We had such a great time and explored so many things in the Savannah area in only six days it is hard to decide how to organize them all. I put our visit to the Savannah NWR on this page since it is primarily in South Carolina. Likewise I put all the Skidaway Island things at this link and lumped everything else on this page.
The Savannah River runs mostly, well sort of, along the northern edge of the city and is generally the border with South Carolina. Actually the river starts to break up into a delta with multiple channels about 10 miles northwest of city center. East of the city along with other rivers to the north and south is a true delta with hundreds of islands mostly individually and proudly named. Finally one of the major eastern barrier islands, Tybee Island, is the shoreline resort with wide beaches here mostly abandon in blustery February.
Just to the north of Tybee Island the two main channels of the Savannah River come together at the end of Cockspur Island and the Fort Pulaski National Monument on it's eastern tip.
The fort itself is fascinating with an estimated 25 million bricks stacked on top of wood pilings, ie trees, sunk into the delta mud mostly under the direction of Second Lieutenant Robert E. Lee. It was thought to be impregnable with smooth bore guns able to reach over half a mile across delta mud too soft to transport cannon. Unfortunately during the Civil War Union forces setup some of the newfangled rifled cannon on Tybee Island and from 4 to 5 miles away proceeded to pound the fort until the main magazine was at risk and it surrendered. Some unexploded Union shells are still embedded in the walls.
Not far from our motel we were walking the loop around Lake Mayer Park with this loud racket coming from the island. The park has a formal contoured dirt track for gas powered radio controlled models, basically four wheel airplanes. This was my first experience with real action photography having to focus at a point the car was going to pass and then using burst mode to capture it flying over the hump and through the curves. Obviously wasting a lot of electrons to get a few marginal shots.
While we stayed in the southeast of Savannah, we were on the main bus route and with a half mile walk could get a ride downtown for $2, wander around and $2 back. Great deal with no driving, no parking, and no need to trudge back to the truck.
Downtown here is the cotton exchange with the ramp allowing the loaded wagons access to the waterfront and the view across to the convention center on the north side of the river. While so many city centers look like bombed out wastelands, Savannah is a great example of what can be done and how downtown can become a major attraction. They done great.
The waterfront is quite busy with tugs, riverboat tours, and attractions lining both shores. The ferry makes a clockwise tour along both shores and a day pass is an excellent way to get around as well as fun.
Sailors sing about having a girl in every town. Florence Martus greated all ships entering or leaving Savannah for 44 years trying to find her lover when he returned. No one is sure who he was or what happened to him or even what parts are true or just legend. She was famous in the maritime world and many ships still salute her statue as they pass.
Restoration is not limited to the downtown and waterfront and many historic mansions in the area have been rescued and are currently private residences. I'll finish up this page with images of some of my favorites
