Woke up this morning early to nice weather – or fairly nice, though a bit soggy – in Holden Beach RV Campground – “the home of happy campers.”  During the trip today we saw very little evidence of a storm though we passed it going North as we went South.

While on our way to Charleston, we were going to pass Patriot Point in Charleston Harbor.  This had (we thought,) a Destroyer (USS LAFFEY), an Aircraft Carrier with 28 airplanes (USS Yorktown,) a submarine, and a display called the Vietnam Experience.  We parked in the RV lot (and were the only RV parked there today,) and started with the Laffey.

Excellent self-guided tour that went through most of the ship.  Lots of steep stairs.  Lots of walking.

Then we went through the Yorktown.  Also lots of stairs and lots of walking on each of 4 separate tours.  We asked about the laundry – did you get your own uniform back (yes.)  How often did they have to resupply (roughly monthly – supply ships came alongside regularly).  Fuel was the most critical, but the Yorktown had 3500 men on board so food was kinda important as well.  Towards the end we saw the arresting hooks, and wondered where the catapult was.  Scott and Tom debated, then we went back to the information desk.  Suffice it to say that Tom was right, though Scott decided that we should change our positions so that he was sorta right as well.

The Vietnam experience was interesting – telling the story – appropriately, in Scott’s opinion – from the viewpoint of the veterans who got a raw deal (as our third OWG would say, as he is a Vietnam veteran).

As we walked toward the Vietnam experience, we ended up walking with the same nice man at the information booth that we had spoken to earlier.  He said the submarine – a “Guppy” class, had been removed two weeks ago and was on the way to being scrapped.  Apparently, it was not the last of the Guppies (he thought.)

On to our KOA campground – the first “chain” stop we have made.  Nice enough place, though the spots are kinda close and the bathrooms require a code that Scott could not make work after two tries.  We went to dinner at another BBQ spot – “Slaughterhouse BBQ and Brew”.  Despite the implication to a Pennsylvanian that it might have been a brewpub, it was a small homey place in a strip mall where the owner greeted us and answered questions.  Good food, but we added to our leftovers.

Scott got over 16,000 steps today and his knees hurt – but we are sure to sleep well tonight…