July 15
1000
Beaufort NC
We have spent a pleasant two days visiting Beaufort, mostly walking along the waterfront and the side streets of the old part of town.
The waterfront is low-keyed touristy with restaurants and visitor-serving shops. The town has done a good job at keeping it all pretty tasteful in terms of architecture, signage etc. The side streets are really nice for strolling along, lined with modest historic houses mostly constructed between the late 18th century and mid-19th. Residents have kept them nicely maintained, many with their small yards sporting pretty gardens.
On Saturday night, after dinner and walking around we listened to Too Tall Tommy play covers at the Dockside Restaurant, including a passable acoustic rendition of Stevie Ray Vaughns cover of Jimmy Hendrix’s “Little Wing”. A cover of a cover.
We are staying at the Town Creek Marina, highly recommended for the quality of the facilities, and friendliness of staff. The marina offers a courtesy car that guests can use at no charge to run errands. Which we did yesterday, stopping at West Marine to pick up some parts and supplies and the grocery store to replenish fresh fruits and vegetables. On the way back we stopped at the Shucking Shack, where I enjoyed 10 oysters on the half shell (Lisa ate two of the dozen) and a really nice draft IPA. Later we took the dinghy to the waterfront for ice cream (I had two scoops, less two spoonfuls. Pattern being established?) and then enjoyed the sunset from atop a rooftop bar. The ride back to Intermezzo in the calm moonlight water put a nice end on the day.
I like this “Low Country” of the Carolinas. Such a gentle interface between water and land, the elevation difference between the two so slight. From as little as 10 feet above the water, you see a vista of blue water, green wetlands, networks of creeks and little coves that extends for miles. The weather is hot and humid, but not as oppressive as it was in Charleston. This is a paradise for shallow-draft boating, miles and miles of water to exploree, natural beauty all around, little towns to stop and visit.
We will be exploring more of this area as we head north today up the Adams Canal towards to the town of Oriental.
