April 4 - 6
We decided to travel out in the Atlantic Ocean today because of the shallow water in the Georgia ICW. Our 88 mile journey was rather smooth and we did not have to worry about the 8 foot tides, current and shallow water in the ICW. We docked at a marina and shared a car with Brandy IV so we could tour Savannah.
Savannah is one of those rare places where the town itself, rather than any particular landmark or any single museum or individual sight, is the main attraction. The city began in 1733 when James Oglethorpe led the first settlers from England to a bluff at the South of the Savannah River. The purpose of the new colony was to give an opportunity to the disadvantaged of London, "gentlemen of decayed circumstances" as Oglethorpe described them. Such a treasure did Savannah become that when William Sherman took the city after his famous "March to the Sea," the Union general informed President Lincoln on December 22, 1864: "I beg to present you as a Christmas Gift the City of Savannah." President Lincoln instructed Sherman not to burn the city and Savannah was spared. Savannah has indeed remained much as it was in the old days, a town of spacious squares and gracious houses, trees and statues and a rather laid-back pace.
We started at the Visitors Center and toured the museum and then caught the trolley to tour the town. The Factor's Walk, a cobblestone way near the river is lined with nineteenth-century cotton buildings, and the 1852 US Custom House which recalls Savannah's early commercial enterprises. St. John the Baptist cathedral was gorgeous. The Owens Thomas house which was the first home with running water was intriguing. Civilization has come a long way.
The next day it was off to shop and walk the squares and then to try out Paula Dean's restaurant, The Lady and Two Sons. It was worth the trouble of going in person to get reservations earlier that day. We topped off our evening by waddling to a live show at the Savannah Theatre, the oldest continuously operating theatre in the US. We saw Southern Lights and besides tapping your feet and clapping your hands you were howling at the jokes! Savannah you are a treat!
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| St John the Baptist Cathedral |
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| Saint John the Baptist Cathedral |
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| Cotton Exchange Building |
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| Statue of James Oglethorpe, founder of Savannah |
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| Savannah's old train depot, now a museum |
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| Different sites seen when travelling outside in the Atlantic |
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