North Carolina & South Carolina

For the first time on our trip we were enduring consecutive days without sunshine. Until now the persistent almost relentless good weather had actually started to cause us problems as we had both packed heavily to endure a cold, or at least a coldish American winter. Now after weeks of glorious almost uninterrupted sunshine, we had been forced to recycle a small handful of appropriate clothing. Therefore, it was with a sigh of relief that I put on my clean woolly hat and thick red hoody.

Still on the barrier islands that snake down the eastern shoreline, we continued south courtesy of a number of old creaking ferries that laboured through the cold choppy waters of the eastern Atlantic. The highlight of these islands was Okracoke, a place that was once synonymous with the fearsome exploits of one Mr Edward Teach aka Black Beard, an English pirate (from Bristol apparently) who terrorised ships on this coastline until his assassination in 1718.

View From The Beast

Eventually, we arrived at Bald Head Island, the location for some of the most frightening scenes in Scorsese’s movie ‘Cape Fear’. Here, a strange collection of pastel coloured houses stood pristine and eerily amidst a deafening silence. Nobody could be seen on the streets, yet cars could be seen parked outside almost every home. It seems that when this community moved to paradise, they did so to isolate themselves in giant cake-like houses that stand in insipid contrast to the natural beauty of both the sand and sea that surrounds them.

Bald Head Island

Our target for this portion of the trip was South Carolina, or more specifically Charleston, an attractive university town that sits roughly half way down the coastline of this historical state.

A bit of history…

Picture the scene. It’s the end of the 17th century. Back home Cromwell has died and the short lived British Republic that hat was his legacy has been replaced by the same monarchy that was so roundly defeated in the civil war. Now Charles II is king and he is rewarding those that supported his accession with favour and land. Up step eight British aristocrats now based in Barbados whose previous unshakable support for the monarchy is about to be recognised with the gift of Carolina, a colony which sits on the eastern shore of the America’s. Charles has named this colony in recognition of his father, Charles I whose execution in 1649 is still fresh in the collective memory of a nation that is expanding its control and influence all over the globe (in case you were wondering ‘Carolus’ is Latin for Charles. Apparently).

Now, with leadership secured, all is looking good for the colonialists. However, following the cheap sale of land to new settlers, Southern Carolina begins to seek greater autonomy, and by 1729 it has manufactured a split and recognition for itself as separate royal colony. This trend continues, and by 1776 South Carolina becomes the first American colony to officially announce their independence, first from Britain and then from the blossoming American Union in 1861. This act effectively kick starts the American Civil War.

Feisty lot these South Carolinians.


Charleston is a town saturated with history. Every street in its dimly lit centre stands as a monument to the industry and vision of those early settlers, whose legacy and achievements can be seen all around. In fact, so pleasing and pleasant is modern day Charleston, that it is hard to find a decent place to have a drink. This had the potential to be disappointing. But fear not. It is at times like these that Rebecca’s American insight is invaluable; ‘what we need is a dark doorway, some muffled music and the sound of loud laughter.’ She was right. Above a shop we heard what we had been listening for. Then a young hipster encouraged us to enter. This would be our first exposure to proper southern hospitality and the cause of our first hangover in 6 weeks.

© All Images By Paul