The ship docks in Charleston right on time. Somehow we survived the crazy wind and waves last night. The storm is upon us with lots of rain and wind. While not a tropical storm, the storm is growing into a Nor’easter by tomorrow as it moves up the coast.

As we look out our cabin window we see the USS Yorktown and the Ravenel Bridge, at one time one of the longest cable-stayed bridges in North America able to withstand wind gusts over 300 mph – hurricane ready!

We are still in bird mode so we didn’t see Fort Sumter on the way into port. No tours to the fort today! However, we can see it in the distance beyond Shutes Folly. Shutes Folly is small island not too far from our ship. There is an older Fort there, Castle Pinckney built in the 1800’s. The island is privately owned. George Hipp, a local Charleston man, placed a large white cross on the island when he became a Christian in 2003. Trivia.

Since Judy and I have already been to Charleston, we are not too disappointed we are not doing any walking tours today. In the afternoon, we signed up for a cooking class. It was a short walk from our ship in the rain and wind. I attempted a few pictures.

The woman who greets us and explains what we are going to be making is a perfect hostess. She includes the history of Charleston along with why these dishes are well-known Low Country Recipes.

The tables are set and reset with the ingredients and the recipe to follow. We break up into groups of seven and begin our chopping, mixing, and stirring. It’s a lot of fun because everything you make, you get to eat. Yummy! We start by making the Huguenot Torte, then a Pimento Cheese Spread, and finally Callie’s Hot Little Biscuits. The torte was amazing!

Another strange thing we notice in the room is all the water-themed artwork and mirrors are covered in black veil cloth. This is a superstition and ghost lore tradition around Halloween. Why? Mirrors are thought to reflect or trap souls, especially after someone dies. If you cover the mirror, it is a way to present spirits from entering or getting stuck. Water is considered a spiritual gateway. You cover the water-themed art to avoid inviting ghostly presences. Believe it or not!

Back to the ship in the rain and wind! The sail away this evening is a fascinating experience. The Explorers Lounge at the front of the ship has the best view. The only thing is the rain and wind is messing up the windows. So when a double rainbow appears, in order to get a picture, we have to go out in the gale force windows LOL. Definitely the ‘eye’ of this storm is just on the right side of the ship allowing the sun to give us a great rainbow display even through the driving rain!

Leaving Charleston and at open sea again. The Captain tells us to hold on as he is going to change his course and stay closer to the coast. The winds are expected to be 50 knots and 15 foot waves even along the coast. We will sleep well tonight rocking and rolling.