Reconstruction Era.
After our tour, we stopped for some ice cream and fudge, and walked around town for a bit. Always need to buy ice cream and or fudge on the Loop, since stores can be found at almost every single stop. In between taking pictures, I exclaimed over and over about the incredible weather we seem to have pretty much wherever we stop. We walked to Hemingway’s dive bar and sat outside in the dappled shade for afternoon beverages.
As previously planned, we met Scott and Shelley Johnson, as well as Kevin Parsell, for dinner at Panini Waterfront restaurant across from Beaufort Harbor. We were able to score an outside table in a perfect location, and even though the evening was chilly, we were dressed for it so thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. Even the Noseeums were almost non-existent, which is always a plus!
Saturday, 04/24/21, was a true rain event, and kept us inside the boat, doing boat chores, working on this blog, and planning future routes. We took advantage of a break in the rain at 3:30 pm, grabbed our umbrellas, and walked to another one of the many marina-side restaurants, Hearth Wood Fired Pizza for a super early dinner. We made it back onboard Legacy just in time, as the bottom fell-out for the remainder of the evening, with lightning and thunder crashing all around us.
Though the rain had stopped by Sunday morning, 04/25/21, the skies were still overcast and the sun teased us all morning. We walked over to the Q on Bay for lunch, and Steve realized we certainly weren’t in Texas anymore, when he bit into his barbecued brisket, and exclaimed that it should be illegal to prepare brisket in an oven and not in a smoker!
We walked around historic Beaufort and I took a zillion pictures of a zillion beautiful houses and scenery. To our delight, the sun finally broke through the clouds, and the weather turned out to be fabulous for the afternoon. I was fortunate enough that late afternoon to score a pedicure appointment at the Nail Bar in historic downtown Beaufort!
After yesterday’s rain, the Noseeums were biting our scalps again, but not too badly. The Jasmine and Ligustrum were in full bloom while we were in Beaufort, and the air was actually heady with glorious fragrance. The Blue Angels were prolific while we were in Beaufort and buzzed the town constantly. (I just THOUGHT it was loud at Stock Island!) Though hard on the ears, those powerful jets are a joy to watch flying in formation and so low to the ground. Steve tried on several occasions to get a good video of the flying wonders as they zoomed over our heads.
That evening, we walked to Luther’s Rare And Well Done for happy hour drinks and eats. We were really fortunate to have so many attractions right there within walking distance of the marina and our boat, during our stay in Beaufort. No need for a courtesy vehicle, car rental, or Uber rides!
As we’ve been on this journey, there have been a handful of stops that have made a stronger impression on us than others. Beaufort, SC, was definitely one of them. During one of our walks, I found THE cutest little restored house that is now being used as a month-to-month vacation rental. It, and the town of Beaufort, SC, was another perfect girls’ trip destination!