Blog

A visit to St. Augustine felt like an encounter with the past, resonating with both recent personal memories and distant historical echoes. We had previously explored this charming city on a road trip ten years ago, marveling at its rich Spanish-American culture and distinctive architecture. Founded in 1565 by Spanish explorers, St. Augustine holds the distinction of being the oldest continuously inhabited European-established settlement in what is now the contiguous United States. This fact gave this city the nickname Ancient City.

Returning to the city, we once again immersed ourselves in its historical charm, mooring at the downtown marina and strolling along its historic streets. Exploring the city, we visited its wonderful buildings and the Castillo de San Marcos. The spirit of St. Augustine undeniably thrives in this city, filling its spaces with a palpable sense of history and cultural richness.

After spending three delightful days in beautiful Charleston, we arrived in Savannah with the intention of going for a night stroll and leaving the next morning. However, we fell in love with this city at first glance. Savannah is one of the most charming cities we’ve visited in the US. It may be relatively small, but it’s bursting with history, charm, and art. The city is meticulously planned, giving it a distinctive spirit. Every few blocks, there is a little green oasis with live oaks draped with Spanish moss.

General James Edward Oglethorpe founded Savannah in 1733, designing it as a series of neighborhoods centered around 24 squares. Chippewa Square, at the heart of the downtown historic district, gained fame in the movie “Forrest Gump.” Tom Hanks, who plays Forrest, sits on a park bench in this square for about 80% of the film, sharing his life story with anyone who will listen.

The historical part of Savannah is packed with beautifully preserved old buildings, each featuring small, cozy private gardens filled with evergreen plants and flowers. Savannah boasts numerous churches from different time periods and styles. The most spectacular among them is the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist, designed and built in the French Gothic style in the early 19th century.

Forsyth Park, though small, is beautiful, featuring a gorgeous fountain. The city offers many bars and restaurants with live music. The cherry on the cake for us was an evening spent with our new friends Alison and Jim from SV Aquarius in a jazz bar.

And of course, who could forget the drainpipe ending with the open-mouth fish? Savannah truly captured our hearts with its unique blend of history, nature, and vibrant culture.

Motor-sailing the Intracoastal Waterway (ICW) in South Carolina provides a snapshot of the full spectrum of life along the banks of this expansive canal. Residential communities flank the canal, boasting equipped docks of varying architectural styles and financial capabilities. However, the obligatory motorboats dominated the scene, with only a couple of sailboats lifted on dock elevators during our journey. The spaces between settlements teem with wildlife—birds, dolphins, and, yes, predatory alligators always hiding from us… but it turned out that the biggest danger is hidden in shallow waters. Sandbanks, deviously formed at the confluence of rivers, awaited us—and others—treacherously at the bends. Many places were navigable only during high tides, yet our daily route schedule included high and low tides, necessitating calculated risks. Once again, our heartfelt gratitude goes to TowBoatUS for liberating us from the clutches of shallow waters. This time, the tow boat came to the rescue, saving our vessel and a fellow mariner stranded on a motor boat in the same predicament with 4 feet depth.

Our Intracoastal Waterway journey continues!