(Note: Click any of the images below to make them larger)
What better way to spend Veteran's Day than in Charleston... a city with a rich military history dating back to our Revolutionary roots! While exploring the harbor I saw dozens of both current and former military in their various uniforms or hats/shirts/etc noting their service. I spent the day visiting the forts of the harbor.
Once again getting an early start, "by the dawn's early light" if you will:
Which soon became a blinding light as I headed straight for the sunrise:
In spite of some minor ocular damage I made it to Liberty Square, home of the Ft. Sumter Monument and the Charleston Aquarium:
It was nice to see they had the right flag waving:
That's not meant to be a cheap shot. The State of Alabama was still a bit confused earlier this year. I didn't have the heart to correct them (especially while driving around with my "Land of Lincoln" plates):
Back to Charleston...
Palm Trees! I feel like I'm officially on vacation now:
The Arthur Ravenel, Jr. Bridge, which according to wikipedia is "the longest cable-stayed bridge in the Western Hemisphere" and just dern impressive you ask me!
This big-ass cargo ship seemed almost too big as it went by...
But it cleared the bridge by a mile... that bridge is huge!
At the Fort Sumter Museum...
This one is for my Boston Buddy... the infamous caning of a Massachusetts liberal by a South Carolina conservative!
It wasn't too long ago that a poster gave credit to Christianity for the civil rights movement. It made me wonder at the time if he'd give it equal credit for justifying slavery and segregation back in the day. This part of the Ft. Sumter exhibit mentioned the religious and "natural law" arguments of the antebellum United States.
A fairly short ferry boat trip to Ft. Sumter... Charleston Harbor is amazing, by the way... and soon the distant blur starts coming into focus:
Most of the original Ft. Sumter looks a lot like this:
And this:
With some of the old "toys" strewn about:
And the usual dedications:
The fort was used after the Civil War and on up through WWII though, with a large dug-in battery installed at the center, known as Battery Huger:
A view from one of the old towers of Battery Huger:
Also on the island is a flag-based tribute to the fort's history. A collection of the flags that have flown over it and now fly over it today:
It was more than a bit eerie to walk around where the Civil War began. Not just because of the immense historical significance but also the human element. Imagine barricading yourself behind these thick brick walls... that are soon to be pelted with literally tons of cannon and artillery fire from both land and sea.
The long narrow entrances seem more like a tomb than an entryway:
Once inside and at your station, your window to the outside and angry world is around the edges of your cannon:
Behind a shadowy porthole, you await the enemy's barrage of projectiles... or in this case, second-hand smoke:
Inside the fort's island museum they had flags on display that had flown over the fort...
This was the union flag, but I had to attempt another panorama shot to get it all... it was both huge and there wasn't any room for me to back up to get it all in one or even two shots:
They frowned upon flash photography so I wasn't able to get a very good shot of the South Carolina militia flag that few over the fort upon its seizure:
All in all, well worth the twenty bucks I spent on the boat ride, and a couple trinkets.
On the way back I got a good look at the USS Yorkshire, an aircraft carrier turned into a museum at Patriot's Point:
Got another view of the Arthur Ravenel, Jr. Bridge too:
But nothing beats the view of the bridge through my dirty/dusty road-trip coated windshield while crossing it:
On to Ft. Moultrie, a fort who's history stretches from the Revolutionary War on through World War II:
Out in the distance is Ft. Sumter (the forts could be used to establish a cross fire against enemy ships attempting to enter the harbor):
All sorts of artillery are set up for viewing:
The monument tries to encompass as much as possible of the long history of the fort, so old guns...
...and newer guns... are on display (yeah, I want one of these):
Also some recreations, such as a powder keg magazine (no smoking):
And WWII era offices, restored to how they might have looked in that era:
Map room:
And radio room:
Afterwards I decided to take a stroll down to the beach... it was t-shirt weather by this point in the day, and I was elated to have driven until I ran out of road again.
On the way there, this little view over Ft. Moultrie struck me: Guns, God, and Glory...
The view from the beach:
Towards Charleston Harbor to the right:
Ft. Sumter out straight ahead:
And the Atlantic Ocean to the left:
One hell of a road trip so far.
One hell of a way to spend Veteran's Day.
A big thanks to all who served. Hopefully today's battlefields will soon be turned into solemn reminders to the next generation so that they may not have to repeat the ugliest side of history.
Now it's time for some VA pills and a long-ass nap...
The lowcountry of South Carolina is a home away from home for Steph and I. We try to visit a couple times a year (it helps to have family there!).
Charleston is one of the most historic and patriotic cities in America. If you have a chance, visit the campus of The Citadel. The white buildings are majestic. From looking at your photos, its seems you've hit some of the major military sites. Try to see the C.S.S. Hunley - the Confederate submarine that was pulled from the harbor a few years back. Its located on the old Navy base.
If it were a little warmer, I'd tell you to go parasailing on Folly Beach with Captain John. Kayaking in the ocean is pretty cool as well - the dolphins were all around me this summer. If you do have a chance, go out to Folly and have a beer or two on the beach, get some photos of the pier and lighthouse.