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We are into our last three weeks in Savannah. Our flights to Buenos Aires have been booked and we are working out the last logistics before we have to leave; but at the same time we have a lot left to see and do! So without further ado, here are some more random pictures from Savannah and Tybee Island.

- Savannah Map

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My brother Jeffrey, a pasty white land-lubber from the middle of the middle-est state in America, was visiting us during his birthday. As a present, we took him out kayaking. “What is this?”, he shrieked, voice full of terror.

“That’s the ocean, Jeffrey. It’s just water.”

Our brother-in-law Joe had come up from Jacksonville to partake in the fun, and we all arrived early at North Island Surf & Kayak, on the interior border of Tybee Island. The usual proprietor was out-of-town, and his parents were down from Augusta to manage the place. They were a super-friendly couple, fully possessed of that southern tendency to chat openly with complete strangers. It still takes me off-guard to suddenly be swapping stories about my childhood or their dog who’d been poisoned by malicious neighbors, with someone I’ve just met.

The four of us spent the whole day out on the water — split between paddling up the Lazaretto Creek which flows inland, and then into the ocean. Joe and I managed to spot dolphins, one of which surfaced just ten feet from my kayak. Although Jeffrey and Juergen weren’t so lucky, we all had an awesome time. Being outdoors on a perfect, warm fall morning, exercising muscles that haven’t been used in probably 10 years… it was a great way to spend the day.

The kayaks cost us $40 apiece to rent for an entire day, which seems perfectly fair. They were of good quality — despite being total newbies to the sport, none of us were ever in danger of capsizing. And the North Island shop is perfectly situated; you can choose to go upstream, paddle over to Fort Pulaski, or just along the coast of Tybee. They also do day-long guided tours.

North Island Surf & Kayak
Across the Lazaretto Creek Bridge on Tybee Island
Location on our Map
912-786-4000

$75 Off at BedandBreakfast.com

Our first full day in Savannah was warm and overcast. Luckily, the rain held off and we were able to spend the afternoon sniffing out the city.

We were on slow, rickety bikes which were colorful and full of character; in their way, perfectly embodying the essence of Savannah. A sleek black, expensive mountain bike would be laughably out of place here… but ambling along the wide streets at 8mph on these quirky old things, we blended right in.

Over the course the day, I gathered the same impressions of Savannah which must strike every newcomer to the city. The haunting beauty of the Spanish Moss. The crowded riverside promenade with its shops and tour boats. The incredible Victorian architecture. The parks and squares, and their monuments to Savannah’s rich history. I’ve always felt that large buildings and houses evince an air of mystery — old, spacious mansions, with their innumerable rooms and hidden spaces, simply beg an imagination to run wild. And Savannah has hundreds of such houses! Biking around them, especially on a dreary day, was enough to send shivers down my spine.

But what impressed us most of all was the people, and the relaxed way of life which seems to reign here. Nearly everyone was smiling, happy to stop and chat. Savannah boasts an eclectic populace, with proper old ladies, panhandlers and flannel-clad students sharing the same squares. It’s an old city, but with a vital infusion of youth to keep things fresh. Thanks to SCAD, the Savannah College of Art & Design, I think this city must have a higher percentage of hipsters than even Williamsburg.

We’ll be writing in detail about the specific squares, shops and restaurants we encounter, as well as aspects of the city’s history. And I’ll be interested to see how my perspectives on Savannah evolve over the coming months. Or perhaps: how I evolve. An afternoon spent in the rocking chair on the front porch, sipping sweet tea, is already sounding mighty good…

- Savannah Books