By Fyllis Hockman
I looked tentatively at the load of shrimp, blue crabs, gar, sea trout and other nameless denizens of the deep as they were dropped into the boat. I volunteered to hold one even more tentatively — much more tentatively. But then I was making eye contact with a very cute sting ray and I’m pretty sure we had a moment.
My trip upon the Lady Jane Shrimp Boat in Jekyll Island, Georgia, in which naturalist Jeffrey explains the whole process of commercial net trolling and the many water creatures they catch along the way -several of which became fast friends — is but one of the many adventures to be had on the American Cruise Line Historic South and Golden Isles Intra-Coastal Waterway Cruise from Amelia Island, Florida to Charleston, South Carolina.
We learned a lot about the mouths, gills and tails of individual fish which I actually found more interesting than I would have expected. There are some very weird fish tales out there! But take time to look up at the flocks of birds following the boat. They knew what we had on board.
Overheard from a colleague on the way back to the ship: “If they wouldn’t serve us all that shrimp at meals, we wouldn’t have to go out and catch more….”
So we might as well first discuss mealtimes aboard the American Eagle. Maybe mealtime is more applicable because you can literally eat 24/7. There’s an Early Riser breakfast before the dining room breakfast; there’s a pretty much all day cafe in the Sky Lounge bracketing the more formal lunches and dinners; Cookie time at 10 and 3 provides obviously very necessary sustenance in between meals; one would think the cocktail hour and hors d’ouevres prior to dinner might interfere with the more than generous dinner options but of course that doesn’t happen — and an hour later, no one skimps on the open bar, ice cream treats and popcorn that accompany the evening entertainment. Did I mention that snacks and beverages are available 24/7 in the Sky Lounge?
Rest assured there’s a Fitness Room to counter all those calories but seriously, no one goes there. The saving grace? All meals come in half-portions, which themselves are more than sufficient in this close to 5-star restaurant.
The staff — who are not allowed to accept gratuities — are still remarkably agreeable. How often do you request a drink at an establishment that they don’t carry — and by the next night, it’s there? So it was with my Fireball. Need I remind you that we were on a ship at the time? Just as an aside, this ship — accommodating only about 100 passengers — is part of the only line in the world offering small US ships that operate like river cruises along US coasts.
If you can find time in between all the food, multiple daily excursions are offered to St. Simon and Jekyll Islands, Savannah, Hilton Head, Beaufort and Charleston.
On the trolley tour of Savannah, a city I’ve never been to before. I wasn’t expecting much, just another nice southern town. I was admittedly skeptical when the trolley driver started the tour by claiming that Savannah is the most fascinating town in America — but by the time the tour ended 90 minutes later, I was in total agreement.
The constant patter from Miss Pearl brought this historic wonderland to life. The picturesque streets just begging to be strolled upon with singular homes and stores; houses dating back to the 1700 and 1800’s with architectural flourishes of graceful, lace-like iron-work adorning balconies, columns and brackets. Wraparound porches adorned with decorative balustrades and whimsically designed gingerbreading give each structure its personal charm and distinction.
So much history visible right in front of you, peppered everywhere with almost two dozen parks and squares, ennobled by a famous statue. Even chain stores such as Starbucks, Five Guys and CVS blend into the historic ambiance. Surrounding the immersive history are huge oak trees, their gnarled branches dripping with Spanish Moss, forming canopies over the streets. I laughed when I passed a sign declaring “Savannah’s Historic District.” Kind of felt redundant at best.
The next mode of transportation was a golf cart traversing Pat Conroy country. You probably ought to know the author of The Prince of Tides, The Great Santini, The Water is Wide and others to appreciate even the idea of such an excursion. I qualified. But even if you’re not familiar with his books, you may be with the many movies made of them, all of which take place in the city where he lived. Beaufort, SC is another historic small town, with houses from the 1700’s, that delights even without the Pat Conroy connection.
Nor are they the only movies for which the town is famous – and whose settings are great fun to visit. Perhaps you’ve heard of Forrest Gump? Maybe even The Big Chill? Forces of Nature with Ben Affleck and Sandra Bullock? Glory with Denzel Washington? You pass scenes from the movies, houses the stars rented during filming, and the chocolate shop whose candies filled the famous box of chocolates Forrest Gump ate in the infamous bench scene.
A visit to the Prohibition Museum doesn’t teach you about that era – you instead inhabit it. From one life-size, immersive exhibit to another, you viscerally experience the hows and whys of alcohol’s early 20th century journey from poison to party staple.
And should you wish to stay on board — few people do, no matter their disabilities — ship activities abound. There’s Are you Smarter than a Fifth Grader; movie trivia; an Outrageous Laws game – you probably didn’t know that in Alabama, it is illegal to drive while wearing a blindfold — and the ever-popular Boozy Bingo. As silly and/or intimidating as they may sound, they are always fun. And the same can be said of the whole cruise!
For more information, visit americancruiseline.com.
