We took a day off the road to do a bit of low country sight seeing. People often go to Charleston or Savannah, but we took a different path, driving over to Beaufort, SC (bew-ferd) an authentic town oozing with history, friendly people and excellent oysters and shrimp.

Its beauty lies in the fact that Sherman didn't burn it down during the Civil War. Rather, early in the war, when 13,000 federal troops came over the horizon in their war ships, the townspeople (the white ones) and its 200 defense forces skedaddled out-of-town, abandoning their homes, giving the town up to Union control for the rest of the war. This and other stories were told by our guide, a 12th generation descendant of the last English Lord to govern the county. His horse, Newman, didn't say much.

It's a treasure that hasn't turned into a "Disney" destination... yet. Its town dock hosts many boats on their way up and down the Intracoastal Waterway (ICW). A perfect jumping off point for coastal sailing on the way to Florida. This fall, we will definitely be stopping here, as well as in Beaufort, NC (bow-ferd).

We finished the day with a drive around Hilton Head Island to see the damage remaining from hurricane Matthew that blasted the area last October. Downed trees and uprooted bushes are still scattered about. The marina at Harbour Point remains closed for repairs. The storm was very costly to all on the island.

Road Trip: Day 3

Road Trip: Days 4 & 5

Road Trip: Day 2