DESTINATION

Beaufort is not one but two destinations for yachtsmen in the Carolinas. Each has its own history, style and pronunciation.

They might pronounce the names differently, but Beaufort, N.C., and Beaufort, S.C., offer boaters equal parts rest and relaxation.

Pronunciation battles like potato, pot-ah-to and tomato, to-mah-to have nothing on Beaufort. It’s the name of both a town in North Carolina and a city in South Carolina whose differences make them must-visit stops for cruising yachtsmen. ¶ In North Carolina, Beaufort is pronounced Boh-fort, and it’s home to the full-service Town Creek Marina with slips for yachts up to 180 feet length overall. Fishermen know this region well for the annual Big Rock Blue Marlin Tournament in June; it’s been held for more than 60 years, with participants landing blue marlin as heavy as 914 pounds. The town itself dates back much further, to 1709, and is filled with about 150 restored historical homes that make for a beautiful backdrop during strolls ashore. A 12-block section of the town is on the National Register of

Historic Places. ¶ Beaufort, South Carolina, is a whole other story. There, they pronounce the city’s name Bew-fert, and there’s a downtown district where antebellum mansions still stand. The history here is different but equally fascinating. The Cuthbert House Inn, for instance, once was a plantation that a Union Army general took as his own during the Civil War. Some soldiers carved

their names into a fireplace mantle that’s still visible today. ¶ Safe Harbor Beaufort has slips for transient yachts up to 150 feet length overall and is adjacent to the historic district for easy walking access to all the main sights.