The CSS Neuse - original and replica

It started raining again last night and kept raining, on and off, most of today. So instead of going out biking, we drove into Kinston to check out the CSS Neuse. The Neuse (which seems to be pronounced as "noose") is one of the original ironclad ships of the Civil War. She was built in 1862-63 but never actually got into battle. Instead she got royally stuck in the river near Kinston, so she served as a fortification right there. She stayed there about a year until Union forces advanced, at which point her crew scuttled her. Their explosions didn't totally blow her up but they did create a big enough hole to sink her. A lot of the iron and fittings were salvaged off the ship shortly after the war but the wooden lower hull remained sunk in the river bottom's mud. In 1963 it was raised and, after some temporary solutions, finally installed in a very nice exhibit hall in Kinston in 2013.
The missing upper hull is indicated by white framework. The whole ship was made of wood, with just the top deck and edge covered in iron. The edge of the hull shows the multiple layers of wood cross-laid, before the iron slabs were added, and the big nails that protrude out of the wood are actually iron spikes that used to hold the iron slabs on.
Also on display is one of the ship's two Brooke cannons, double-banded and rifled (which, thanks to my visit at Fort Sumter, I know means having spiral groves cut inside the barrel). These cannon weighed about 12,000 pounds each. I'm amazed that the ship floated at all!
These big cannon used those awful grapeshot and canister shots, too, just like the cannon at Fort Sumpter.

It was very interesting and well worth the visit, but of course much of the ship is missing. However, one day some local guys decided to build an exact replica. And they did!
I was afraid it would be a bit cheesy, but this thing is wonderful! A lot of research and work went into it and it is probably as accurate as is possible. It's not covered with iron, of course, but otherwise it's quite good. The engine, acquired from an old mill, is the sister engine to the mill engine that originally powered the Neuse. 
They did take a shortcut with the cannon by installing a replica, but even if they could get an original one, the 12,000 pounds would be much too heavy for this land-locked structure to support. But it's an excellent replica. And it was here that we leaned how the cannon would have worked in the Neuse; they positioned one big cannon at the front and one at the back. Each cannon had 5 ports it could fire out of, and a track was used to swing the cannon around to each port as needed. The track has not been added yet but it is on the list of things to do, as soon as they have the money. None of this is government funded so they are careful not to spend money they don't have. Government could sure take a lesson from these guys!
Right behind the front cannon is a raised platform where the captain would stand to look outside over the flat deck, steer the ship, and give orders.  
The bulk of the ship's interior is one large room, giving it the look of a small ark, with several smaller rooms near the back. 
The crew would have numbered about 80 at a time. There are some rope beds aboard, but the tour guide said that the sailors were just as likely to sleep on deck. 

This is a registered ship with a working engine, rudder and propellers, and could, with some minor waterproofing and the addition of lifejackets, take to the water, and there is a very good reason for that. As the beginning of the project an OSHA guy said they would need to make changes costing about $80,000 if they wanted to open the ship to visitors. Since that was beyond their means, they legally registered it as a ship. That neatly put it out of OSHEA's authority, and they were able to complete their vision and share it with others. Great job!

I like Kinston but I don't like General Pickett

The weather warmed up, and we are really enjoying our stay in Kinston. Randy has been fishing a couple of times and we are getting out to see the area. Yesterday we went to Pizza Villa for lunch. Pizza Villa has the most unusual restaurant building I've seen; inside it is full of balconies, gingerbread trim, and stuff on every wall that looks like it came from American Pickers. It's a surprising small space to have so much stuff, but it certainly gives you something to see, while waiting for lunch.
Today we went somewhere else for lunch and Randy ordered a grilled chicken sandwich. He wasn't expecting what he got...
We rode our bikes downtown today to look around. When a trail whistle announced a train was running through the town, we realized that Kinston retains a several small town attributes.
Kinston apparently used to be a thriving town but now a shocking number of stores are buildings are empty. The most lively stores open now seem to be unique shops. One is Parrotts, which is basically farm-related, with a lot of cute stuff added in. They sell Snake Oil, Two Old Goat tonic (we bought some), Cornhuskers lotion (I haven't seen that for years), doggy diapers, old-fashioned candy, seeds, planting potatoes - a ton of things, including live chicks. I'm pretty sure these are farm stock, not "Easter" chicks. They are Rhode Island Red pullets, which explains their pretty brown color, and reputed to be good egg-layers.
One of the things I enjoy the most about traveling is learning something new. In Kinston I learned something new, but not nice, about Civil War General George Pickett. He, of course, is famous for the disastrous "Pickett's Charge" at Gettysburg. After the war he headed for Canada and assumed the name of Edwards, but I never heard why he did that. My assumption was that it was just because he had been a general of the CSA, but it turns out that he had a much better reason to run. 
In 1864 he got b*tchy and started hanging captured Union soldiers who were assumed to be deserters from the Confederate States of America (CSA). In total he ordered the hanging of 37 men, and 22 of them were hung at Kinston. The charge was "taking up arms for the enemy"; that was bitter irony since Pickett's first commands were in the US Infantry, which meant that he, himself, was "taking up arms for the enemy". Some of the hung men were defectors from the CSA, some were never in the CSA, and some were in the CSA because they felt they had no choice, but remained loyal to US and made it to that side when possible.

Union General Peck tried to stop the hangings but the only means he had were letters, first formal and polite, then angry. After the first set of hanging he wrote Pickett that he was holding eight CSA officers hostage for the safety of the remaining North Carolina captives. Pickett wrote back that if Peck could prove the CSA officers had deserted from the Union army he would be justified executing them but otherwise "you will simply be guilty of murder." Pickett wasn't thinking clearly; if desertion from an oath of loyalty is justification for execution, Pickett was as guilty as anyone. 

I am not picking on Pickett or the CSA. I know both sides executed deserters, and I think it was horrible, no matter who did it. Since this was a Civil War, families and loyalties were torn apart enough; it did not help anyone to execute people for desertion. Pickett thought that the hangings would decrease desertions in his army. Instead desertions increased, as soldiers realized their commander was becoming unreliable and unstable.

At the end of the war Pickett unhappily learned that he was excluded from President Johnson's pardon on May 29th. Secretary of War Stanton specifically wanted to investigate Pickett for unlawfully hanging North Carolina citizens. Fortunately for Pickett, in his West Point days he became friends with Ulysses Grant. He petitioned Grant for help and Grant stalled the investigation until it died away. Another reason why Grant was a poor choice for President - good decisions on the battlefield, poor decisions everywhere else.

One year ago: Weird Teeth
Four years ago: The great Sequoias

Too cold for March

We drove from pretty Oak Island up to Kinston today and parked in the Neuesway Nature Park. The park has 23 sites with full-hookups and good wifi. They do not take reservations but if you do get a site, it only costs $12 a night. There are several small lakes in the park for fishing so if it warms up, we may stay here a few days. Right now it is cold here. Dang. But probably the best reason for staying put is that, however cold it is here, it is surely colder up north.

Fat Andy's, a good place to eat!

We eat a lot of seafood in harbor towns but we could not resist stopping at a little place called "Fat Andy's". And we were sure glad we didn't resist! This is a great little burger joint. 
The sign outside said they open at 11 am, but there isn't a closing time. It turns out that's because they tend to sell out, so when the food is gone, they close for the day. That doesn't happen at the big fast-food chains but here the food is all fresh and hand-prepared. None of that pre-made stuff!
So we ordered our burgers and fries, all cooked to order, and sat outside on the benches to enjoy it. Normally I get a picture of the food, but this time I was too busy wolfing it down! If we were going to be in the area longer, we would certainly be regulars. So if you are in the area, stop by and have a cheeseburger here for me!


Oak Island, North Carolina

This morning Randy took the jeep to Davis Garage, where they fixed the brakes. They did an excellent job and charged less than half what Tires Plus wanted. Cost is not an issue when it comes to brakes, but our gut feel was always that Tires Plus was only interested in selling parts. The folks at Davis Garage were interested in us

As soon as Randy returned with the jeep, he got our RV on the road again. He drove up towards Myrtle Beach and on to Oak Island, a little south of Wilmington, where we parked at the Oak Island Campground. We didn't stop for lunch so we were pretty hungry by the time we got set up. We asked the owner where he would suggest for dinner, and he said to try Jones', up the road a mile or so. We did, and it was a great suggestion. The free appetizer was an unusual form of hush puppies with honey butter, and was very good. Randy ordered the steam pot, with crab legs (which he gave to me), new potatoes, shrimp, mussels and corn on the cob. 
My choice was bacon-wrapped scallops with a side of baked potato and mulligan stew. I could do without the stew but the rest of it was great. The crab legs and scallops were so sweet that I almost wondered if the melted butter had sugar in it! Yes, I dip bacon-wrapped scallops in melted butter; why not?

And now I have another beach in my collection! About one mile from our campground is the Oak Island Beach. It's pretty and has a few shells, but right now it's just too cold to stay on the beach for long.
Two years ago: A free day in Disneyland
Three years ago: Oklahoma!
Four years ago: Wonderful Riverside

Fort Sumter visit

We intended to visit Fort Sumter yesterday, but yesterday turned out to be a good day for doing nothing. So we took care of that, and went to see the Fort today. It sits on a man-made island about 3 miles from Charleston so the only way to get there is by boat. We took a ferry over there, accompanied by a few dolphins and some hopeful seagulls. On the way we passed "Castle Pinckney" on Shute's Folly Island. This little fortification was never an important structure, but it was used for various purposes, including a Civil War prison.
Fort Sumter sits in the mouth of the bay, and there was a small tidal bore coming in on the southwest side of the island while we were there. The fort itself is not very big and the island it sits on is so small that the fort covers almost all of it. Not unreasonable, considering that the island was created solely to support the fort. 
This fort saw two very different sieges during the Civil war. The first one, the one everyone in the North knows about, is the one that signaled the start of the Civil War. That lasted one day, nobody died, and possession of the fort switched from Union to Confederacy. The second siege lasted years, lots of people died, and the fort became the property of the Union again. Southern sympathies show up around here sometimes; at the entrance is a big plaque stating “In reverential memory of the Confederate Garrison of Fort Sumter who during four years of continuous siege and constant assaults . . . defended this harbor without knowing defeat or sustaining surrender.” (Technically that's true; they didn't surrendered the fort but Sherman's march forced them to abandon it.)  Inside the fort is a nice but much less emotional plaque - “In memory of the garrison defending Fort Sumter during the bombardment”, and it lists Major Anderson’s troops. There are, indeed, two sides to every story. 

The fort used to be 50 feet tall but a lot was demolished by pounding cannonshot during that second siegeThe fort had been built with the strongest side facing the sea; they never considered that the lightly-armed wall facing land would be attacked. Most of the first story of exterior walls still stand, along with remnants of some interior walls. 
Most of the archways hold a big 42 pounder cannon, banded (heating and tightening bands of iron around the barrel) and rifled (cutting spiral grooves in the bore) to improve accuracy and range.  Their range ended up being 3,800 yards.
There are several types of cannon here, including two 15 inch Rodman cannon, the largest used in the Civil War.  These suckers weigh 50,000 pounds and had a range of 5,579 yards.
And on the top of each one is a tiny little vent hole, like a blowhole on a whale, where a fuse would have been put to ignite the charge.
Embedded in the old brick walls are some Union artillery shells, fired against the Confederate army during that second siege. This one has a top on it, which means it was a canister shot. If this had worked as intended, it would have burst open and scattered iron ball projectiles, like a big, horrible shotgun blast. 
During the Spanish-American war a big concrete blockhouse was built inside the fort. It sits longways in the open center section and at it's ends, it gets pretty close to the original brick walls.
There is a good museum at the fort with a lot of interesting information. They have several kinds of cannon shot, including this grapeshot, which, like the canister shot, would break apart and project these iron balls around. These things were wicked.
For some jobs, like knocking down the fort's 5 foot thick walls, they needed even more power, like this 15 inch solid shot, weighing over 400 pounds. 400 pounds for one shot - what kind of force did it take to fire those? And how would you load it?
The museum also displays the 10 x 20 foot storm flag used when Major Anderson held the fort. When a Confederate cannon shot shattered the flagstaff, Union soldiers braved that awful cannon fire to retrieve it, nailed it to a wooden pole, and raised it again. Major Anderson was allowed to take the flag with him when he evacuated the fort. It has an unusual pattern of stars; a museum guide told us that during that time flag makers could put the stars in almost any design, as long as they used the right number. 
The flag is missing about a third of its length; the missing part is indicated by a red and white overlay to show the original size. And the part that remains is really threadbare. This flag had a second life as a successful fund-raiser for the Northern Cause. It would be auctioned off at a fund-raising event, the buyer would return it to Anderson, and it would be auctioned off again in the next town.

We could only stay on the island about an hour, and half of that was spent listening to the interesting history talk. Then it was time to get back on the ferry. On the way back we passed the USS Yorktown at Patriot Point. The next time we are in Charleston, we'll schedule a visit to that.

Lake Aire RV Campground

There are a couple of unique things about this RV park.  One is the type of ducks that frequent their lake. These things look like big ducks with turkey heads. They have a bright red mask of wrinkled skin that looks like the wattle of a turkey. Just like a turkey's, it's pretty unattractive, at least to me; I suppose they find it very pretty. 
To make up for that, their body feathers are a beautiful iridescent green and black with patches of white mixed in. They are used to people and will let you get close, although the males give a breathy hiss if you get too close. I learned these are Muscovy ducks, aka Creole ducks, and they are originally from Mexico and South America. No wonder I don't see them in the Midwest! 
The other odd thing is the speed limit on their interior roads. Why did they come up with 4.7?

A lot to catch up, after a few days without wifi.

Wednesday Randy and I each picked some seminars to attend. I walked into one about RV cleaning, decided they were just selling their own product, left and went to a Geneology seminar, where I actually learned something. After that I was done with seminars, so I got a free ice cream sandwich and walked back to the RV. Randy spent his time at seminars on remodeling (mostly sales) and maintenance. We met up afterwards and went through the vendor buildings and RVs again, because that is all there really is to do here. But the Texas Tenors were the entertainment that evening, and they were really good! I don't watch America’s Got Talent so I didn't know that in 2009 they were in the top 4, which made them the highest-ranking vocal group on the show. Since then they have released a couple of albums, done tours, and have a PBS Christmas special which was sponsored by the FMCA.  
The FMCA had a contest going on where everyone had a number on their badge, and if you found someone with whose number matched yours, you won a price. The blond Texas Tenor headed out into the audience to flirt with a few of the ladies and to his surprise, they kept asking him to read their number over the sound system. Every time he did, the whole audience laughed, knowing what they were looking for; he never really understood the game but he was a good sport and played along.

Thursday morning we took one more turn through the Vendor building. The vendors were ready to reduce what they had to take home, so we went through that building like kids going through a neighborhood at Halloween. We filled a bag with freebies, and when that bag was full, they gave us a new one to fill! We got candy, seasoning, air freshener, small net backpacks - all sorts of things. We looked again at a couple of the new RVs, but after that we were ready to leave. FMCA members have parked over 2,500 RVs on the fairgrounds (most of them on grass), vendors have brought in an additional 500, and they all have to leave by noon on Friday. Already some of the lanes were muddy ruts; we could just imagine what this place will be like when everyone leaves. 

We decided we did not want to be part of that exodus so we packed up and headed out on Thursday, but not too far. We drove back to Metter and checked in again at Beaver Run Campground. We were there last Thursday, and it seemed like a nice place to stop and get caught up on a couple of things, like laundry. We had been living without water hookups for a week, which meant conserving water, and I was about to run out of clothes. Randy recalled that this RV park has a pot-luck dinner on Thursday so this time we came prepared. He made a big pot of mac-and-cheese, which we put on the table already loaded of broccoli salad, beans and weiners, creamed corn and other goodies, and had a nice dinner with some friendly people. 

Friday morning we left Metter. We want to see Fort Sumpter before we leave South Carolina, so we went to the Charleston area and checked into the Lake Aire Campground. This is a rustic campground with a lake, gravel roads and pull-through sites. It has full hook-ups, the Passport America price is nice and the wifi actually works, so that makes it a nice home base for a Charleston visit. The first thing we did was go see a man about fixing our jeep. We had a malfunction with our new braking system and now the jeep brakes need to be replaced. In Perry we talked to the guys at Tire Plus, but they seemed to be interested in selling as many parts as possible. Bob, a friend we met at the HHI Motorcoach Resort, lives on nearby John's Island, and he suggested we talk to Rubin at Davis Auto. Randy has a lot more confidence in Rubin, so we will get the brakes fixed on Monday. 

In the meanwhile we will see more of this area. For starters we went to Perfectly Frank's in Summerville for dinner. This restaurant was on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives; it serves hot dogs with all sorts of toppings, as well as other sandwiches. But we can't go to a hot dog restaurant and not order hot dogs! So Randy ordered one with chili, blue cheese slaw and fried onion rings
and I got mine with sliced ham, bacon and pineapple. Both were really good, so this DDD restaurant is as good as advertised. We stopped to get a few groceries on the way home, and I think I found another sign that I'm in the South - camouflage cake mix!


One year ago: A Southern Tea Party

Go see Jeannie Robertson when you can

It was cold this morning but not raining, so that was a big improvement.  Randy went to a seminar but I stayed inside until the day warmed up a bit. Then we both went to check out the vendor displays and RV sales. They weren't giving anything away for free, so no new RV yet. Our volunteer shift started at 6:30 tonight. The only thing going on tonight was the show at the Arena, so we ferried guests from the handicap parking lots to the Arena until 8pm. Then we got to quit driving and enjoy the show, and as handicap drivers, we got front row seats! The entertainer tonight was Jeannie Robertson, and she was very, very funny. A couple of times I laughed so hard that I could hardly breath! She takes ordinary slices of life and looks at them as funny, so everyone can see how to smile through the day. She is the best part of the FMCA rally so far! 

It just keeps raining...

Last night we attended the "Under 60" party, which offered appetizers, a cash bar and live entertainment. There were probably about 50 of us there and after a little trial and error, the singer hit the right formula - songs from the late 60s and early 70s. Very danceable!

But today it just keeps raining. Randy and I both did a shift driving golf cards around to pick up handicapped folks who wanted to go to one of the seminars or wanted to go back to their RV. Because of the drizzly rain, we got a lot of riders.

Afterwards we went to look at some of the new RVs, but it just kept raining. Randy spent quite awhile looking at new and used RVs for sale, but I lost my enthusiasm and went back to our warm, dry RV. 

And it just keeps raining...

One year ago: World's Largest Yard Sale?
Two years ago: Riverside and the Wizard of Oz
Three years ago: Churches of Santa Fe
Four years ago: LA Tourist

Rain and more rain at the rally

Yesterday we attended a short session to learn where to pick up and drop off handicapped guests at the rally. We are scheduled for a shift on Monday and Tuesday, and Randy volunteered to take an extra shift on Saturday. 

The rain is pouring down; it lets up for a couple of hours and then starts again. Outside our door we have a big, deep puddle for our doormat.
Julienne doesn't like to get her feet wet so when she is going out, she angles around and hops from the step to the slightly-wet concrete. Shorty is all boy and doesn't care - he just splashed down into the water. He comes into the RV the same way, then complains because I dry his feet before letting him jump on the recliner.

There are about 400 RVs parked in the holding area because it's too wet to move them. The holding area is on the outskirts of the fairgrounds but it is paved, so there they sit, all this afternoon and now overnight, until it's safe to move them. 

RVillage - a new social network for RVers

A few weeks ago we were introduced to a new social network for RVers called RVillage. This website has tremendous potential for all RVers, whether they are weekender wanderers or full-time gypsies  It's a free and easy way to connect with people with similar interests, or find a new interest! It's also a useful way to plan ahead when we are on the road and need to arrange a repair or service soon. The website is less that 1 week old and already getting busy. Check out RVillage.com!

Leaving Hilton Head Island for the FMCA rally in Georgia

Thursday, right after I got off work, we hooked up the jeep and left Hilton Head Island. The reason for the rush is that the next morning almost 70 coaches would be leaving the Resort and heading the same direction that we were. Better to beat the crowd! It was not difficult to leave the Island because we have been there a long enough to see what we wanted, but it was hard to leave our friends. I just refused to say goodbye, and settled for "see you later". And I have learned that there is a good change that I will, in fact, see them again; that makes it a little easier.
Because we left late in the day, we didn't worry about going too far. We headed for Metter, Georgia, and checked into the Beaver Run RV Park. It is quite a bit different than Hilton Head; the roads are gravel, the pads are sand, and there isn't a pool. But there is a beautiful lake, the bathrooms are spotless, and the people are very warm and welcoming. Instead of Hilton Head's "Friday Meet and Greet", Beaver Run has "Thursday's Pot Luck". We were invited to share a hearty meal that included pulled pork, sweet potatoes, spanish rice, broccoli, homemade bread and a other goodies.
We really enjoyed their hospitality but we still had to leave in the morning because we are scheduled to be in Perry for the FMCA rally. The rally doesn't start until Monday but as volunteers, we need to be here early enough to learn the ropes. We are parked in the fairground field now, without water or sewer but hooked up to 30 amp power, and tomorrow we will see what the rally is all about.

Getting ready to leave Hilton Head Island

We have started the countdown to getting on the road again. Randy has been fixing every little thing in the coach while I am training my replacement at the office. And last night Brenda, Norma and I got together one last time, this time at the hot tub. Tonight we went to dinner with the new Workampers, Craig and Karen, at Captain Woody's (I had to have May River oysters one more time!), followed by a trip to Sweet Frog. These are all good people here and I will miss them a lot.   

I am ready to leave the Island, though. Not because there is anything wrong here, it's just that we are gypsies now, and after a few months in one place we start to wonder what other places we could be discovering.

It's so beautiful here, though, and the harbors are fascinating. The Pametto Bay Marina is near the Sunrise Cafe, where we occasionally have breakfast. It's interesting to see the big cranes that are used to haul big boats up and move them around.
Nearby is the Harbour Town Lighthouse, which I recently found out is, among other things, the backdrop for 18th hole at the Harbour Town Golf Links. But it's more famous in its own right, as a beautiful landmark.

Four years ago: Wild Animal Park

Another cemetery, a famous golf hole, and a great dinner

It's just a few days before we leave the Island, and I found a fascinating little cemetery. Actually, I didn't find it; Randy did, on one of his many bike rides. He took me there Friday, before we went to dinner. It's oddly positioned between the road and nearby condominiums, with a sign proclaiming it as the Braddock's Point African American Cemetery.
The headstones from 1916 to 1994, and most of them are concrete with hand-carving. At first glance I thought they looked odd, but then I decided they look a lot more personal than machine-carved stones. Some had plates pressed into the concrete. I read somewhere that this may be a Gullah tradition, to put the last plate the person used on the headstone. Most of the plates are gone now, but the imprint remains.

This is a unique little place and I'm glad Randy shared it with me.
We didn't stay long because he also wanted to show me the famous 18th hole at Harbour Town Golf Links in Sea Pines. This is supposed to be one of the most beautiful golf holes anywhere. I didn't get a good picture because just as we got there and were standing at the edge of the green, a golf ball dropped near us. Three golfers were playing the hole at that time, so we had to move on. But if I had been able to walk out onto the course, I could have gotten a great picture of the red and white lighthouse behind the 18th hole flag.

Since I couldn't stay on the course and take pictures, we went to the restaurant. Along the way we passed a fine example of the heartiness of the Hilton Head Live Oaks. Sometimes even when they tip over, they just keep living and growing!
For Randy's birthday dinner we had reservations at CQs. Even before we ordered, they tempted us with chocolate cookies and creamy sundried tomato on bread crisps. We decided to order a 3 course dinner but when they listed the appetizers, I couldn't resist adding a fourth: baked brie and duck pâté with toast points. Excellent!
Next I chose the CQ Chowder, with lobster, shrimp, clams and probably everything else leftover from yesterday. Leftovers or not, it was delicious. For the main course I had their Lowcountry Shrimp and Grits. It was great, but Randy's is still better. Randy chose the Cedar Plank Scottish Salmon, with sweet potato risotto and spinach. I don't know how you make salmon into a Scottish dish, but whatever they did must have been good, because Randy enjoyed it all.
The final course was cheesecake. Because it was Randy's birthday, he got the special plate!

One year ago: Shorty settles in




Spring!

Today I am doing some dog-walking for a few of the Beaver Rally folks who are spending the day in Savannah.  And I couldn't ask for a prettier day!

Hyman's Seafood in Charleston

Back in November we visited Hyman's Seafood in Charleston. Hyman's takes up most of a full block because there are several buildings linked together, including a deli, seafood and general store, with a lovely young lady at each doorway inviting people inside. This a famous place, and it seems to be mostly famous for serving famous people. The walls are covered with pictures and plaques to commemorate famous people who ate there.
They carry this theme through to the tables, with a small plaque on each one about who ate there.  This was ours:
The starter on the table was boiled peanuts. This southern stable is soft and cold and not very salty and will never be a favorite of mine, although Randy likes them OK. 
We followed that with calamari, sweet little corn fritters and coleslaw, shrimp po’boy and fries. It was a good meal but what we really enjoyed was meeting the owner, or rather, the previous owner. His sons are running the business now but he still takes a lively interest in it. And he seemed to be the archtype of a Southern Gentleman - gracious, soft-spoken and interested in making his guests feel comfortable and welcome. We spent a few minutes talking about food and RVing, and he suggested we call him when we had some free time and he would have us over to his house for a genuine Low Country Boil. And I believe he would, too. 

One year ago: Overdosing on Oysters