The Wandering Adventurers: April 9 and 10

April 9

Wrightsville Beach had made it in the top 10 surf beaches from Surfer Magazine. We had to go check it out. Of course there had been waves a couple days before but today they were pretty nonexistent. We had a nice beach walk. The water is crystal clear and beautiful. Lots of sunbathers but not many people in the water, still a little chilly. We talked to a couple of surfers and they said they good wave days are sporadic but can be really good. We went into the Sweetwater Surf Shop which is owned by Ben’ Bourgeois’ parents. Ben’s sister was working the counter. She and a guy on the store team filled us in on surfing in the area. Ben has won a couple of national titles and the store team has won two and is hoping for their third national win. Another frozen custard before we headed home. Too bad these frozen custard places are everywhere we are!

Crystal Clear Water at Wrightsville Beach
No surfing waves today.

Signs of the Seashore

Burger Truck Rolling Down the Highway

April 10

We had a four hour driving day down to Charleston to the James River County Park. In the late afternoon we went into Charleston and walked the beautiful neighborhoods of the Battery and the Walled City. The AAA Tour Book led us up and down Meeting St., Church St., Tradd St., and Battery St. with Christy reading about the homes and me the photographer. The oldest home was the Robert Brewton House on Church St and was built in 1721. Many of the homes were built as single homes. They were one room wide so they could open up the entire home to allow the breeze to flow through. The front door opens onto the two story piazza rather than the main room in the house. That way they were able to relax on the porches but be closed off from the street. The main entrance is from the piazza. We also saw examples of double homes that have two sets of rooms that go from front to back. Large earthquake bolts hold many of the brick homes together. When the homes suffered from an earthquake in 1886, something needed to be done to repair the cracks in the brick. To solve the problem large screws were inserted through the floorboards and then tightened. It seems to have been the answer. Cabbage Row was a three story tenement house. The tenement house was used as Catfish Row in the story “Porgy” which became George Gershwin’s light opera, “Porgy and Bess.” Large gorgeous Greek revival and Italian villa style home line Battery St built in the 1800’s, many are pre Civil War. A wall enclosed Charleston for protection against unwanted visitors during most of the time the settlement was owned by England. The tour book pointed out a house that is set back a couple of blocks that was once right on the water. The posts out in front were for boats to tie up. We weren’t the only tourists with book and camera in hand! Not so long ago the city was in pretty bad shape. The 1980’s saw a big revival with the homes being fixed up and the downtown eventually becoming the trendy streets they are today. It is a lovely area with lots of opportunity to “ooh and awe.” When I was here a couple of years ago with Suzanne, we loved taking some of the home tours that were offered. Not only seeing the inside but hearing about the southern life style in those early days of our country’s history is always fascinating. Suz and I really enjoyed driving out along the Ashley River and stopping at the plantations. I don’t think we are going to do that this time. It is a lovely area with lots to explore.