Grace, the beautiful 60-foot antique motor yacht originally built in 1913, will travel from its home at Palmetto Bluff in Bluffton, South Carolina to participate in the 35th Annual Georgetown Wooden Boat Show on October 19-20, 2024, in Georgetown, South Carolina, considered one of the premier maritime events on the Eastern seaboard. Guided by The Grace Club, a newly formed founder/member-sponsored, not-for-profit organization created to oversee the restoration and continuing support of the iconic ship, Grace will undertake a trip up the Lowcountry coast as part of a long-term mission to introduce her, and her dynamic programming, to neighboring communities.
In November 2023, Grace returned to the May River through a partnership structure created between The Grace Club founders and South Street Partners, one of the largest owners and operators of private residential club and resort communities in the United States – including Kiawah Island, Palmetto Bluff, The Cliffs, Naples Grande, Barnsley Resort, Elevation Hotel & Spa, and Residences at Salamander – and the management team of the Palmetto Bluff Club. Having returned Grace to her former glory, The Grace Club is thrilled to share this Lowcountry treasure – and a highlight of the Palmetto Bluff experience – with a broader regional audience.
Grace will depart Palmetto Bluff on October 13th for the journey to Georgetown with several interim stops planned along the way to share Grace’s comeback story and extraordinary history. The trip to Georgetown will take several days, and the tentative itinerary is as follows:
- October 13, 2024 - Palmetto Bluff to Beaufort, South Carolina (Beaufort Public Transient Dock): Beaufort Open House and Historical Presentation from 3:00 pm – 4:30 pm with Gray Stahlman, First Mate and The Grace Club historian, who will give a lecture about the ship’s history and The Grace Club’s mission (Free and Open to the Public, RSVP here).
- October 14, 2024 - Beaufort to Kiawah Island (Bohicket Marina, Seabrook Island): Grace will cruise from Beaufort to the Bohicket Marina for a few days of events.
- October 15, 2024 - Kiawah Island (Bohicket Marina, Seabrook Island): Bohicket Marina Open House and Historical Presentation from 2:00 pm – 4:00 pm with Gray Stahlman, First Mate and The Grace Club historian, who will give a lecture about the ship’s history and The Grace Club’s mission (Free and Open to the Public, RSVP here).
- October 16, 2024 - Kiawah Island (Bohicket Marina, Seabrook Island): Bohicket Marina Open House and Historical Presentation from 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm with Gray Stahlman, First Mate and The Grace Club historian, who will give a lecture about the ship’s history and The Grace Club’s mission (Free and Open to the Public, RSVP here).
- October 17, 2024 - Kiawah to Charleston (Safe Harbor Charleston City Marina): Charleston Open House and Historical Presentation from 2:00 pm – 4:00 pm with Gray Stahlman, First Mate and The Grace Club historian, who will give a lecture about the ship’s history and The Grace Club’s mission (Free and Open to the Public, RSVP here).
- October 18, 2024 - Charleston to Georgetown (Grace will be moored in front of Francis Marion Park, 750 Front Street): Grace will cruise from Charleston to Georgetown for the 35th Annual Georgetown Wooden Boat Show.
- October 19 & 20, 2024 - 35th Annual Georgetown Wooden Boat Show (takes place on the waterfront and along Front Street in Historic Downtown Georgetown): One of the Southeast’s best wooden boat exhibits with more than 100 classic wooden boats displayed on land and water, boatbuilding, a corrugated boat race, children’s model boatbuilding, a youth sailing regatta, knot tying, maritime arts and crafts, and food. The boat show is open 8 am – 4 pm daily, and proceeds from the show go to support The South Carolina Maritime Museum (For additional information, visit WoodenBoatShow.com).
While visiting Kiawah Island, The Grace Club will also conduct dedicated, private events for the Kiawah Island Club to offer members of another community owned by South Street Partners the opportunity to discover Grace and her illustrious history.
Originally built for the purpose of commuting across New York Harbor, the ship was named in honor of Grace Wilson Vanderbilt, the sister of the original owner of Palmetto Bluff, Richard T. Wilson Jr., and wife of Cornelius Vanderbilt III. For event details, please visit: TheGraceClub.org, Instagram @TheGraceatPalmettoBluff, Facebook @TheGraceatPalmettoBluff.
