Day 166 - March 28, 2013: Savannah!

Coming back from Sunbury and turning up the ICW, we encountered no less than five other boats moving north, and we traveled one after another up the narrow winding waterway. These were loopers, some of whom had gone to the Bahamas, and boaters who went south to Florida for the winter. It was good to chat with them on the radio and compare experiences.

Anne has been looking forward to certain stops this entire trip, and Savannah is one. We put in a long day through some very winding and shallow areas, and as we got closer, we saw some true Southern-style mansions.

Classic Southern architecture along the ICW

Savannah was established in 1733 and was the colonial capital of the Province of Georgia and the first state capital of Georgia. It was a strategic port city in both the American Revolution and the Civil War. Today, while retaining its historical charm, it is an industrial city and an important deep water Atlantic seaport.

Turning west up the Savannah River, we arrived at the city dock late in the afternoon. This is in the heart of town, just a few short steps from the historic area and streets peppered with 22 park-like city squares. The Hyatt and Westin hotels tower above us, the convention center is across the river, and River Street, where locals and tourists enjoy walking along the waterfront, is right beside us. We had just tied up when two massive container ships passed by within 50 yards. This was the first of eight more to pass before we retired.

Foreign flagged container ship

We took a short walk up into town over the cobble and ballast stone streets. Ballast stones were placed in the holds of empty ships to maintain stability and discarded after the ships were loaded with cargo. The locals found them great for street surfaces in the 1700-1800s. We ate dinner at The Olde Pink House, a highly recommended restaurant by many accounts. The building started life as a house in 1771, was the site of secret meetings to secure independence from England, became a bank in 1811, was used for a number of businesses, and after suffering decay and neglect, was restored and expanded in 2008. The food was uniquely Southern and very delicious.

The Olde Pink House (1771)