Port Royal, SC to Kilkenny Creek, GA

“Wheels up” at 6:10 am again leaving Port Royal, SC. We had some interesting boat traffic today as we passed several large inlets from the ocean. Shortly after leaving Port Royal we cruised past the Marine Corps Recruit Depot at Parris Island. It has been the site of Marine Corps recruit training since Nov. 1, 1915. Approximately 17,000-20,000 recruits come to Parris Island annually for training. As we reached the South Carolina/Georgia border we encountered ships and cargo freighters on the Savannah River.

Those are not buildings ahead…its a cargo freighter!

As close as the ICW comes to Savannah

After crossing the Savannah River and South Channel Savannah River, the ICW tucks into the Wilmington River and under the Islands Expressway (Sam Varnedoe Bascule Bridge). This bascule bridge services vehicle traffic from Savannah to several islands, including Wilmington and Tybee Islands, and is a good example of why its important to keep track of bridges well in advance; their location (mile marker), verticle clearance, schedules, and restrictions. The Sam Varnedoe Bascule Bridge has a vertical clearance of twenty-one feet and opens upon request EXCEPT: M-F 0630 – 0900 and 1630 – 1830 the draw will open at 0700, 0800, and 1730 except Federal holidays. Which means there are 4 separate 1 hour block that the bridge will NOT open! This is common in cities and if you don’t look at the Bridge Table close enough to see the restrictions, only seeing the “opens on request,” or don’t look far enough ahead to plan, you could be sitting at the bridge for almost an hour. Puts a real crimp in an cruise! You may be wondering….we reached the bridge at 1130 and were granted an opening upon request. 🙂

Sam Varnedoe Bascule Bridge

We arrived at Kilkenny Marina on Kilkenny Creek, Richmond Hill, Georgia at 3:30 pm. Its a quaint marina with a friendly staff…as we headed out to walk Abby they told us about an antebellum plantation home surrounded by ancient oaks a short walk from the marina. They said there is a hole in the house to right of the front door rumored to have been caused by a cannonball during the war. It was unclear, or unknown, whether it was the Revolutionary War or the Civil War….but a fun bit of information just the same.

Possibly during the Revolutionary War (1775-1783) or its aftermath: Owner during that time was Thomas Young, and “As Thomas Young was a Loyalist, Kilkenny was confiscated from him through the 1778 Acts of Attainder and sold to George Cubbedge. Intervention by Young’s friends returned the property to him, though he was prohibited from voting or holding office for 17 years.”(1)

Or possibly during the Civil War (1861-1865): “By 1860, the plantation was producing more cotton than any other in the county and the value of the property had increased five-fold, to $30,000. 153 slaves were enumerated in the 1860 census…”(1)

More recent history (unrelated to the cannonball hole): “A prominent later owner was Tennessee governor John I. Cox, who sold it to Henry Ford in 1931. Ford restored the property around this time, and it was apparently one of his favorites.”(1)