On my return visit to Fort Moultrie I spent more time soaking in the remarkable stories behind the lime colored stucco walls. From the heroic Revolutionary War battle to the African trade slave tragedy and the World War II sonar defenses.

Admission to the park is free for children under 16 ($3 for adults). Here are the highlights (data provided by the Visitors Center exhibits):

The 1776 Battle Exhibit

The palmetto log fort was garrisoned by 413 provincial officers and troops under the command of Colonel William Moultrie. Most had no experience with the fort’s

Inside Fort Moultrie National Park

The British moved slowly allowing the Americans to prepare the fort and build defenses around Charleston.

Redcoats troops were to attack the fort while the naval vessel were to bombard them.

2,500 soldiers lead by General Henry Clinton landed on present day Isle of Palms believing he could ford the inlet between the two islands. This intelligence proved disastrously untrue since most channels were too deep to cross.

1776 cannon ball from the battle of Fort Moultrie

Expecting to quickly drive the patriots from their guns, the British were amazed to see the spongy palmetto ramparts absorb the hits without splintering.

Around noon the three frigates, Actaeon, Syren, and Sphinx, left the line and moved behind the fort in an attempt to bombard the fort from the rear. However, all ran aground in a submerged sandbar.

The Sphynx and the Syren got off but the Actaeon remained stuck. The captain destroyed the vessel rather to have it fall into the patriots hands.

Running low on powder Moultrie ordered his men to only shot at ten minutes intervals through brief clouds smoke openings. Once re-supplied the patriots return the heaviest fire onto the flagship Bristol and Experiment warships. Both suffered severe casualties.

The narrow stucco and molasses blended walls

Realizing he could not ford the inlet from Long island, Clinton tried to ferry his men across in flat-bottom boats.
This proved to be a huge mistake, as the narrow channels forced the Redcoats to proceed in single file directly into the fire into the patriots guns on Sullivan’s Island.

Soon after the battle the fort on Sullivan’s Island was named after Colonel William Moultrie and the palmetto tree was adopted as the state’s symbol.

Ironically, 4 years later, the British captured the now complete Fort Moultrie without firing a single shot!

The West Africa Slavery Exhibit

Rice and slavery formed the basis of the South Carolina’s wealth. Enslaved workers cleared cypress swamps and built dikes and canals by hand using their homeland rice growing skills.

18th century African Slave Drawing

To prevent the spread of diseases many of the Middle Passage survivors were quarantined aboard ships or in pestilence houses on Sullivan’s Island and James Island.

Le Amistad – In July 1839, 53 enslaved Africans revolted on board Le Amistad leading to a US Supreme Court ruling that set the Africans free. The captives were smuggled to the Americas from Africa after the international slave trade was outlawed. The Africans revolted off the coast of Cuba and their case was heard in a New England court.

Echo – Abolished in 1808 the Atlantic slave trade continued illegally. In 1858 the slave ship Echo so her captain and crew could stand trial for trading in captive Africans. The ship was headed to Cuba when it was captured in the Caribbean. The federal government resettled the remaining 271 Africans in Monrovia, Liberia. The captain and crew were acquitted.

Queen Nzinga of Angola ruled the land that became present day Angola.

The amazing Queen Nzinga of Angola

Olaudah Equiano – “The first object which saluted my eyes when I arrived on the coast was the sea, and a slave ship, which was then riding at anchor, and waiting for its cargo. This filled me with astonishment, which was soon converted into terror.”

Olaudah Equiano was captured as a child in Nigeria and brought to America. He bought his freedom, became a seamen and joined the abolition movement in London. His self-published memoir made him wealthy and helped advance the anti-slavery cause.

The World War II Exhibit

HECP Room – Here sat the officer in charge of HECP – HDCP. His primary duty was to take immediate action against any suspected enemy treat or activity within the defense sector. Charleston harbor was also monitored from this room.

Fort Moultrie Radio Room

It was constantly manned by 2 men, one Army and one Navy, who would respond to all sightings of enemy vessels and distress signals coming from ships.

Duty officer and Operations Room served as the operations center of the Charleston Harbor defense.

Relive 3 centuries of legendary moments at the historic Fort Moultrie National Park!

The Charles Towne Landing Visitors Center has an incredible exhibit showcasing the Carolina beginnings. Step in the shoes of white English settlers, Native Americans, or African slaves and experience first hand how life was like in the late 17th century.

Samuel Benwood a successful tailor, became a free man after 2 years

• How much money can you make if you were a woman?
• What skills were most sought after?
• What kind of crops and trade were the most lucrative?
• How much land can you own as an indentured servant?
• What were the interactions between the settlers and the Native Americans?
• What kind of wildlife roamed the Carolina Coast back then?

There are incredible drawings, artifacts and recollections that paint a vivid image of our primordial past. Here is just a sample:

The cash crop of the Barbados that started it all…

Molasses Cone and Jar in the 1650s

On March 15, 1670 The Carolina finally made it to shore.
“Everywhere they looked, they saw chattering flocks of birds, small game such as rabbits and squirrels, and rivers filled with fish and turtles…they saw miles of unspoiled, seemingly uninhabited land and unlimited potential for their future lives.”

The Carolina

The Cassique of the Kiawah welcomed the white settlers and trading of furs and Indian slaves soon flourished. One settler recollects “…when we came a shoare they stroked us on ye shoulders with their hands saying Bony Conraro Angles, knowing us to English be our collours (as wee supposed) we then gave them Brass rings & tobacco at which they seem well pleased…”

The Welcome

Here’s a look at how the Albermarle Point colony developed during its first 10 years.

The first 10 years at Albermarle Point colony

The white English settlers tried to replicate the Barbados style colonial plantations, were indentured servants, and especially African slaves, did the all the work: building houses, working the fields and harvesting the crops. They tried to grow tobacco, indigo, rice, sugar, olives, grapes, flax and cotton.

Life as an indentured servant

Slaves were brought in from Barbados to work on the new colony. Soon their contribution became indispensable, yet they lived under miserable and inhumane conditions, never allowed to own land or benefit from their hard work.

Pain and suffering...slave ships living Barbados for America

Wildlife was abundant along the Carolina coast. However the very lucrative fur trade lead to ravage hunting and the agricultural expansion to massive deforestation, negatively impacting the fragile ecosystem. Many species declined and some went extinct.

Natives hunting gigantic alligators

“…The Healthfulness of the Air; the Fertility of the Earth and Waters, and the great Pleasure and Profit will accrue to those that shall go thither to enjoy the fame”

Advertisement of the Carolina by the Lord Proprietors

History is great, but what about the children?

Relax, there is plenty of activities to enjoy throughout the park. Here are just a few fun things kids can do inside Charles Towne Landing.

Be a proud Carolinian at the historic Charles Towne Landing!

The Magnolia Plantation and Gardens is Charleston’s best known attraction, a top 25 most visited home in America and one of the oldest public gardens in the country. Coveted glamour aside, we recently discovered there is in fact lots of fun things to do with children at the plantation.

Basic admission to the Gardens, petting zoo and grounds

Cheese! Magnolia Plantation beautiful gardens in Spring

The Spring Garden is in full bloom at Magnolia Plantation!

Come enjoy a symphony of vibrant colors from beautiful Native Azaleas, Tulip Magnolias, Wisterias and the Cherokee Roses.

Little kids love spending time at the petting zoo. Say hello to donkeys, mini horses, sheep, geese and ducks. A red little antique carriage proudly decorates the green pastures.

Cute little donkey!

Kids of all ages enjoy the fossil dig, the playground and the topiary garden. We found an ammonite, maybe you’ll get a dinosaur tooth!

Fossil Dig Fun

Right across from the playground is the intriguing maze. I let my girls try it on their own and they successfully completed the quest within minutes. Then we all had fun doing it backwards!

Find your way through the Garden Maze

From here follow the trail to the scenic 1840s Long Bridge over the Cypress Lake, then through the 1680s Flowerdale and the Japanese Garden. Watch out for snakes, we had a close “wild moment of the day” encounter!

The path strolls along the lake all the way to the Wildlife Observation Tower. Here you get breathtaking views of the marshes surrounding the Magnolia Plantation.

The Bird's Eye Watch Tower

Now that you took the bait get onboard the Nature Boat Tour, a 45 minute ride that explores the plantation’s 125 acres of rice fields. This tour offers excellent wildlife viewing, including upclose looks at alligators! The tour is $7 (free for kids under 6).

Boat cruises through pristine marshes

Of course no visit is complete without a tour of The Audubon Swamp and Garden, one the most diverse and unique wildlife ecosystems in the country. Admission is $7 (free for kids under 6) and best time to spot animals is late afternoon.

If you are passionate about Charleston’s history then you must go to the Charles Towne Landing park, the birthplace of our state, an oasis of outdoor relaxation filled with fun activities for kids.

The Audubon Swamp in Charleston is America’s most unique garden and wildlife preserve, a remarkable, must see family experience.

Alligator soaking the sun next to his best pal

The swamp garden became famous when John J. Audubon visited 150 years ago in search of waterfowl specimens for his paintings.

Fast forward to our time, it shined again as the filming site of the movie “The Swamp Thing”.

Audubon is an unequaled biodiversity with thousands of plant and animal species coexisting in the 60 acres of blackwater cypress and tupelo swamp.

The pristine waters are home to nesting blue herons and great egrets, impassable alligators, playful otters, slender deer, mysterious turtles and slithering snakes.

Several boardwalks, dikes and bridges traverse the wilderness allowing you to observe animals in their natural habitat. You may encounter small animals such as rabbits, foxes, squirrels and opossums.

Boardwalk over the eerie swamp

Bird lovers will be delighted to observe blue herons, great egrets, blue-winged teal, common moorhen, pied-billed grebe, wood ducks, white ibis, red-shouldered hawk, yellow warbler, and occasionally, a majestic bold eagle.

Older kids will enjoy reading the centuries old headstones in the graveyard…

Old graveyard inside Audubon Swamp Garden

And visiting the pre Civil War slave cabins.

Inside slave cabin at Magnolia Plantation in Charleston

Touring the swamp takes about an hour, more for the nature enthusiast. Best time to observe wildlife is late afternoon.

The Audubon Swamp Garden is open year around from 8AM to 5:30PM (8:30 – 5 in winter) and can be accessed via Magnolia Plantation. Standalone admission is $7 for individuals (free for kids under 6) and $4 for groups that are also visiting the Magnolia Plantation (here are more price details to all the attractions).

The Swamp Troubadours at Magnolia Plantation

Reward your inner beauty at the Audubon Swamp Garden and the historic Magnolia Plantation, one of top 25 most visited homes in America!

And if that’s not enough drive to the modern Edisto Island Serpentarium to rub elbows giant alligators, exotic turtles and fearsome snakes of all shapes and sizes.

“So where do you want to go today? The Fire Museum or the Aquarium?” “The Fire Museum!!!” shouted the girls in unison. “It’s so much fun to drive the fire truck!”

And that settled it. Off we went for the second time in 3 days. No complaining from me. The admission is FREE for kids and only $6 for adults (compare this to $37 I would have paid at the Aquarium…)

Look mom, I'm driving the fire truck!

The very affordable entertainment is not the only advantage. The North Charleston and American LaFrance Fire Museum is a modern facility filled with exciting fire education exhibits. From the 18 exquisitely restored antique fire pumpers to the fire truck simulator, from the fire pole slide to the smoke house hazard demonstration, there is something fun for everyone to do.

Here are the highlights:
The most popular activity for kids is a virtual drive in a brand new, authentic firetruck cabin. You start the simulation by touching a blue screen, then the engine roars, the seats vibrate, and the fire siren goes wild. You can push a different pedal to sound the horn out loud. The adrenaline kicks in as you wind your way to the busy city traffic all the way to the fire scene. Good job, future firefighter!

The wonderful 7 seats LaFrance Fire Cabin

Think you know what can start up a house fire? Think again. After you watch the 15 minutes house fire hazards and prevention demo you’ll be amazed how easy it is to destroy a home. Luckily the show also gives you great tips to prevent such a disaster.

Theater Fire Hazard Demo

The firefighter training station has engaging hands-on exhibits. Can you hold onto a 300 lbs fire hose in an emergency? Prove it at the awesome LaFrance Fire Museum in North Charleston!

Firemen in the making...hold that hose!

Fire! Fire! Fire! Everyone down the fire pole, then through the fire chute, c’mon let’s go put up that fire. Even Spot our little dalmation puppy toy is ready to lend a hand.

Fun sliding down the fire pole and chute

Grownups will be delighted to browse the country’s largest American LaFrance collection of fire apparatus, all perfectly restored to working conditions.

Like the 1857 Button and Blake 16 men hand pumper that required 30 volunteer firefighters to continuosly drive water into the tub then pump it out onto the fire. At this exhibit you can also get an audio simulation of a 19th century Charleston home fire rescue.

1857 hand pumper that started American LaFrance

My favorite is the beautiful red and white Liberty, a 1911 Type 5 Double Tank Fire Truck, one of the most popular LaFrance models ever.

1911 Liberty Type 5 Double Tank Fire Truck

Other notables:
• 1785 Richard Mason Hand Fire “Enjin”
• 1886 Silsby Steam Pumper
• 1911 “Type 8″ Roadster
• 1912 “Metropolitan” Steam Pumper
• 1926 “Type 75″ Triple Combination
• 1958 GMC Pitman Chicago Snorkel #1

The Fire Museum is located at the Tanger Outlet entrance and is open Monday to Saturday from 10AM to 5PM. Added bonus, there is a Visitors office inside the museum so you can get coupons and discounts tickets to various Charleston attractions right there and then. Like the 5th Annual Battle of Charleston reenactment on April 18 – 19 from 9AM to 5PM (battles held both days at 2PM) at the Legare Farm on Johns Island. Tickets are $10 adults, $5 for children 5-12 and free for those 4 years old and under. Here is the events schedule and photos from previous years.

Happy Junior Firefighter

Here is a map with the Fire Museum and other under $10 family fun activities.

The cherry on our cake was when the girls received free firefighter hats. What’s not to love?

Would I know where to kneel and dig?
Who first covered the fort’s walls with molasses and lime?
What treasures still lie beneath my feet? – from “Molasses” by Ed Madden

A trip to Fort Moultrie and Sullivan’s Island is filled with emotions, mysteries and soul searching questions. The fort is most famous for the Patriots bravery and ingenuity during the Revolutionary War that lead to a historic victory, the state flag and its marquee Palmetto symbol.

But there is more behind the old stucco fortifications. If only the walls could talk…

Inside Fort Moultrie

There are closed tunnels, locked gates and hidden passages that lead nowhere. Who built them and why?

What about the unusual colors “the color of onion and okra”, “the chalk wash”. Apparently the interior brick walls and buildings were painted yellow to protect the soft brick from the elements. The sulfur on the inside walls comes from molasses, used to thicken the mix of water and lime!

The Middle Passage and the houses of pain and sorrow
The pest houses are gone now, but the fact remains: 40% of all Africans brought to North America from 1700 to 1775 first arrived on Sullivan’s Island.

Few historical monuments and markers pay (and are planned to pay) tribute to the millions of enslaved Africans:

Bench by the Road Ceremony - Photo by Tony Morrison Society www.tonimorrisonsociety.org

• Bench by The Road - a 6-foot-long structure with a small bronze plaque mounted on its back. The bench was revealed last summer during the Fifth Biennial on Sullivan’s Island in a ceremony lead by Toni Morrison, the 1st African American Nobel Prize for Literature winner and main catalyst of the project.

• A marker erected in 1999 that says tens of thousands of African captives arrived on Sullivan’s Island’s shores between 1700 and 1775.

• Future planned exhibit “Passages” connects the West Coast of Africa with Lowcountry Gullah-Geechee culture.

• Future commemorative markers of the four Pest Houses where slaves were quarantined and kept in abominable conditions. The houses were demolished at the end of the 18th century so residents could better enjoy their island.

Fort Moultrie Park Entrance

Admission to Fort Moultrie is FREE. The fort is open 9AM – 5PM year around except Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day and New Year’s Day. Check out these awesome photos that several visitors posted on Flickr.

More area attractions

• Fort Sumter in the Charleston Harbor where the Civil War started. Free admission, must pay for ferry to get there

• USS Yorktown Aircraft Carrier in Mount Pleasant. “The Fighting Lady” is home to dozens incredible war jets, a submarine, a flight simulator and more.

• Charles Towne Landing, the birthplace of Charleston and South Carolina, is an incredible park featuring a historic trail, Horry plantation ruins and the Animal Forest Zoo.

“Serenity Now!” Leave your worries behind and come free your mind, body and spirit at peaceful Isle of Palms beach.

You can walk barefoot, walk your dog, lose yourself gazing at the blue ocean waters, swim, run, bicycle, collect shells, surf, run a kite, play volleyball, or just take a well-deserved nap…the possibilities for fun are endless and best of all it’s FREE! Now that’s something worth shouting about!

Tips to know before you go

1. Park for free at the Isle of Palms County Park and walk the half mile to the beach. There is a super-cool playground for kids to have fun and burn a lot of energy (the mini zip line is a winner); also there are restrooms, showers and changing rooms.

2. If you don’t want to walk, there is metered parking available downtown between 10 and 14th streets. You need to pay during beach season from mid-March to early October. However after 6:00 PM parking is free! You can also park on the streets or a special designated parking lot. See more info about beach access and parking here.

3. Once you’re done with the beach, if you want to rinse the sand off skip the showers by the restrooms; they are always crowded and it gets mushy on the ground pretty quickly. I always used the shower by the volleyball court one block down.

4. Best places to hunt for shells is as far away as possible from downtown.

If you parked at the Isle of Palms County Park go to your left once you get to the beach and pass all the residential buildings. Now you’re in for a treat: intact conks, crab, clams and horse-shoe shells…well formed sand-dollars…maybe a baby shark or even coins. Bird watchers enthusiasts go to the southern end of the island (shorter walk).

5. Boys and girls get a great kick with the little body surf boards. They don’t need to go far into the water so you can keep a close eye on them as they have fun. There are several shops on the island to rent beach equipment. Of course you can use the regular surf boards as well.

6. There are several places to eat on the island, including 2 restaurants featuring incredible ocean views (that’s reflected in the price). My favorite thing to do is get ice-cream from the little shop close to the restroom area. It’s cheap, cool and is a good enough bribe to keep my 3 years old in check.

7. If you plan to bicycle or come with the stroller be mindful of the tide calendar (published daily in the newspaper or given at the hotel). The water can get very high eating into most of the beach.

8. Dogs are welcome year-round but must be on leash except early morning from 5 to 8 AM. This is not that much enforced I’ve seen plenty cutie pooches running around freely.

9. For more educational activities take the short drive to nearby Fort Moultrie (free admission), the historic park where the state’s Palmetto Tree symbol was born and legend has it we coined the phrase “We beat the pants off them“

10. Check this post for a detailed list of activities (grouped by price) you can do with the kids in and around Charleston.

Where
Directions to Isle of Palms Beach:

From Hwy 17 N in Mt. Pleasant take the IOP connector (turn right at Bank of America) all the way till the end. Here is the Google Map.
Once you’re in town you can turn left to get to the Isle of Palms County Park, Marina and the road leading towards Wild Dunes golf resort. You can turn right to reach “downtown”, metered parking and most of the shops and restaurants. There are about 50 public beach access points on Isle of Palms.

Folly Beach is another great beach to visit, on the other side of Charleston. Very romantic and less commercial it’s a popular gateway for singles, weddings and people with dogs.

However if you’re planning to spend the week then camp out at Edisto Island State Park, the South Carolina kid friendly jungle! Take the night beach walks to spot Carolina’s most famous reptile the loggerhead turtles nesting and hatching along the shores. Discover the thousands years old Spanish Mound and visit the Interpretive Center for an awesome live show on native marine wildlife.

Have fun at the Isle of Palms beach!

I was lucky to call Daniel Island (or “Pleasantville” as I nicknamed it:-)) home for almost a year. Famous for the Family Circle Cup tennis tournament and the Blackbaud soccer stadium the city is nested between Charleston and Mt. Pleasant on the 526 highway overpass and just minutes from beautiful Isle Palms beach.

It has much to offer; like one of the best public schools in the state. The scenery is amazing: bordered by the Wando river you start and end your day watching the sunlight reflect in the serene waters making the bridge burst with colors. The city is so safe the police tries to keep active giving speeding tickets left and right (so slow down as you come into town).

There are 5 or 6 playground parks filled with all kinds of themes rides and fun things to do that kids just love. I lived right by the Children Water Park where’s the entrance to river walk (this goes around most of the island) where you can walk, jog, bike, fish by the pier or just enjoy watching the abundant wildlife. Near the tennis center there is a historic graveyard dating back to the Revolutionary War.

I let the photos do the talking now.

Come visit Daniel Island and always vacation in South Carolina!

One summer evening we were coming home from school. As I was turning the car around the dolphins’ water fountain I caught sight of a 5 feet alligator sunbathing on the little pond beach across the parking lot. I stopped the car, yanked Lana from the seat, and with her in my arms ran the two flights of stairs up to the apartment and grabbed the camera from the kitchen drawer. Thank God it had batteries! Ran downstairs (Lana still in my arms) and looked anxiously at the pond. The impenetrable beast didn’t move an inch. Can’t tell why I got so excited. We’ve seen plenty of alligators before, on the Louisiana swamp tour, at the Alligator Land in Myrtle Beach and just recently at the Riverbanks Zoo. Vivid images flashed in my head of back-breaking tons pressure jaw snapping monster that could swallow you whole in an instant. As Lana was getting restless trying to get a better view of the “crocodile” I decided it’s time to find shelter inside.

A month after I moved to Daniel Island I was struggling with the groceries bags. What looked like a bicycle tire laying 3 feet ahead right by the handicap parking started to move slowly towards the apartment building. It was a snake and it was big. Fascinated, I just froze and didn’t even put the bags down. The snake glided through the grass unfazed. Seconds later it was swallowed by the earth in the dusky light. I kept starring waiting for some drama to unfold. Nothing else happened so I reluctantly headed for the stairs. There were plenty of bags left in the car so I had to come back twice. Each time looked anxiously around tiptoeing and hoping my way around through the breezeway. With no sign from my reptilian friend, I was equally relieved and disappointed. Weeks later my mom and my 3 years old were coming back from the Children Water Park when they ran into another snake. This time there was no mistake about it. He was stretched along the road right in front of the Bistro. Maybe he was in for the dinner special. I’m surprised it wasn’t run over by the many cars passing by. My mom and Lana quickly turned around and took the long way home.

This February got a new digital camera, a S700 Fuji FinePix, with 7MP, 10x optical zoom, image stabilization and many other features I’ll probably never use. Thrilled to try my new toy went out for a stroll on the peaceful walkway around the Wando River. On the little bridge in front of the apartments I ran nose to nose with a great white heron. He was magnificent and he knew it. Like a pop diva he let me shoot at will. He even turned around for a close-up. Bet that’s his good side! Bored by my amateurish maneuvers he finally takes off. Few days later I met its cousin the great blue heron. He was resting by the famous alligator pond. Lana knew the drill and we ran inside the apartment and both brought our cameras. I got a great shot as he was fixing to take off.

To top it all off I had another avian encounter this time with a strikingly beautiful black crow posing on a pole. As I was fiddling with the aperture settings he condescendingly moved his head from side to side starring down at me. “You talkin’ to me? You talkin’ to me? You talkin’ to me? Then who the hell else are you talkin’ to? You talkin’ to me? Well I’m the only one here.”

It was late at night. I just passed the Seven Farms and River Landing intersection and could see the lighted oak tree welcoming me home once again. All of the sudden a dog jumped in front of the car and headed into the fields by the fire station. Hmmm…a stray dog…that’s really strange on Daniel Island. I’m glad I didn’t hit it. Never had a road kill before and sure didn’t want to start one now. Then the “dog” turned around and stopped about 30 feet away. He looked right at me as the car headlights were shining on his golden fur coat. At this point I realized it wasn’t a dog but a coyote. I stepped out to get a better look, expecting him to take off any minute. Three more steps. We starred at each other for what seemed like an eternity. He had an inquisitive and melancholic look, not at all afraid but rather curious. A strange sensation of guilt washed over me. The car, the offices, the road and even the lighted tree, all seemed out of place. I turned around feeling uneasy.

During my short stay on Daniel Island I was blessed with more wildlife encounters than in all the years I’ve lived in United States. This place is truly special. They’ve welcomed us into their home and seemed to have done a good job so far keeping the place intimately warm. We are the trespassers, so let’s gracefully accept their challenge in making the island a “home sweet home” for all.

I lost my footing
So I must rest alone
I’m leaving it up to you now
Take good care of the land
Believe me, it’s worth it.

Sunset peace
Fresh cut grass
Wind in the water.
All we need it’s to breathe in
All we need it’s to smile out.