South Carolina Coast - Beaufort, Kiawah Island, & Charleston

[giradman]

Wonderful spring trip! History, ocean, antebellum houses, subtropical island--not to mention local oysters

Susan has 'chimed in' to the thread, and as expected first talked about the food - INDEED, the local oysters were wonderful! BUT, she enjoyed the entire trip and learned some new history of the area. She really enjoyed the Parris Island Museum (especially how the modern Marines are trained there), the Santa Elena Foundation, and the Hunley Restoration Center. This was really a great trip that combined history, natural beauty, ocean sites, and great eating - for those interested in what has been described, then make an effort to visit! Dave

 

[giradman]

Kiawah Island - April 2019 - New Trip Just for Relaxation & Food!

Well arrived on Kiawah Island for a 4-night stay - again, we rented a 2-BR villa sitting on a lagoon and close to the Sanctuary Hotel, discussed previously. Our arrival was early so a 2 hr wait or so for our villa to be ready - we visited the Hotel and I took some 'new' pics of the exterior, especially from the beach (a number are nice panoramic views). We'll be eating our last dinner there on Thursday night.

I took a short walk on the beach, then headed inland to the golf courses and lagoons looking for some alligators - BOY, I was lucky having gotten to the island just 2 hours previously. A probably 10 ft alligator was 'sun bathing' on the bank of a lagoon - a brave golfer even drove off near the monster; then all of a sudden the alligator decided to walk near the ladies tee box, while two gal golfers came up in their cart - not surprisingly, they drove further down the path to tee off! Great start of the trip - BUT, expecting rain tomorrow, so may not be picture time - wait and see, i.e. the weather changes quickly on the coast. Dave
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[giradman]

First Full Day - intermittent rain, so we slept in, had a late breakfast in the condo and then headed to the Fitness Center at the Nature Center - our first visit (I usually walk outside but not in the rain) - the exercise room is modest in size, but had the usual machines and weights and was quite adequate for our needs. Then we made a 'Gator Tour' reservation for the next afternoon - 2 hr van and walking excursion which should be a LOT of fun - more later.

On Kiawah Island and just off island are a half dozen excellent golf courses designed by some famous people, e.g. the Ocean Course by Pete Dye (will be the site of the 2021 PGA Tournament), Cougar Point by Gary Player, and Turtle Point by Jack Nichlaus - we decided to have a light salad lunch at the Turtle Point Bar & Grille (in the clubhouse and also home of Tomasso Italian restaurant which we've not tried) - see map & some pics below of the back of the club house, putting green, and several of the beautiful holes.

On our way back to the condo, I walked near an Osprey Nest that I've been viewing for a half dozen or more years - some of the top branches have disappeared (probably storm damage - pic about 4 years ago back on an earlier page, if interested) - on our visit a year ago, I did not see any activity in the nest nor did I initially in crossing the bridge toward the ocean, BUT on my return, an osprey was on the nest and I could see several chicks zooming in my camera - last pics below of that experience - I was thrilled and assume it's the same couple of birds.

For dinner, we ate at the Atlantic Room at the Ocean Course; tomorrow, the Jasmine Porch and last night the Ocean Room, the last two at the Sanctuary Hotel; all discussed earlier. As usual, the Atlantic Room was fabulous - we both started out w/ a half dozen oysters from Beaufort, SC (start of this travelogue); Susan had the rack of lamb and I the grouper (fresh caught today!) - shared a dessert. Dave
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[scifan57]

First Full Day - intermittent rain, so we slept in, had a late breakfast in the condo and then headed to the Fitness Center at the Nature Center - our first visit (I usually walk outside but not in the rain) - the exercise room is modest in size, but had the usual machines and weights and was quite adequate for our needs. Then we made a 'Gator Tour' reservation for the next afternoon - 2 hr van and walking excursion which should be a LOT of fun - more later.

On Kiawah Island and just off island are a half dozen excellent golf courses designed by some famous people, e.g. the Ocean Course by Pete Dye (will be the site of the 2021 PGA Tournament), Cougar Point by Gary Player, and Turtle Point by Jack Nichlaus - we decided to have a light salad lunch at the Turtle Point Bar & Grille (in the clubhouse and also home of Tomasso Italian restaurant which we've not tried) - see map & some pics below of the back of the club house, putting green, and several of the beautiful holes.

On our way back to the condo, I walked near an Osprey Nest that I've been viewing for a half dozen or more years - some of the top branches have disappeared (probably storm damage - pic about 4 years ago back on an earlier page, if interested) - on our visit a year ago, I did not see any activity in the nest nor did I initially in crossing the bridge toward the ocean, BUT on my return, an osprey was on the nest and I could see several chicks zooming in my camera - last pics below of that experience - I was thrilled and assume it's the same couple of birds.

For dinner, we ate at the Atlantic Room at the Ocean Course; tomorrow, the Jasmine Porch and last night the Ocean Room, the last two at the Sanctuary Hotel; all discussed earlier. As usual, the Atlantic Room was fabulous - we both started out w/ a half dozen oysters from Beaufort, SC (start of this travelogue); Susan had the rack of lamb and I the grouper (fresh caught today!) - shared a dessert. Dave
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There’s certainly plenty to see and do in and around the resort. I hope the weather cooperates as much as possible during your visit.

 

[giradman]

There’s certainly plenty to see and do in and around the resort. I hope the weather cooperates as much as possible during your visit.

Thanks Scifan.. - weather looks much better for today and tomorrow - probably will do a beach walk and after another light lunch, off for our alligator nature tour this afternoon.

BTW, we have a 'youngster' in our pond that is sunning as I type - went out to take a few pics from afar, but the gator jumped into the water - back out sunning again near our screened-in porch - suspect 3 ft long - took a few 'poor' pics because the sun was in my eyes (reason the animal picked this side of the pond to 'warm up') - for those interested, a few myths & facts below - click to enlarge (more in the LINK) - Dave
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[giradman]

Late Morning Walk to the Ocean

Only about a 15 minute walk to the ocean, over the bridge w/ the osprey nest, near the tee box and pond of the 17th hole of the Turtle Point Golf Course, and the walkway for beach access. Our first encounter was a large alligator (likely the same one from my first day's walk), near an appropriate sign. This access point is near the hotel, so a few panoramic beach pics, followed by Susan getting her feet wet in the ocean.

Those ocean front homes are private residences and I can just imagine what a 20+ ft storm surge would do if a hurricane decided to hit Kiawah Island directly? We took a different beach access back and walked between the green and tee areas of holes 15 & 16 of Turtle Point Golf Course - just beautiful w/ houses on one side and dunes/ocean on the other (couple pics of the houses).

On the way back, saw an anhinga drying its wings on the 17th tee area (next to same pond w/ the large gator seen earlier); also crossing the bridge (no parent ospreys at home in the nest), but a couple of pretty moorhen ducks swimming in the pond. Now off to a light lunch and our alligator nature tour. Dave
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[giradman]

Nature Center Alligator Tour

The Nature Center at Night Heron Park offers a variety of tours (last year we took the boat dolphin tour) - this year, the 'Alligator Tour' - 2 hr van excursion stopping at 3-4 sites - naturalist guide (young man w/ a degree in nature science) took us to a number of locations on the island, mainly the eastern half - probably saw several dozen alligators in the ponds, most were young ones (as shown by the pics below) but at least one big guy (assume male by the length - guide stated that the females max out at 8 ft) - the last stop was the most interesting w/ a half dozen or so 'baby' alligators (probably a year old) sunning on a man-made platform - their mother was circulating in the water keeping a watch - see the pic for some interesting discussion of 'motherly behavior' of these ancient animals (Source).

There are close to 700 alligators on Kiawah island and virtually all ponds on the island are inhabited by a small number of alligators - ongoing research is being done (LINK) on the island's population of these reptiles - alligators have been captured and tagged (blue for males & yellow for females) for tracking; newer technologies include placement of GPS devices to better understand the movement patterns, home range size, and post-capture response of alligators on the island; Nuisance Alligators: "When people feed alligators, they will begin to associate people with food, creating a very dangerous situation. These animals often have to be destroyed. Town biologists typically remove 2-6 nuisance alligators per year under the state’s Nuisance Alligator Program." (Source). Dave
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[scifan57]

Nature Center Alligator Tour

The Nature Center at Night Heron Park offers a variety of tours (last year we took the boat dolphin tour) - this year, the 'Alligator Tour' - 2 hr van excursion stopping at 3-4 sites - naturalist guide (young man w/ a degree in nature science) took us to a number of locations on the island, mainly the eastern half - probably saw several dozen alligators in the ponds, most were young ones (as shown by the pics below) but at least one big guy (assume male by the length - guide stated that the females max out at 8 ft) - the last stop was the most interesting w/ a half dozen or so 'baby' alligators (probably a year old) sunning on a man-made platform - their mother was circulating in the water keeping a watch - see the pic for some interesting discussion of 'motherly behavior' of these ancient animals (Source).

There are close to 700 alligators on Kiawah island and virtually all ponds on the island are inhabited by a small number of alligators - ongoing research is being done (LINK) on the island's population of these reptiles - alligators have been captured and tagged (blue for males & yellow for females) for tracking; newer technologies include placement of GPS devices to better understand the movement patterns, home range size, and post-capture response of alligators on the island; Nuisance Alligators: "When people feed alligators, they will begin to associate people with food, creating a very dangerous situation. These animals often have to be destroyed. Town biologists typically remove 2-6 nuisance alligators per year under the state’s Nuisance Alligator Program." (Source). Dave
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How close do you get to those alligators in the tour?

 

[giradman]

How close do you get to those alligators in the tour?

Hi Scifan.. - the guide likely takes his tour to the same places, so I suspect at least some of the alligators are 'use to' people watching and shooting pictures - as to your question, the largest of the alligators was in a small pond near the Ocean Course, where we ate the other night - we were probably 20 ft or so up an embankment from the gator, which did not move once; maybe 15 ft from one of the smaller ones in the other pics - the guide provided a lot of 'gator history' and some funny stories. Dave

 

[giradman]

Folly Beach & Morris Island Lighthouse

On our last full day, we decided to leave the island for a half-day trip to Folly Beach for a visit to the Morris Island Lighthouse (next post), a little souvenir shopping, walk on the pier, and lunch at Snapper Jack's (see pic - shared a dozen FL oysters & a delicious snapper sandwich w/ fries).

Folly Beach (see first quote, maps and initial pics below) is Charleston's get-away Atlantic coast beach - situated on a barrier island just a half hour from the city (our trip was about 45 mins using the River Road which is often lined w/ live oaks full of Spanish moss - their branches cross over the highway for a wonderful 'tunnel effect'). The Folly Beach Pier (second quote), the newest one was built in 1995 and is just over 1000 ft long - there are magnificent views of the beaches extending in both directions - pics are a combination from the web but most my own w/ a lot of panoramic shots, including Susan. Dave

Folly Beach is located 11 miles south of downtown Charleston along the Atlantic Ocean. he population was 2,617 at the 2010 census, up from 2,116 in 2000. Known to Charleston locals as "the Edge of America", Folly Beach is home to numerous surf spots, the most popular being the Washout, 10th Street and the Folly Beach Pier. Despite its usually calm conditions, Folly Beach has gained prominence as one of the more popular surf spots along the East Coast. Folly Beach is an eclectic beach community with surf shops, restaurants, gift shops, offices, and bars along Center Street; the main road and gateway to the community. (Source)

Folly Beach Pier - Fishing, walking, birding, and the opportunity to enjoy breathtaking views of the "Edge of America" are just some of the possibilities at the Edwin S. Taylor Folly Beach Fishing Pier, where you can find some of the best saltwater fishing in the area. The pier is a breathtaking landmark that stretches 1,045 feet into the sparkling waters of the Atlantic Ocean. At 25-feet wide and 23-feet above sea level, the pier is the second longest on the east coast and offers not only spectacular views, but a variety of fishing tournaments, special events, and dining. (Source)

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[giradman]

Morris Island Lighthouse

The Morris Island Lighthouse is off the eastern end of Folly Beach island and is now submerged - the structure can be viewed from the nearby beach after walking a paved path and then a short sand dune - below history of the lighthouse and a combination of pictures - the latter are mostly my own; note the historic photos when the lighthouse was on land and had adjacent buildings. Dave

Morris Island Light is a lighthouse on Morris Island in South Carolina. The light stands on the southern side of the entrance to Charleston Harbor, north of the City of Folly Beach. Although the lighthouse now stands several hundred feet offshore, it was originally inside a much larger island. When constructed in 1876, the light was approximately 1,200 feet (370 m) from the water's edge. However, the construction in 1889 of the jetties which protect the shipping lanes leading to Charleston Harbor altered ocean currents, resulting in the rapid erosion of Morris Island and the destruction of many structures and historical sites. By 1938 the shoreline had reached the lighthouse, forcing its automation as it was no longer safe or practical to keep it manned. In 1962 the Morris Island Light was decommissioned and replaced by the new Charleston Light, located on Sullivan's Island at the north end of the harbor. (Source)

The 1886 Charleston earthquake threw the lens of the main light out of position and cracked the tower extensively in two places, but not so as to endanger its stability. The lens was replaced and the cracks repaired without delay. Erosion of land caused the Coast Guard to begin construction of a new Charleston Light in 1960. The new light was commissioned on June 15, 1962. The tower stands 140 feet (43 m) high on the north side of Charleston Harbor entrance on Sullivan's Island. In 1989, Hurricane Hugo struck Charleston, destroying the remaining buildings around the lighthouse, only leaving the actual tower standing. (Source)

In 1999 Save The Light, Inc. purchased the historic lighthouse for $75,000 to preserve it for the people of South Carolina. In 2000, the lighthouse was transferred to the State of South Carolina through the Department of Natural Resources. The lighthouse was leased to Save The Light, Inc. for 99 years to coordinate the stabilization, erosion control, restoration and to raise the necessary funds for that work.
In 2007, Save The Light, Inc. hosted an event in which they lit up the lighthouse once again, but only for a day. In August, 2010 a project was completed that stabilized the lighthouse by placing a ring of concrete around it at a cost of $734,313 (USD). In addition, 68 micropiles were placed through the existing foundation. (Source)

 

[scifan57]

Morris Island Lighthouse

The Morris Island Lighthouse is off the eastern end of Folly Beach island and is now submerged - the structure can be viewed from the nearby beach after walking a paved path and then a short sand dune - below history of the lighthouse and a combination of pictures - the latter are mostly my own; note the historic photos when the lighthouse was on land and had adjacent buildings. Dave







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It’s amazing how far the shoreline has retreated.

 

[giradman]

Yep - amazing that when constructed in 1876 (more in next post), the lighthouse was about 1200 ft from the water, now several hundred feet off the current shore line due to erosion from construction of the jetties - the erosion resulted in more serious historic loss as noted next. Dave

 

[giradman]

Morris Island Lighthouse History - Civil War and Fort Wagner - Glory

The original Morris Island Lighthouse dates from the colonial era (see quote below) - the 1767 structure was destroyed during the US Civil War and a temporary beacon established on the ruins (see pic & first quote) - in 1876, the 'new' lighthouse was constructed on the same location w/ subsequent support buildings - due to the jetties, beach erosion of Morris Island began which unfortunately destroyed a number of historic sites, including Ft. Wagner which was where several Civil War battles occurred in mid-1863 - the 2nd battle was more famous because of the involvement of the 54th Massachusetts Afro-American soldiers led by a 25 y/o Colonel, Robert Gould Shaw, who lost his life - he is immortalized in a wonderful sculpture in Boston that I've seen a number of times; also, the story is depicted in the 1989 film Glory w/ Matthew Broderick as Shaw - highly recommended. Dave

The Morris Island Light, located on Morris Island, at the entrance to the harbor of Charleston, SC, was one of the colonial lights turned over to the Federal Government under the terms of the act of August 7, 1789. The light was in a brick tower, built by the Colony of South Carolina in 1767. In 1862 the Lighthouse Board reported "Charleston, lens and lantern destroyed." On March 3, 1873, Congress made the first of three appropriations for a new lighthouse on Morris Island. Foundation piles were driven. The new tower, when completed in 1876, was 161 feet in height and the cost was $149,993.50. A first-order Fresnel lens was installed. In 1884 the illuminating apparatus was changed for the use of mineral oil instead of lard oil. (Source)

Tired, hungry and proud, the black soldiers of the 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry stood in the light of the setting sun and awaited the call to battle on the evening of July 18, 1863. The air was filled with the rumble of big guns, and the very ground on Morris Island, South Carolina, trembled beneath their feet. The regiment’s baptism of fire had come only two days before, but the memories of that sharp skirmish had already begun to fade in the shadow of the awesome task that now lay before them.The path that had brought these determined men to the embattled sands of South Carolina had been a long one, born of idealism and fraught with difficulty. That they had succeeded in the face of bigotry and doubt was due in great measure to the colonel who led them. Slight and fair-haired, Robert Gould Shaw appeared even younger than his 25 years. But despite his initial trepidations, the Harvard-educated son of abolitionist parents had assumed the weighty responsibilities of command, and never wavered in his fervent resolve to show friend and foe alike that black soldiers were the fighting equals of their white counterparts. (Source)

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[giradman]

Stono Bridge & Stono Rebellion

While driving to Folly Beach yesterday, the River Road runs into the Maybank Highway (SC700) which crosses over the Stono River that separates Johns and James Islands; of course, this brought yet another historic event in the area to mind (there are so many!) - first, the Stono Bridge (a.k.a. the Paul Gelegotis Bridge - see map & pic of the structure) - also first quote about the current bridge and its namesake.

The Stono Rebellion (last two quotes) occurred in late 1739 near the Stono River (nearest current town is Rantowles - see map), and was just one of many North American slave revolts that happened over several centuries; just a few others were the 1822 Denmark Vesey revolt in South Carolina and the 1831 Nat Turner Rebellion in Virginia - have loved living in this mid-Atlantic original colonial area - Dave

The Paul Gelegotis Bridge, also known as the Stono Bridge, is located in Charleston, South Carolina, United States; it connects James Island and Johns Island on SC 700 (Maybank Highway). This bridge opened in late 2003, on the historically significant site of a series of former Stono Bridges.
The Gelegotis Bridge is a four-lane 7,300-foot-long structure, which began operation in 2003. The new elevated design allows auto traffic to move faster, while vessels pass under a 65-foot clearance and through 90 feet of horizontal clearance between the bridge supports. This bridge is named after Paul Gelegotis, a James Island businessman and politician. Paul Gelegotis is also known as "The Father of EMS", as it was he who created the Emergency Medical System in South Carolina. The "9-1-1" line, and medically equipped ambulances resulted. (Source)

The Stono Rebellion (sometimes called Cato's Conspiracy or Cato's Rebellion) was a slave rebellion that began on 9 September 1739, in the colony of South Carolina. It was the largest slave uprising in the British mainland colonies, with 25 white people and 35 to 50 black people killed. The uprising was led by native Africans who were likely from the Central African Kingdom of Kongo, as some of the rebels spoke Portuguese. Their leader, Jemmy, was a literate slave. In some reports, however, he is referred to as "Cato", and likely was held by the Cato, or Cater, family who lived near the Ashley River and north of the Stono River. He led 20 other enslaved Kongolese, who may have been former soldiers, in an armed march south from the Stono River (for which the rebellion is named). They were bound for Spanish Florida. This was due to a Spanish effort to destabilize British rule, where they (the Spanish) had promised freedom and land at St. Augustine to slaves who escaped from the British colonies. (Source)

Jemmy and his group recruited nearly 60 other slaves and killed some whites before being intercepted and defeated by South Carolina militia near the Edisto River. A group of slaves escaped and traveled another 30 miles before battling a week later with the militia. Most of the captured slaves were executed; the surviving few were sold to markets in the West Indies. In response to the rebellion, the South Carolina legislature passed the Negro Act of 1740, which restricted slave assembly, education, and movement. It also enacted a 10-year moratorium against importing African slaves, because they were considered more rebellious, and established penalties against slaveholders' harsh treatment of slaves. It required legislative approval for each act of manumission, which slaveholders had previously been able to arrange privately. This sharply reduced the rate of manumissions in the state. (Source)

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