Glimpses of Charleston

A local's eye view

Sunrise/Sunset

A beautiful sunset across the Ashley River as seen from Brittlebank Park.  A little further up the river is Charles Towne Landing, home to the first English settlement in the Carolinas -- founded 350 years ago. Charles Towne Landing is now a wonderful state park, and well worth the visit.
A beautiful sunrise as seen from Riley Waterfront Park. Prior to opening in May 1990, the park sustained about $1,000,000 worth of damage when Hurricane Hugo struck Charleston.
The "Round" Holiday Inn guards the southern entrance to the Charleston peninsula along the banks of the Ashley River. Beautiful at sunset, in 2018 it was named the ugliest building in South Carolina -- this was not received well by many!
The sun just rising above Charleston harbor, with Ft. Sumter in the distance and huge flocks of White Ibis winging their way out to breakfast.
The High Battery just before dawn. From here you have a wonderful view of the harbor, including Shute's Folly -- an island on which stands Castle Pinckney, a small fortification built in 1810 on the ruins of a Revolutionary War fort. 
A beautiful sunrise seen across Joe Riley Waterfront Park.  Serving over 40 years, Joseph P. Riley Jr. was the longest serving Charleston mayor and the 22nd longest in US history.
A runner under a spectacular pre-dawn sky along the Battery. Runner's World named the Battery as one of the most beautiful places in the world to run. It's hard to argue!
The sun going down behind the James Island Connector along the Ashley River. Coming from JI, the Connector feeds into Calhoun Street. When it was first conceived, it was supposed to feed right into the heart of the historic district on the significant colonial era Broad Street. Citizen outrage caused it to be moved to the more appropriate current location.
Another beautiful Charleston sunset, as seen along the Ashley River. If you continue downstream, the Ashley runs into the Cooper River. And according to Charleston lore they then join to form the mighty Atlantic Ocean  :)
One of the beautiful fountains at Waterfront Park. From there you have a wonderful view of Charleston Harbor -- including Fort Sumter seen in the distance.
A view down Broad Street from the Four Corners of Law, before Hurricane Dorian arrived.
The sunset as seen from "The Joe" -- the home of the Charleston RiverDogs, the NY Yankees Class affiliate.
The sabal palmetto tree is the state tree of South Carolina. It was selected as the state tree to celebrate the role it played in the defeat of the British at Fort Moultrie during the lead up to the American Revolution. The fort, which was being bombarded by the British fleet, was constructed of palmetto logs.  The tree's spongy wood actually absorbed the energy of the cannonballs and caused them to just bounce off -- allowing the Americans to eventually drive the British ships away and win the inspiring battle.
A lovely late afternoon view of the Ashley River from the Fort Sumter House, which was once the home of John F. Kennedy when he was posted to Charleston in the navy. From there he was shipped to the Pacific, where he took command PT-109.
The Ashley River in the late afternoon. It's a very vibrant environment full of life. While dolphin and pelican sightings are common, I recently spotted a large river otter swimming along -- a sighting I haven't had in a few years.
The evening sky, as seen from the Low Battery. The street that runs along here, Murray Boulevard, is named in honor Andrew B. Murray -- who, in the early 1900's, was one of the driving forces for the reclamation of the 47 acres of marsh and river that the street now sits on.
The sun setting over the Ashley River -- one of the two which create the Charleston peninsula (the other being the Cooper River).
Looking west on Tradd Street, which is one of the few streets to traverse the entire Charleston peninsula, is a beautiful way to see the setting sun.
The Joe Riley Waterfront Park is one of the great places to see the sunrise in Charleston. 
A beautiful sunrise over Charleston harbor. The building on the left, the former Omar Shrine Temple, is now an event space for the Charleston Yacht Club.
Prior to 1909 this area now comprising the Low Battery was water and marsh. 47 acres of land were reclaimed to create the area that now forms this part of the Charleston peninsula -- one of the great places to walk, fish, run and just sit.
A glorious Charleston sunrise. Directly to the left of this fence is the Capt. James Missroon House, that now is home to the Historic Charleston Foundation. One of the most interesting things about the building is that it was a house that was built around -- and engulfed -- a smaller house.
What an evening this was for fishing. This man had his line in the water from the sidewalk along Murray Boulevard, while there were 5 dolphin in the water chasing the same targets. Beautiful.
A gorgeous fall sun rising over Charleston harbor. Adger's Wharf, on the right, has been used by the Charleston Branch Pilots Association as its home since 1890. Their role of guiding ships safely in and out of Charleston harbor (a function which they trace back to ancient Greece and Rome) is critical to the operations of the very busy port.
The sunrise over Charleston Harbor, as seen from White Point Garden. This "columbiad," which has been stationed at Fort Sumter, could shoot a 128 lb. shell up to 4800 yards. Now it serves as a wonderful memory-maker for all those who climb on top.
The High Battery is one of the most popular places to take a walk in Charleston. With amazing views of the harbor, across to Sullivan's Island, Mt. Pleasant, Fort Sumter and more, it's also a great place to watch the sun rise.
Sunrise along the High Battery in Charleston. It's a beautiful view if you are driving up East Battery.
The morning sun coming up over the High Battery is always a beautiful sight. The Battery walls were not the first structure on this area of the peninsula. As far back as 1735 there were fortifications on the site, with Broughton' s Battery (aka Fort Broughton).
The rising sun shining through the promenade rails along the High Battery, which protects White Point Garden from the waters of the Cooper River. Just beyond this point, the Cooper and Ashley Rivers join together to form Charleston Harbor.
One of the great places to watch the sun rise in Charleston is on the High Battery. From there you can see the entire harbor, including Fort Sumter, Castle Pinckney, the Cooper River Bridge and Patriots Point -- the home of the USS Yorktown.
On the morning of April 12, 1861, the High Battery in Charleston was packed with people. They were there to watch the bombardment of Fort Sumter in the harbor -- which was the first shots fired in the Civil War. This morning was a lot calmer.
A classic Charleston view along Broad Street. The evening sun always makes the street just glow.
The High Battery is one of the most popular places to walk in Charleston. On one side is the spectacular harbor, with views out to Fort Sumter and the Atlantic Ocean beyond it, on the other are the magnificent house of East Battery. Have you strolled this promenade?
A beautiful sunset as seen beyond the Ashley River from the Low Battery. According to Charleston lore, the Ashley River and the Cooper River flow together to form the mighty Atlantic Ocean. Any arguments?
A wonderful evening sky, as seen from the Low Battery. The Low Battery, which runs from the Coast Guard Station to "the Turn" -- where it runs into the High Battery -- is about 5000 feet long and took 13 years to complete. What a great spot to watch the sun set.
While sitting at the Marina Variety Store Restaurant, home of the best breakfast in Charleston, part of the show can be the sun rising above the Charleston peninsula. As one of the few places downtown where you can sit on the water while eating or drinking, the MVSR is a great place to start the day.
General Moultrie is greeting the dawn at White Point Garden, as he looks across the harbor to the fort that bears his name on Sullivan's Island. 
A beautiful Charleston evening sky, as seen along Tradd Street.
A beautiful sunset beyond the tip of the Charleston peninsula at White Point Garden. Before gaining that name, the area was called Oyster Point, for the accumulation of oyster shells on the site.
The High Battery in Charleston is one of the best places to watch the sun rise. Not only do you have a clear view across Charleston Harbor to see the sun come up over Mt. Pleasant or Sullivan's Island, you have a wonderful view of incredibly historic sites such as Fort Sumter and the aircraft carrier USS Yorktown.