chuckography

Charleston - a Port City!

Carnival Fantasy cruise ship is a weekly visitor in and out of Charleston.

I've been to Miami and have seen a long, long line of such ships tied up at piers.

So far, we have only one on a regular basis.

There has been talk about problems with boarding and dropping off thousands of passengers here in the heart of the Historic District.

The plan to build such a terminal
further away has been delayed.

For several years. So far.

So, for the near futire, these 13-story "buildings" will continue to appear weekly at the foot of Market Street, looming over us.

To me, it's not a bad visitor attraction to have featured in a famed harbor.

Musicians and other buskers have found it's a pleasant place to perch, perform and play.

A spirited banjo seems to be an appropriate sound, wafting out over the waterfront.

I had a visiting fellow photograher from Germany with me this weekend down at Waterfront Park and he enjoyed looking up at the massive vessel.

He also had not heard that the pineapple is a symbol of hospitality. I mentioned this tidbit to him as he angled for views of our pineapple fountain.

I steered him over to a slight rise that afforded a good view of the TWO fountains in our park by the harbor.

It was a little cool so we did not see visitors - children and adults - wading in either the pineapple fountain nor the splash one in the background.

Even locals  have been known to cool off this way on a humid day.

My photographer buddy liked the shot he took of a sign in the foreground of the fountains which warns there is no lifeguard on duty.

I have always suspected that signage was inspired by cautious city lawyers.

I doubt the lawyers were consulted when the Mayor-for-40-years Joe Riley decided we needed swinging park benches.

Harbor views all around, grassy areas for a picnic, nearby parking, a beautiful setting and the challenge to see just how high you can make your swing go.

Wise parents shepherded their small ones away from the high flying potental mayhem.

Later in the day, I drove my visitor over to Sullivan's Island to a spot on the beach in front of Fort Moultrie.

I noted there had been a lot of erosion since my last time there.

Huge rocks of course stayed in place but lots of soil and grasses were gone.

Through low clouds and a foggy haze, I spotted a large cruiseship steaming its way out of the harbor, bound - I believe - for the Caribbean.

Of course it was the ship we had seen earliuer, downtown. Now I realize they had been boarding passengers for this Saturday afternoon departure.

Bon voyage!

(Click on the photos for more details.)

My only cruise ship experience was in the Marines for 7-days aboard a crowded troop carrier that swayed from side to side.

I didn't exactly have a cabin.

There were rows of bunks stacked four high.

I spent a lot of time up on the deck.

Near the railing.

Labels: banjo player, buskers, Carnival Fantasy, cruiseships, Fort Moultrie, pineapple is symbol of hospitality, splash fountain, swinging park benches, troopship

posted by chuckography @ 5:48 PM