My Trip to Charleston

By Thomas LeeMrs. Watts4th grade

On Thursday my parents took me to Charleston. While we were there we saw this big freighter. When I got home I researched it and found out it was built in 2007, 26 knots was its top speed, and it came from the far east. Charleston is the second biggest port on the east coast of U.S.A.

While we were in Charleston we decided to see Fort Sumter. You can only get there by boat. Here’s a picture from the boat. It was hectic because a 5th grade class was there on a field trip.

When we got to the dock of Fort Sumter some park rangers helped us off the boat.

The island of Fort Sumter isn’t really an island. It’s a sand bar that they moved tons of dirt onto. Then they built the fort on the “island.”

Here I am next to one of the cannons. Fort Sumter was designed to hold 135 guns and 650 men. By 1860, it was only 90% complete with only 15 guns ready.

The park ranger gave a really interesting speech about the history of Fort Sumter. He told us that the original plan was that the fort and island would take 5 years to be built, but actually, 31 years after it was started, it was only

90% complete!

A funny story about the flags behind me is that the first death of the Civil War was actually when the Union was leaving the fort after doing a 100 gun salute. On the 47 cannon shot the cannon exploded and killed the guy firing it.

My dad and baby brother had a lot of fun too. Larson did not cry the whole time in the fort. He was such a good boy!

This is a part of the inside of the fort. The people in orange are the 5 th graders touring. There used to be 2 other levels on top of the first level. When they were on, the wall was 55 feet tall.

This is a picture from the boat when we were leaving the forts dock. I think the coolest thing I learned is that when Union Major Anderson surrendered the fort in 1861, he was the one to raise the Union flag as a general in 1865 .

In the end it was time to say good bye to the amazing monument of American history called Fort Sumter!

On the way back we saw the aircraft carrier USS Yorktown. I know a lot about it because I slept on it with the boy scouts back in March.

After Fort Sumter we went to the aquarium. This is a turtle called a yellow bellied slider .

If you can see in the log, you will see an otter.

If you look where the arrows are pointing, you will see interesting facts about otters. Another interesting fact is that the amount of hair on the human head is equal to a postage stamp size on a otter’s body.

THAT IS ONE BIG SHARK TOOTH!!!!!

That alligator is really actually smaller than it looks, and it is only a baby alligator.

This picture is actually 3 alligators in a row. The arrow is pointing to the alligator’s toe that is pressed against the glass.

After going to the aquarium, we went to Hyman’s Seafood where baby Larson had his first hush puppy. We had a lot of fun that night. The next day was not so fun.