A couple of years ago I boated over to Daufuskie Island on a Thursday morning to continue my photo study of the island. I docked as usual at Freeport Marina and saw that a large push boat and barge was tied up a few hundred yards further up the Cooper River. After getting a cup of coffee I decided to go and see the barge. That was the beginning of this photo essay.That first morning, I met Captain Chuck next to the large vehicle ramp on the barge and he gave me permission to go aboard the barge and take a few photos. The barge and attached push boat, Clean Sweep, made the run between Hutchinson Island, across from downtown Savannah, Georgia to Daufuskie Island every Thursday and sometimes more frequently if there was sufficient cargo to be transported to Daufuskie.Clean Sweep fit into two areas of personal interest: my proposed book of photographs of Daufuskie Island and the ongoing photographic study on the Port of Savannah. I had actually completed a preliminary book on the Port of Savannah the previous year, before I visited Clean Sweep on Hutchinson Island, and thought it would now make a good addition to what I planned as a full photographic study of the Port.

Captain Chuck and Doug, who is COO of Clean Sweep and acts as first mate and pilot on the Daufuskie run, welcomed me aboard on numerous trips back and forth to Daufuskie, as I documented this unique and ageless service required by island dwellers. These two, along with their deck hand and engineer Aaron, shared with me their weekly adventure of carrying an always-intriguing variety of cargo.What I originally intended as a few additional pages in my future extensive photographic study of the Port of Savannah has turned into its own special photo essay. I hope you enjoy these photographs and accompanying story. But first, I feel it's appropriate to thank Doug, Chuck and Aaron before we cast off on what I hope you find is an interesting journey.