The boarding time for our cruise was 2 pm. It was full capacity, and most everyone gathered on the top deck for the best views of the surrounding harbor sights and the entertaining narration, which lasted the full trip from departure to the fort's dock. Ravenel Bridge, U.S.S. Yorktown, Charleston Harbor Resort, Pinckney Castle, Charleston's waterfront, ships of all sizes, and if you are fortunate, dolphin swimming in the nutrient-rich, murky waters of the harbor are the points of interest you will see on your trip out.
Fort Sumter was the trigger point that plunged the North and South into America's deadliest war. What you see of the fort today is the preserved ruins left over from the bombardment it suffered, first, from the Confederates in 1861, and then, from the Federals after the South took control of the fort to the end of the war. It was a formidable fort, although never really completed.
Fort Sumter was constructed on a man-made island built from over ten thousand tons of granite transported from Maine and started in 1829. Well over 60,000 tons of rock was imported from other sites. The island itself was 2.4 acres in size. Bricks, shells and sand could be obtained locally, but the capacity of local brickyards was inadequate to supply the millions of bricks required to build. Hundreds of thousands of oyster shells were used for the lime to make concrete. The fort would have 50 foot three-tiered walls with five sides. By 1860, the island and the outer fortifications were complete, but the fort's interior and armaments remained unfinished. You will get the full story as you stroll the grounds reading the various detailed information locations on your self-guided tour. There are park rangers available to answer any questions you may have.
The Fort Sumter Tour is informative and absorbing. The ferry ride to and from is relaxing as you take in the surrounding sites and listen to the engaging narrations. Our narrator told an intriguing story. While in the fort, you get a sense of what it was like to be within its walls while hundreds of shells rain down from the sky from Fort Moultrie, Fort Johnson, and other surrounding coastal batteries totaling 19. Some Civil War cannons had the power to launch shells up to five miles in distance.
Fort Sumter Tour is part of the story and allure that makes Charleston the number one destination in the nation. When in town visiting, tourist or local, you should reserve your ticket, hop on the ferry, and take a ride into the past.Fort Sumter Tour Prices:
Adults - $37
Seniors/Active Military - $33
Children(4-11) - $23
Children 3 and under - Free
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