Savannah, GA — INDEPENDENCE CHRONICLES

Larry, Joan & Casey at the Savannah Yacht Club dock entrance

As it is said…what a difference a day makes…the passage from Cumberland Island to Savannah was so pleasant with flat seas and just a little breeze that I had to remind myself we were out on the open ocean. The trip took about six hours (90NM) and brought us to the Savannah Yacht Club, which enjoys reciprocity with our San Francisco Yacht Club. We were a ways from downtown Savannah so the following day we hired a ride share and walked around the most historical city in the United States. The fact that General Sherman did not burn Savannah is truly a miracle as each city that fell to the Union Army was normally burned as the soldiers led their ‘March to the Sea’. We have been told that Sherman did not burn the city because he wanted to present the city as a Christmas gift to President Lincoln along with 150 heavy guns, plenty of ammunition and 25,000 bales of cotton (Savannah and London were the two cities, at this time, that set the price for cotton at their respective Cotton Exchanges). We toured many of the cities highlights including the ‘Midnight in the Garden of Good & Evil’ sights by the Hop-on-Hop-off method (thanks Joan & Casey). This works quite well if you get hungry and need to stop for a ‘blue crab’ crab cake or of course - thirsty and need a beer! After all the hopping was done we were treated to an incredible dinner at ‘HUSK’ by our sweet friends the Kelly’s. It was fantastic food from local fisherman and farms served by truly engaging people who really appear to love where they work. A night-cap at the posh bar upstairs capped a great day and night in Savannah.

Yes, we play tourist. Thanks Casey & Joan for the fun ‘Hop-Tour’

The red door in the south signifies that you have paid off your mortgage and own your home

The Chatham Artillery’s ‘Washington Guns’

Bay Street (these buildings are elevated above River Street)

The Cotton Exchange and the first Freemasons’ Hall

Can’t get enough of the old Cotton Exchange…love this building

Johnny Mercers’ Oscar awards…yes he wrote the Lyrics for Moon River which is a real river we passed on the ICW the next day heading north toward Beaufort, SC

Churchill’s was a very nice place to have a cold one.

The restaurant HUSK refurbished this beautiful home after it was burned and left for ruin

Sweet and fresh oysters from local waters