What an asset the bridge is in so many ways. It replaced two outdated spans and includes four lanes for cars plus lanes for walkers and bicyclists.
Back in 2005 I covered a big event days before the new bridge opened to car traffic. For two days people could walk on the eight-laned spanned. I produced a multi- media report using still photographs, audio interviews, music and text. I was assisted with the project by my son Joseph and Kristen Van Dyke, who was a College of Charleston student of mine back then. Kristen went on to have a successful career as a meteorologist. She is currently a meteorologist in Salt Lake City with KSLTV. My son Joseph also has a successful career in software engineering and design. Click above to see the report we produced.
The bridge is named for Arthur Ravenel, Jr. (1927-2023). He was an iconic, impactful and colorful Lowcountry political figure from a prominent French Huguenot family. He was instrumental in securing funding for the massive construction project.
This picture commemorating the Ravenel Bridge opening in 2005 has had a spot in one of our bathrooms for two decades. The Post and Courier newspaper gave it to subscribers.
The expanded Mount Pleasant Memorial Waterfront Park, situated beneath the bridge, opened in recent weeks. I was curious to see it and on this warm early summer Sunday it was busy.
The splash pad is tons of fun for the kiddies.
Two basketball courts were getting plenty of play too.
I didn’t see pickleball courts but read that the park will have these. And a skate park too.
A boxing bag and other workout stations are also available for exercise.
Ample free parking is nearby, another plus.
There are always wonderful views to be had walking the Ravenel Bridge. The USS Yorktown is one of the state’s most popular tourist sites.
Visitors are immersed in life aboard the World War II-era aircraft carrier. Its many decks show the functions, controls and equipment the sailors dealt with day to day.
Visitors see numerous military aircraft on the flight deck.
I was hoping to get lucky and see one of the large ocean-faring ships coming into or leaving Charleston Harbor, cruising under the bridge directly below my camera.
Its name is Evergreen State. After docking a few days in Charleston to offload or take on product (maybe both), it is now, as of June 26, sailing south to Florida’s Port Everglades, according to the Marine Traffic app.
Looking straight down on the tanker reveals the inner workings with many pipes, gears and a large crane.
Bye, bye Evergreen State!
This pilot boat helped guide the ship through the harbor.
Charleston has several port facilities. This is the North Charleston terminal, visible on the Cooper River from across the Ravenel Bridge.
The Wando-Welch Terminal, also part of the S.C. State Ports Authority, is on the Mount Pleasant side of the river.
This is the colorful One Monaco container ship licensed in Panama. ONE stands for Ocean Network Express, a Japanese shipping line.
There are great views of Charleston from up here on the bridge. Here are two historic and iconic Holy City churches, St. Philip’s is in the foreground with its steeple receiving work, and behind is St. Michael’s. Both are Anglican and date back to the city’s early British period.
The big white shutteredbuilding is Dockside Condominiums. Hundreds of residents were forced to evacuate their homes here recently after structural defects and other problems were discovered. The future is very much in doubt as to if and when the owners will be allowed to return.
The Columbus Street port terminal is always glistening with vehicles waiting for export on massive car-carrying ships called “Ro-Ros” for roll on, roll off.
Both BMW and Volvo have massive plants in South Carolina. One big reason the companies chose the Palmetto State was because of our world-class ports.
BBC Kimberley on this day is docked at the Columbus Street port. Online sites describe Kimberley as a heavy-lift general cargo vessel. It sails under the flag of Antigua & Barbuda. We’ve been to many Caribbean Islands but not that one. Maybe someday!
It is unclear what cargo is being loaded or off-loaded. Cars are normally carried in the huge rectangular “roll on/roll off” ships.
It’s quite the birds-eye view (hey what a great name for a blog!) up on the Ravenel Bridge. Having a superzoom camera is a plus because you can get wide shots like this…
…and close-ups like these…
Castle Pinckney, long abandoned for use by humans, has become a sanctuary for Brown Pelicans.
The castle has a storied history. A podcast I like, “Civil War Talk Radio,” recently featured an interview with the co-author of a new book about the fortress titled “Holding Charleston by the Bridle: Castle Pinckney and the Civil War.”
The Ravenel Bridge, now 20 years old, is aging well. The planners deserve eternal gratitude for including the walking and bicycling lanes that so many people enjoy for the exercise and views.
And thanks also to my lovely lady Alesia for joining me on this excursion, and for all of our outdoor outings and adventures over the years.
Charleston has several port facilities. This is the North Charleston terminal, visible on the Cooper River from across the Ravenel Bridge.
This is the colorful One Monaco container ship licensed in Panama. ONE stands for Ocean Network Express, a Japanese shipping line.
Both churches and their graveyards are featured in my book, "Stories from the Underground: The Churchyards of Charleston." This book and my other ones are available on Amazon and by contacting me directly.
The big white shutteredbuilding is Dockside Condominiums. Hundreds of residents were forced to evacuate their homes here recently after structural defects and other problems were discovered. The future is very much in doubt as to if and when the owners will be allowed to return.
The Columbus Street port terminal is always glistening with vehicles waiting for export on massive car-carrying ships called “Ro-Ros” for roll on, roll off.
That’s St. Matthew’s Lutheran Church with the tall steeple and before it is the white steeple of Second Presbyterian Church.
Both BMW and Volvo have massive plants in South Carolina. One big reason the companies chose the Palmetto State was because of our world-class ports.
BBC Kimberley on this day is docked at the Columbus Street port. Online sites describe Kimberley as a heavy-lift general cargo vessel. It sails under the flag of Antigua & Barbuda. We’ve been to many Caribbean Islands but not that one. Maybe someday!
It is unclear what cargo is being loaded or off-loaded. Cars are normally carried in the huge rectangular “roll on/roll off” ships.
…and close-ups like these…
Castle Pinckney, long abandoned for use by humans, has become a sanctuary for Brown Pelicans.
The castle has a storied history. A podcast I like, “Civil War Talk Radio,” recently featured an interview with the co-author of a new book about the fortress titled “Holding Charleston by the Bridle: Castle Pinckney and the Civil War.”
A few final photos. Bank of America, our longtime bank, has some nice digs on the Mt. Pleasant side of the harbor. I wonder if it has an ATM I can use.
And thanks also to my lovely lady Alesia for joining me on this excursion, and for all of our outdoor outings and adventures over the years.
Here are two other blog posts I did after walking the Ravenel: October 2023 and December 2019.
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