Tuesday October 9, 2012

Hilton Head Island, South Carolina

The Atlantic Ocean with a shrimper in the background

 We saw the ocean this morning.  After 23 days and 2200 km we are staying on the beach front at Hilton Head and walked on the beach of the Atlantic Ocean to start our day.  For the first time the end is really in sight.  









Don and Linda (our hosts) took us around Hilton Head and Beaufort today.  Hilton Head lived up to the reputation as a rich man’s playground.  Nice cars, nice boats, nice shopping.  The highlight of the day was a horse-drawn carriage trip around Beaufort.  The town has a storied history as British port, a civil war prize, and a high-class resort town.  The town has starred in “Forest Gump” and several other movies and the Mansions are 200 years old.  The carriage driver was a 5foot 1-inch 14-year-old girl (she claimed she was 26) and the horse was Cisco, a huge (22 hands) 12-year-old dray horse who was blind in one eye.  The story telling was well done, but Cisco was just barely under control. 

Don Linda Tim

 Cisco doesn’t like stop signs, red lights or motorcycles.  He ran most of the stop signs, he kept moving forwards and backwards at red lights and the driver fell off her stool when the motorcycle went by and Cisco hit top gear.   The cars must know Cisco and they gave us a wide berth, but the whole wagon load of tourists were nervous every time we approached a red light and the driver was turned around telling us a story.  We all survived and it was a memorable tour.  Beaufort is a gem of southern architecture and well worth a visit.  

Cisco  and driver

                                    

A mansion in Beaufort