(Editor’s note: Columns often contain opinion.)
I am a water person.
Ocean, river, lake, canal, stream – whatever. Just put me by (or preferably on) a body of water and stress melts away.
So, when Julianna Shurtleff of the Augusta Canal National Heritage Area recently invited me on a Moonlight Music Cruise, I asked her how soon I could go.
The Moonlight Music Cruise is a two-hour ride on a Petersburg boat on the Augusta Canal with live music,
I’ve been on four or five of them over the past seven or eight years. and even though, its in its 21st year, the program is one of the area’s best-kept secrets.
On Friday, I visited a local business and was chatting with a longtime area resident about weekend plans. When I told him about the Moonlight Music Cruise, he said he’d never heard of it.
While some of the locals might not know of them, out-of-towners do. I’ve met a lot of visitors who are in Augusta for a special event or making a quick weekend getaway who’ve they booked the music cruise as part of their weekend plans. .
The May 8 cruise brought out some repeat cruisers. I saw one group with a picnic basket, and another couple brought their wine and wine glasses. Another couple had been on a cruise, but this time they brought friends with them.
The band was Dé Céadaoin (which Google says means “Wednesday” and can be pronounced three different ways depending on the dialect) playing Irish tunes and sea shanties.
It’s not a genre of music I’m familiar with. I knew two of the songs they played. One was “Wellerman” and the only reason I think I know that one is my daughter Allie went through a reel spree on Instagram recently, and it was trending. The other was “Drunken Sailor”. No idea why I know that one.
But the violin, guitars, percussion and vocals of Dé Céadaoin fit well on the night. Incidentally if you like Irish music you can catch them on the fourth Saturday of the month at Le Chat Noir at 6 p.m.
The variety of music is something that I love about the Moonlight Music Cruise.
I’ve seen The Empress of Cool (that’s Augusta’s jazz queen Karen Gordon); Roger Bellow and Berita Martin playing a Cinco De Mayo inspired set list; Jeremy Froebel playing the works of Billy Joel; and Rae’s Creek Revival with their quirky original tunes. Rae’s Creek Revival is scheduled for June 5.
And the 2026 spring season lineup has a variety of performers. Slim Pickens brings bluegrass on May 15; Double D with rock sounds on May 22; and Christian Ndeti with acoustic jazz on May 29.
Also, there’s a special Saturday cruise once a month during the concert season. Sounds of Brilliance will bring its blend of funk, a soulful sound with an edge of rock, fused with some hip-hop and jazz on May 16.
While the music doesn’t disappoint, the real star of the night is the Augusta Canal and the natural beauty along the way.
I hadn’t been on a moonlight cruise since 2023, and one thing struck me was the missing trees along parts of the route – in the place of the towering trees, stumps jutted out of the ground. It was sad to see when contrasted by the photos I still had on my phone. I don’t know if I’ll ever adjust to the post-Helene skyline.
Usually, we see waterfowl on the journey. I didn’t see any this time; however, we did disturb quite a few small birds when we passed beneath the Butt Memorial Bridge though.
On the journey, we waved at joggers and people riding their bikes on the tow path. A family fished on the banks.
On May 8, though, it was the sunset stealing the show.
It had been gray and overcast for most of the trip. I thought viewing a sunset was out of the question. But in an instant, the skyline burst into a vibrant magenta and fiery orange. I stood up and turned to the back of the boat to snap photos of the brilliant sky and those colors swirling on top of the water. Sadly, my photos don’t do the sunset any justice.
Several of my fellow passengers did the same. We were all struck by the sheer beauty of the unexpected sunset. The cruises go through June then take a respite from the summer heat before returning in the fall. Space is limited; go here for ticket information.
Charmain Z. Brackett, the publisher of Augusta Good News and Inspiring: Women of Augusta, has covered Augusta’s news for more than 35 years. She’s won multiple Georgia Press Association awards, is the recipient of the 2018 Greater Augusta Arts Council’s media award and was named Augusta Magazine’s best local writer in 2024 and 2025. Reach her at charmain@augustagoodnews.com. Sign up for the newsletter here.
