Sailing the Lowcountry

This is the time of year when Lowcountry sailors - meaning those whose home waters lie in the the coastal region stretching from the Georgia border nearly all the way up the shore to North Carolina - prepare for a special race weekend...the annual Rockvillle Regatta. Sponsored by the Sea Island Yacht Club and held on the Bohicket Creek from Aug. 5-6, the Rockville Regatta (NASCAR meets Wimbledon) is a family affair populated by the descendants of plantation owners and Charleston, SC city folk who have apparently sought refuge from August heat in the near seaside village of Rockville for generations. I vacationed with my wife's family down in Kiawah Island in the spring of 2005 and attended a wedding in Rockville. As a Yankee born and bred, I'd not been exposed to our Lowcountry sailing cousins but believe it when I say that not only are there crack sailors down south, but the cruising grounds have a rare and often spectacular beauty. I've written about the Rockville Regatta previously so take a click back through the archives for more detail. As well here's a great overview article in "Lowcountry Living" Magazine.