Friday, May 15, 2009

Hilton Head's Harbourtown

Many years ago I stood along the docks of the Harbourtown Yacht Basin and wondered what it would be like to guide my own boat past the wonderful red and white lighthouse.


Harbourtown Lighthouse Circa 1970 Photo By The Author


I marveled at the wonderful yachts docked safely inside the harbor and the pure beauty of the lighthouse and its simple design. I climbed the stairs to have a look from up high in the lighthouse and remember looking down on all the boats, wondering how hard it would be to dock one of those "big ones" in what from above looked like a really small slips, with little room for error.

Now having the pleasure of gliding past the famous red and white lighthouse in my own boat so many times that I just count the years, I know there is nothing quite like it in the world.

The low country has a feel all its own, and with it comes a welcome home feeling of harbourtown on a warm and sunny spring afternoon. The habor is alive with activity, the dock creaks and adjusts to the weight of the 75 foot Hatteras motor yacht I've just brought in from Charleston.

Visitors gather to watch as I adjust our boat inside the slip, just a spring line and even without a bow thruster she eases against the dock. I've learned over the years to make my docking look good even when its not.

Watching me with wide eyes are two young boys about 10 and 12 along with their father, our crew has much to do, yet I can't help but offer to give the three of them a quick tour.

Suddenly I am young again as the boys scamper ahead of their father and the youngest one exclaims "wow this boat is sooooo big, we are so lucky to get to go on this huge boat".

Me too kid Me too....

No comments:

Post a Comment