On the Waterfront in Charleston

 

A continuing benefit of subscribing to the Post and Courier newspaper is becoming aware of events around the Lowcountry. 

Recent news of the upcoming Charleston Race Week was a case in point. I held on to the article announcing the big annual regatta to be held April 16-19. This would, in fact, be the 30th annual race week. 

A week or so out I penciled in Friday morning for my opportunity to check it out. I had an 8:30 a.m. medical appointment I felt wouldn’t take too long (it didn’t). I then needed to hit the post office to mail a new Amazon book sale (first one in a while-yay!). 

Here's my Amazon author site. Sorry for the shameless plug! 

Soon enough I was at Waterfront Park where I came upon a photo or video shoot by the iconic Pineapple Fountain. 

At first I thought it was a “Southern Charm” scene being filmed. Is that Shep? As a walked closer I saw the two stars of what appeared to be a fashion shoot. Nice weather for it. 

Nice weather to for Race Week’s second day, though maybe the sailors wanted more breeze. That’s a College of Charleston J-22 keelboat in the foreground. CofC has for decades had one of the nation’s top intercollegiate sailing teams, winning numerous championships. 

Two more CofC crews are seen here along with several other sailboats. More than 150 boats and crews competed in the 30th annual regatta. 

I have a new book in mind that will include photographs like these. The topic is my notion of Charleston Harbor representing the intersection of commerce and recreation. 

This fellow had recreation on his mind and hopes, I'm sure, to snag a few fish. This seems like a spot he’s had success with in the past. 

A pilot boat returns to base, literally navigating the intersection of commerce and recreation. This is the Fort Moultrie pilot boat. Seventy five feet (23 meters) in length, the vessel is operated by the Charleston Branch Pilots Association. 

A key function of pilot boats is transporting harbor pilots to the huge container ships that come and go through these waters, ensuring safety. They strive to prevent marine incidents that would result in harm to the environment, the public, and mariners; and to maintain a smooth and efficient flow of maritime commerce.

The Fort Moultrie’s home dock is near Waterfront Park. In March 2025 the vessel and crew rescued three people from a yacht that was on its way to sinking at 2 a.m. when it struck the rocky Charleston jetties. Last fall the U.S. Coast Guard presented Certificates of Merit to the heroic crew members. A harbor pilot was also honored in 2024 for safely controlling a rogue container ship that was out of control near the Ravenel Bridge. 

I’m glad I went to Waterfront Park. It is very accessible, has a city parking garage nearby, is very roomy at 10 acres, and has great views of the harbor. 

A Boat-tailed Grackle agrees that this is an excellent spot!