Charleston Recap: Smooth Sailing

    I will be the first to admit that I have zero cool when it comes to an irrational fear of dying in a plane crash. So when it was decided that we would fly in a private jet to Charleston Race Week I have to admit how apprehensive I was about it. However, it was also pretty amazing and worthy of copious amounts of excitement that helped fight the fear. We got to the airport at Kenosha (a whopping 15 minutes from our house, woo hooo!) 15 minutes before our scheduled departure, there was no security lines and I could bring my coffee with instead of slamming it and scalding my throat or having to wait until after the security line to get my caffeine fix, making Shannon grumpy. All of conveniences also made up for the intense fear I felt during both take-offs, perpetuated by my ignorance of how these planes work. In retrospect, the convenience combined with the amenities made flying in a private jet pretty damn sweet. Thanks Wheels Up!   

End of trip pro...

Slightly nervous newbies...

     

   

Arriving at The Beach Club at Charleston Harbor Marina and Resort a little after noon, we were greeted by a spectacular new property. The rooms were astounding and spacious, the bathrooms were beautiful and each room had a sizable balcony, ours looked over the huge pool area and the harbor. While this is a newer resort and some of the kinks in service still need some ironing out, the hotel was situated perfectly for this regatta. On the Charleston Harbor Marina and Resort property, the Beach Club was within walking distance to everything sailing related, and after the daily parties we could slip back the the Beach Club to finish our cocktails in the hot tub while watching the sun go down over Charleston. It was also a quick 10 minute Uber/Lyft/cab drive into Charleston. The only issue, and one we had last year in Charleston as well, is the asinine surge pricing with Uber which on Friday, Saturday's and even some Sundays makes the Cabbie your friend. Our $19 Uber ride to dinner on Saturday evening, quickly turned into a $90 ride back, something which I have never experienced to such an extent in Chicago, Boston, Las Vegas, or any other city I have traveled in recently. 

                    On the hotel property was The Fish House where we breakfasted every morning, had lunch the first day and snacks the last. Also being fairly new, the staff did not seem to have a routine or efficient process down yet making service quite slow, but the design was fun, view of the USS Yorktown pretty cool, and we had no real complaints about the food overall. Saturday night was our all out night. We started with some great drinks at Husk bar/cocktail lounge next to their restaurant and opted for a traditional Charleston meal, complete with shecrab soup at 82 Queen, an iconic institution that should never be missed when travelling to this historic city. These are both very unique restaurants, historical which really floats my boat, and just in general do not disappoint. Husk's bar is situated in an old coach house with exposed beams and bricks. It does not look over done or industrial like in Chicago or Milwaukee, but simply authentic. 82 Queen has a large garden/greenhouse for outdoor seating that has nooks and crannies all-over giving you an air of private dining even though the restaurant is full. We finished our Sunday night out at Indaco. It was a perfect last meal for our little rowdy group, thankfully putting us in our own little cozy private corner. Very tired from a pretty windy regatta, which made us giddy and slightly tipsy from the early party/awards party it was the perfect place to share some amazing wood-fired pizza and pasta dishes, while discussing future regattas and making plans for the upcoming summer. 

     The sailing was pretty amazing in its own right. Thanks to Ritchie at Ritchie Geoghan Boatworks, Mental was all rigged and ready for the sails and practice Thursday afternoon. We spent most of our time getting used to the boat again and how to sail after a winter of snow and ice. All three days of racing were pretty windy, evident with the visible bruises all over our body. Combining the condition with our lack of sea legs, we looked like a slapstick comedy routine our there against a fleet of pros, but we persisted. After a broken halyard on Saturday we rallied and finished fairly decent for us in our first race on Sunday giving us a spark of hope that maybe the four of us can sail this boat and not lose someone over board or fall all over ourselves in the process. It was overall a really great experience. Ed and I are lucky enough to sail all over the country and not only is just sailing in different conditions fun but getting to meet people all over is the neatest part. This is one of the main reasons for starting Travel Further. My goal is to help people get these experiences, whether just taking a vacation, sailing, hiking, tasting whiskey, whatever floats your boat, I am here to help you make it happen. These experiences should not be extraordinary, but just an ordinary part of our life.

 

      Lastly, another reason why this particular experience was so cool was that most of what we did was literally under the shadow of the USS Yorktown. This carrier has a personal significance as my Dad was stationed on it during the Vietnam War, during its last tour in service. The ships history is incredible and it was neat to be there and feel a very real connection to another part of my Father's life. In addition Patriots Point, also offers tours of the destroyer USS Laffey which also has its own unique and righteous tale, the submarine, USS Clamagore, and you can explore their Vietnam experience, which is very different and a much needed exhibit on a war whose tale is often neglected.