Contributing Editor, Captain Jim Healy, shares his perspective on Charleston and Beaufort, SC and Savannah, GA where several SALTY SOUTHEAST CRUISERS’ NET SPONSORs are located. Thank you Jim!

Charleston, SC and Savannah, GA: magnificent old southern cities with many points-of- interest and fine restaurants; our strategy is to take a tour bus around the city.  Look for a tour company that has same-day on-and-off privileges.  (We do this every time we arrive somewhere we’ve not been before, including Canada).  We take the entire tour circuit first, then go back to places that we think we’d like to know more about.  At Charleston, start at the Welcome Center.  Or, take the tour boat to Fort Sumter; nice aquarium near the Ft. Sumter ferry docks.  In Charleston, there is a water taxi from the Charleston Maritime Center that goes back and forth to Patriot Point, which is where the USS Yorktown is located.  In Savannah, there is a nice stage theater within walking distance of the downtown waterfront (http://www.savannahtheatre.com).  The Savannah waterfront is very interesting, with a large riverwalk, wonderful park overlooking the River, and large shipping and commercial traffic as well as every kind of small-boat and pleasure craft.  There are several architecture tours in both cities, and both have lots of weekly and seasonal activity for visitors.  From Savannah (there are marina options in downtown Savannah on the Savannah River or at Thunderbolt and Isle of Hope), boaters can also visit Tybee Island (light house and Fort Pulaski).

Jim Healy