I may be all over the place with this post. Helen and I are safely back in Knoxville, very grateful for a relaxing time in Florida and along the east coast. We enjoyed a break from COVID concerns by remaining pretty close to our vacation home on wheels and for the precautions taken by some conscientious campground managers. To be sure, we stayed cautious, but we never felt at risk.
Once we returned home, I had every intention of sharing the final stops on our journey. Still, we had a large bag of mail to sort, family matters to attend to, a couple of medical appointments and a trailer to clean out and prepare for the next trip starting in April. Then, Spring Fever hit, and I’ve never felt so lazy and energy-sapped in my life. I expected this to last for only a couple of days, but it continued for over a week, and I pushed last week’s post forward. Nevertheless, the spring flowers are blooming now; the spring rains have moved out, and I’m ready to share a few details about our time in Beaufort, SC, while camped at the Marine Recruiting Base at Parris Island.
Our stay there was limited to three nights, which doesn’t leave a lot of time to explore. Our last visit to Parris Island in the late summer of 2017 and a previous trip in pre-RV days afforded more time on the ground, and we gained an appreciation for the charm of Beaufort, a small southern town filled with both history and beauty. I have posted a few pictures to illustrate that grace and charm.
Port Royal, a small fishing village adjacent to the Marine Base, was the site of our only excursion away from the campground. We both love good seafood, and our friend, Mary, a long-time Beaufort resident, recommended Fishcamp, a seafood restaurant alongside the fishing docks in Port Royal. We decided to leave camp early and see what Port Royal had to offer. Our first stop, Maggie Mae’s Now and Then Shop kept us occupied until dinner. Readers know that we love antique and consignment stores and browse through them at every opportunity. Maggie Mae’s, filled to the ceiling, gave us a lot to look through.
Fishcamp on 11th Street had very few patrons when we arrived, which gave me pause, but, as it turned out, we beat the crowd by only a few minutes. Diners soon filled the place and gave us plenty of company. My meal, a seafood platter, was delicious. Helen ordered a Grouper dish that turned out not to her liking. Dining experiences like this happen occasionally. I tend to stick to the tried and true, while she is a bit more adventuresome when it comes to menu items. She wins more often than not, but not this time.
Parris Island is where young men and women are rigorously trained and ultimately wear United States Marine uniforms. Although I spent a career in the Army, I never met a Marine that I didn’t look upon with pride and respect. There is something about a Marine and their makeup that sets them apart as something special. Life as a Marine isn’t for everyone, but, thankfully, it is for the few and the proud. Helen and I passed several groups of young recruits within days of their arrival at Parris Island. Drill Instructors were offering “fatherly advice and counseling” to one formation standing at rigid attention. We wish them nothing but the best and thank them for their service to our country. I’m grateful they’re on our side.
Well, I managed to hold everything together for this post and didn’t get off the rails too far. Maybe my Spring Fever is behind me. I do have one exciting bit of news that perhaps led to a cure. We found a new tow vehicle for Dora. I began looking several months ago only to learn that the specifications I wanted for a truck are exceedingly hard to find right now with all of the interest in RVs. Ultimately, I found just what I was looking for in Clearwater, FL. I completed a purchase agreement over the phone with some exceptionally nice people at Walker Ford in Clearwater and drove down last weekend to pick it up.
Meet Ruby. She’s just itching to go Easin’ Along with us on the road less traveled. Have a great week, everyone.
Hi, Jo – Ruby is gorgeous! Congratulations!!
Thank you for sharing this with us.
Your travels look awesome. It is great that you are home safe and sound — with new adventures (hopefully one to Canada) calling!
Hi, Donna,
We had a very relaxing time on this trip. Looking forward to hitting the road again in mid-April. Just learned that Parks Canada will begin accepting reservations on April 12 for May – Oct. We’re keeping our fingers crossed. Please stay in touch! Joe
Congrats on the shiny new truck. I love the color as well as your top image. Beautiful! We’re hard at work (or more like hardly working 😏) to get ready to roll beginning of May. 🤞
Good morning, Ingrid,
Glad you like the color of my new Ruby. She is a real work horse and gets her first workout this weekend on a trip over the North Carolina mountains. Eager to hear about your travel plans for the summer. We’re going north and west, would love to cross paths, but please take pictures in the event it doesn’t work out. Have a great week! Joe
What a wonderful trip and relaxing vacation, Joe. Some say we need a vacation from our vacations! Congrats on the new truck, is it a 4wd? Hubby doesn’t want to part with his newish F150 which pulls our 27 ft trailer fine, but is not 4wd. Kind of need that up here in snow country.
Hi, Terri,
Since today is the first day of Spring and our flowers are blooming, we are going to take a short trip into the Great Smoky Mountains on the North Carolina side. The wildflowers should be popping out. This will be Ruby’s first towing experience. Yes, she is a 4wd, diesel, 10 speed. My last truck did not have 4wd and there sere at least two times where I had to be pulled out of the mud. Looking forward to tomorrow’s Stills. Have a great weekend! Joe
Joe, your leading photo of the hard working fishing boats captured my heart – love it! So glad you and Helen had a wonderful trip. Speaking of hard working, a warm welcome to Ruby! May she safely deliver you, Helen and Dora to delightful destinations all over the country in the years ahead.
Mary,
Great to hear from you! Our trip to Florida and the east coast was very relaxing, if not very warm. Ruby is prepped a ready for a short trip to North Carolina mountains this weekend. Hopefully, all goes well as we prepare for our trip across the country this summer. So glad you liked the fishing boat picture. That one was pure luck! Have a great week! Joe
Hi Joe,
Ruby looks righteous! We know from experience just how important a good tow vehicle can be (and how expensive! Lol). We have another month in FL and will then do a leisurely trip north for most of May…stops in Brunswick, GA, Charleston, PeeDee State Park, 2 weeks at different parks in the Blue Ridge of VA and WV, then PA, Saratoga, and home. Can’t wait.
Glad you and Helen are well. Still hoping we can meet “on the road”.
Nancy,
So great to hear from you! If you need a campground in Charleston, we highly recommend James Island County Park. Lovely campground and close to Folly Beach. Your journey home sounds like a lot of fun. Please post pictures. Helen and I have one vaccine behind us and one to go (next week). Again, thanks for checking in and please keep in touch. Joe
We’ve yet to visit Beaufort, but your photos make it look so appealing! Your opening photo is especially gorgeous.
Your new truck looks mighty fine. And just in time for your next adventure! Happy Spring. 🙂
Hello, Laurel,
Beaufort is a charming small town. Hunting Island State Park nearby has a very nice campground and I think you and Eric would like it muchly. We’re camping in North Carolina this week to give the new truck a trial run. Performed well. Have a great week! Joe