Kathryn’s Voyage Blog

Publish Date: Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Location: Beaufort, South Carolina
Coordinates: 32° 25.668′ N  80° 40.971′ W

Spanish moss plays with the wind while lazily swinging from massive oak trees.

Shrimp and Grits are on every restaurant menu for all three meals; breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Rocking chairs and porch swings beckon you to come sit and have a visit.

And most people call me “ma’am”, with an occasional “shugah” or “hon” sprinkled in among the conversation.

We have arrived in the South. 🙂

Three@Sea has moved quickly over the last month from the rugged New England coast of Maine to the low country marsh of the Sea Islands in South Carolina. The change in scenery, weather and local culture is dramatic.  In many areas of the world, this distance and cultural change would have you in a completely different country. Which really makes me marvel at our own country. Oh we have our issues, but it is amazing to me that this grand experiment of our founding father’s is, for the most part, working. Given our incredible geographical diversity and varied cultural and religious backgrounds we remain committed to unity as a country.

Last November we visited Beaufort, SC for two days and enjoyed the historic district which showcases antebellum architecture, and speaks of another era in American history. Since we are here for a longer stay this year, we have begun to enjoy some of the local events which are providing us with a much deeper understanding of the rich heritage in this area.

Two nights ago, we had the fantastic fortune of seeing  Marlena Smalls and the Hallelujah Singers in a reunion performance at the First African Baptist Church here in Beaufort.  WOW!  Ms. Smalls is known to international audiences as Bubba Gump’s mother in the movie Forest Gump.  However her real passion and energy lie in helping to preserve and share the rich traditions of the Gullah culture.  The Gullah community is unique to the low country of South Carolina and Georgia, and has its roots in the in language and traditions from the West African slaves which were brought to this area to create and tend the expansive rice fields of the 1700’s.  Ms. Smalls founded the Hallelujah Singers in 1990 to use the incredible musical tradition of the Gullah Culture to educate and share their stories in song and narration. To sit in the historic First African Baptist Church and see this group perform live was thrilling and truly inspiring.

Much of the cuisine of this area is greatly influenced by this culture as well. Rice being a key ingredient in many dishes, along with okra, sweet potatoes, collard greens, corn and the introduction of spiciness. Having just traveled from New England, I can truly appreciate the striking change in flavors of the food. I happen to love “Shrimp ‘n Grits” in just about any form, which provides Dave with endless entertainment in teasing me about grits.  I take good grits seriously.  Dave’s reaction is, “If you put enough salt, butter, and cheese on cardboard it would taste good!”  Spoken like a true Yankee. 🙂

For insurance purposes we need to remain above Savannah, Georgia until November 15th.  This will give us a nice break in what has been a hectic cruising schedule for the last several months. Although Ayla and I will be visiting Boulder for a week to take care of some business (first time since we left in July 2008),  I am looking forward to having some time to explore the South Carolina Sea Islands in more detail. In an age where many towns seem homogenized by shopping malls and national chains, this area has actively worked to keep its unique cultural and historical spirit alive and well on a daily basis. I am anxious to uncover more of its hidden treasures.