Beaufort, SC - Downtown & Bridge

It's hard to drive around Beaufort and not see the ocean, rivers, marshes, bays, and other inlets.  You'll also likely see shrimp boats headed out to sea, docked at their bases, or returning from a day's work.  So, it's no surprise that there are several Shrimp Festivals along our coastal towns.  Jay and I headed downtown Saturday to enjoy Beaufort's annual ShrimpFest. 

As you can see from some of the pictures below, part of one of our streets was shutdown so area restaurants could setup food vending areas so they could showcase their shrimp specialties.  A parking lot was also opened up for food, craft, and other local vendors. 

We walked along and sampled several area dishes.  It was a gorgeous day and the view of the marina and waterfront was both beautiful and relaxing.

After we had checked out all of the vendors we walked to the truck and headed for home.  We have unique drawbridges in Beaufort.  I've seen the center section of drawbridges elevate straight up like an elevator (Wilmington, NC).  I've also seen the more common hinge type drawbridge where the road is fixed on one end and the rest of the bridge/road opens upward like it's on a hinge.  BUT the draw bridges in Beaufort rotate sideways to allow barges, sailboats, and other tall ships and boats to pass under.  Check out the photo's below.  It's pretty amazing. 

photo's taken:  October 14, 2006
by:  Cindy Howe

Click on photo below to see a larger image

Beaufort ShrimpFest 2006.

Waterfront & Marina view. When the tide is in, the water comes all the way into this weeded area below the wall.

More views of the water and sailboats

More views of the water and boats.

More views of the vendors and boats.

People enjoying ShrimpFest. Craft and food vendors are setup in the parking lot in the background.

More views of people enjoying ShrimpFest.

Lots of great Shrimp dishes to sample along this road.

More vendors.

Several different bands play music on a stage setup for the festival.

I bet the view from the top of that white house is amazing!

A closer look at boats docked in one of our area marinas.

The bridge in the background is the "unique" drawbridge that's pictured rotating below.

More beautiful boats.

Jay's relaxing and daydreaming about having a boat of our own to tie up in the marina!

Another picture of the water and the bridge in the background.

The island on the other side of the bridge is where Jay & I live.

Several scenes from the movie Forrest Gump (including the Bubba Gump shrimp boat scenes) were shot in Beaufort.

Pictures of downtown Beaufort.

More pictures of downtown.

As seen in the banner on the street light...Beaufort was founded in 1711.

Carriage tours through historical Beaufort are one of many things you can do.

This is the Beaufort Arsenal Museum. Many relics of nature, war, and early industry are housed here.

Once an arsenal, this building was constructed in 1798 of brick and tabby.

Views of the rotating draw bridge in action.

Seriously, how cool is this. The bridge rotates!

Slightly zoomed view.

Another view.

Another one...

Sailboats are too tall to cross under the bridge and are often the cause of traffic jams while the bridge rotates for them.

Another view.

Sailboat again.

Bridge is closing now.

Here's the sailboat that just caused the bridge to rotate. Guess they're going to ShrimpFest too!

Bridge still closing.

Still closing.

Bridge is back together and we're rolling. Here's a shot of the water from the bridge.

 


 

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