Charleston’s Old Navy Yard: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

 

An early December drive to MOMO restaurant at the old Navy Yard in North Charleston got my photography and research juices flowing. 

So we went back a few days ago to explore some more and for me to do photography for this blog post and social media possibly.  

The shipyard and U.S. Navy base (now officially called Navy Yard Charleston) date back to 1901. They played important roles in both world wars, the Korean and Vietnam wars as well. See this history link.

Peak employment surpassed 25,000 late in World War II. New vessel construction, around 200 in all, included destroyers, destroyer tenders and escorts, and landing ships. The base also repaired and retooled Navy ships (and subs). For a listing of all the ships built here see this. 

I have lived here long enough to remember occasionally seeing Navy submarines streaming in and out of local waters near the old Cooper River Bridge.

But in the 1990s the Charleston Navy Base was among the eventual 122 military installations across the country that were shut down in the post-Cold War era. 

Three decades later, much of the former base's 1,575 acres can be seen by car or foot- before you would have to go through a military checkpoint. Here are some of my images and impressions: the good, bad and ugly. 

Note: In late January 2023, the Post and Courier published this in-depth article about big plans underway here!

Hooded Mergansers Encounter

You just never know where you might encounter birds!

That's why when I'm outdoors for any length of time I try to remember to bring my camera, even if it's just putting it in the car.

I was glad that I did this in December when I went on a Sunday morning run in North Charleston's Palmetto Commerce Parkway, a light industrial area near my home.

I chose to run in an area of the industrial park I had not been in before. While running by a holding pond, I spotted a pair of Hooded Mergansers, waterfowl that migrate south in the fall and winter from as far north as Canada.

Upon finishing my run, I prepared my camera and monopod, then drove a short distance, in hopes the birds would still be on that pond. Lucky for me they were!