"Kids do the darndest things..."
I DID tell my grandson Aiden that kids were allowed to wade in the Pineapple Fountain at Waterfront Park downtown.
And, he did see others splashing and having watery fun.
At first, he heeded his mom's suggestion that he hold up his shorts so they would not get wet.
This was Day 3 of a 5-day visit by my daughter, who had driven from Sand Springs, Oklahoma, to visit me, relax and take in some of the sights.
We had been out to Sullivan's Island the day before and cruising over to the Isle of Palms, he got to see an ocean for the first time.
I assured him it was big and he was seeing only the top.
Also probably the first time he had stepped into a fountain that had a sign: "NO LIFEGUARD.
It was a warm day, the end of April, and many other children had already been told they could be on the steps around the fountain.
This was the first time I had been here with a 5-year-old and I wisely stepped back and let his mom decide if Aiden could join the others.
Things were going swell until he spotted a boy in the deeper spot, beneath the fountain overhang, who was wearing swim goggles.
My grandson resignedly stepped out and dripped his way to his grandpop and mom who realized we did not have a change of dry clothes!
Poor planning.
A kid + a fountain + permission to wade should have made us more alert to the next logical step - or misstep - and have at least a towel.
But, as we found the day before at the beach, the sun was shining, clothes dry out and the fun continues.
One of the nearby oversize swings was a pleasant way to let the wind dry you as the tallest member of the trio used his long legs to push the swing higher and higher.
Grandson spotted the sign that said to be polite and limit your swing time to 20 minutes.
He asked me to tell him when the time was up.
We passed by "the other" fountain at Waterfront Park but he seemed less eager to get soaked and just passed his hands in front of one of the streams.
Then I spotted a red flag flapping in the breeze and suggested we take a Water Taxi round trip over the harbor with several stops along the way.
All agreed and we watched as a Taxi cruised by and then returned from the Maritime Center and headed to us standing at its berth on the pier.
L'il Man was excited to get on board and found us a seat...in the sun.
No problem as others boarded and we cast off. A few turns and we were now seated in the shade of the big overhead awning.
I was able to share a tip on how to avoid getting seasick as we bounced along.
Aiden had ducked his head down onto his mom's lap and I suggested he sit up and keep an eye on the horizon.
Then I explained that the line between the water and the sky was called the horizon. He's a smart home-schooled youngster and digested that new fact.
Soon we were looking up at the stern of the USS Yorktown. ...and two small sailing ships anchored in the marina.
I had seen an article in the paper that these were replicas of Christopher Columbus' Nina and the Pinta and were on public display.
It was a moody scene so I printed them in black and white instead of in color. I knew they were modeled after an Italian Caravel but I hope these were not actual size! They looked so small for such an extended exploration.
(Click on the links and the photos for more details.)
Thanks for spending some time with me and my family down by the famed Charleston Harbor.
I'll add some more, including a place where the drinks "are on the house."
Well, there's real money stapled all over the dive bar called The Griffon
Labels: Dive bar, drinks on the house, Harbor Resort Marina, his first ocean, Italian Caravel, Maritime Center, No Lifeguard, over-size swings, The Griffon, the Nina & the Pinta, USS Yorktown, water taxi
posted by chuckography @ 12:47 PM
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