Slack Tide

“Slack tide” is a short period in a body of tidal water when the water is completely unstressed, and there is no movement either way in the tidal stream, and which occurs before the direction of the tidal stream reverses. 

Yesterday we arrived at Charleston’s Mariner Center Marina at the recommended time:  “slack tide.”  Because high tide peaked at 7:30 am and the higher water left inadequate room for Velsignet to pass under the US Hwy 17 bridges from our Charleston Brittlepark anchorage, we informed Harbormaster Jeff that we’d be arriving at 1:00 pm, the peak of low tide.  Docking at slack tide meant no stress in the water and less stress from Velsignet’s fly bridge!

We’re in Charleston, SC!!   We arrived midday on Wednesday, May 1^st, anchored and finding no internet connectivity, Mike worked the afternoon in the nearby Marriotte hotel's business center.  As we enjoyed a home cooked dinner that evening, we were entertained by Dragon Boat teams practicing their rowing for this Saturday’s Dragon Boat races (we were told one of the event planners had participated in a Bemidji Dragon Boat race!).

Now in Mariner Center Marina, we are within an easy walking distance to explore this charming and historical city.  We expect “Red Pearl” and captains Kathy and Steve to arrive here on Saturday and look forward to seeing them again.

This is "Rainbow Row" on East Bay Street in Charleston.  These homes were built in 1680!  They've been rehabilitated by the Charleston Society for the Preservation of Old Dwellings.  The rear facades and gardens were used as a model for the opera "Porgy and Bess."

As we cruised from our anchorage on the north side of Charleston, around the city's peninsula point to the Mariner Center Marina on the south side, we got a glimpse of the historical downtown of Charleston.

This is the Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge that spans from Charleston, over the Cooper River to Mount Pleasant on Hog Island.  It was completed in 2005 and is the 3rd longest cable-stayed bridge in the western hemisphere!  And who is Art Ravenel?  He was a South Carolina Congressman who helped secure funding for the bridge.

A scene from the river of Charleston's waterfront.  There are several church steeples that tower over the town.

Across from Charleston at Patriot's Point was this retired aircraft carrier, the USS Yorktown.  It was built during WWII, commissioned in 1943 and served in several Pacific operations during WWII, as well as during the Korean and Vietnam wars.

Here's a closer view of the planes on board the USS Yorktown.  Today the ship serves as a museum ship and has been designated a National Historical Landmark.

This was one of several teams practicing their rowing for this weekend's Dragon Boat Races in Charleston.

This is a view of King's Street, a fun place to window shop!

This is only one of many beautiful Georgian homes in Charleston.

This  home's architecture differed from others in the neighborhood.  Still...beautiful!

Charleston has this very nice seawall and walkway along its waterfront, a good way to enjoy both the water and the historical homes and parks.

Porches!

Here's Mike looking at cannons in Pointe Park.  The Cannons are pointing towards the nearby Fort Sumner, where the first shots of the Civil War took place.

Another street of home in Charleston!

For my master gardener colleagues:  It's May 1 and the gardens are beautiful in Charleston!

So pretty!  And those tiny white blooms smell as pretty as they look!

This building at one time was the Farmers Exchange (not sure what that means...if I didn't like the farmer I had, I could exchange Mike for another farmer?).  The architecture--the striped blocks and ornate doors--had an Italian flavor to it.