The serenity of the three mile boat ride, the fresh smell of the ocean just beyond the harbor’s edge carried on a gentle warm breeze and the sounds of gulls calling as you step ashore all combine to challenge your imagination to summon a true understanding of the hardship and hell that this place once was.

The debris has been removed from only one third of this historic location with untold secrets still buried just beyond our reach as we walk around witnessing and touching a part of our nation’s history.

With limited time before we must catch our ferry back to the mainland, we have the good fortune to meet and talk one on one with Nate Johnson a Park Service guide for over three years at Fort Sumter. He shares his insights, historical knowledge and some secrets about the place where America’s bloodiest war began.