Day 19, Thursday

Woke up early at our campsite in Hunting Island State Park.  The no-see-ums were terrible, so after quickly showering, we headed into Beufort, in search of a waterfront park where we could make on our breakfast rather than be the breakfast for a million little bugs.  Success!

After a simple breakfast of coffee and cereal with fresh peaches we took a carriage tour of the historic homes of Beaufort.  Much like Savannah, but on a slightly more modest scale, and as the tour guided reminded us, these were all second homes for most of the owners.

When the Union armies invaded this area in 1861, all the home owners left town in what they now refer to as the "big skedaddle".  When many returned four years later they discovered their home were confiscated due to unpaid back taxes, and some were actually purchased by the slaves that originally worked for those home owners.  Sometimes there is justice.

Our guide, and the Beaufort HS girls' lacrosse coach

Yellow with green shutters, tough to beat!

The chorus from this church sang in the gospel number from "Forrest Gump"

After lunch we visited the museum dedicated to local celebrity and author, Pat Conroy.   I've never read any of his books, but Joni loves them, as did the enthusiastic docent who filled us with stories about this wonderful man.  I thought I was going to have to throw cold water on both of these women before the tour was over.