South Carolina Coast - Beaufort, Kiawah Island, & Charleston

[giradman]

Kiawah Island - May 2021 - Two Years Since Our Last Trip Here!

Well, this is our first 'vacation' since the start of COVID isolation in early 2020 - decided to do a 4-nighter on Kiawah Island, one of our favorite get-aways (been coming here since the early 1980s) - the usual 5-hour drive (maps on earlier posts for those interested). Some rain is predicted so not sure what we will be doing but today a walk to the ocean!

First four pics below on our arrival (only brought my iPhone, so my sole camera) from around our rented lagoon villa. Because of COVID, the Sanctuary Hotel (see previous page) restaurants are open only to guests of the hotel, so two of our usual dinners eliminated. On our first night, we decided to eat at the Osprey Point Golf Course - the restaurant in the club house is the Cherrywood BBQ & Ale House with a wonderful selection of beers bottled or canned AND many 'on tap' - plenty of local USA micro breweries - Susan is a fan of barbecued ribs and theirs were superb along with an award winning Mac & Cheese; for me, an Asheville IPA to start w/ our shared smoked chicken quesadilla, then a glass of Ferrari-Carano chardonnay w/ my 'catch of the day', a pan seared tilefish w/ an assortment of veggies and small fried potatoes - no dessert (we were filled, especially Susan!).

Next, a walk to the ocean if weather permits. P.S. last four pics from the web. Dave

 

[giradman]

Monday morning coffee and light breakfast on our screened in porch overlooking the lagoon - we had several visitors: 1) Great Blue Heron (size suggests a youngster); and 2) Alligator about 5 ft. in length which makes it about 5 years old (see last pic - Source) - sorry for the quality of my pics, i.e. through the screen. Dave
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[scifan57]

Eagerly awaiting more photos and stories from your trip.

 

[giradman]

While enjoying our porch and coffee, several other villa/lagoon visitors made an appearance: 1) Two deer across the pond enjoying the vegetation around the villas; and 2) Great white egret - my pic through the screen was poor, so a nice image from the web. Of course the birds typically stand silently along the bank waiting to snare small fish.

Kiawah Island has a population of white-tailed deer numbering about 500 (see quote and link below); the deer are smaller than usually seen elsewhere, likely related to adaption to a southern barrier island climate over the centuries. Dave

White-tailed deer are very adaptable creatures, equally at home in forests and fields as well as suburban neighborhoods. There are approximately 500 deer on Kiawah Island and they can be seen on all parts of the island, mainly during the hours between dusk and dawn.(Source)

 

[giradman]

First Day - Walk to the Beach at the Sanctuary Hotel - arrived at the bridge crossing the lagoon where two years ago a frequently seen osprey nest at the top of a dead tree (pic from previous page) is no longer present (Susan today - tree should be to her right and at the top of the image) - result of storm damage and/or removal, not sure?

Pathways then pass the 17th tee of the Turtle Point Golf Course, as seen below; an adjacent large pond had a few Common Moorhen ducks and a sunning turtle - BUT the largest alligator on the island was not seen today (pic is from our trip two years ago - previous page of thread shows more images and discussion).

Onto the ocean at the level of the Sanctuary Hotel (beach goes for miles in either direction) where Susan decided to wade in the ocean - I took a mile or so walk - refreshing after being cooped up in a house for months - lot of bird life including many V-shaped flying pelican groups; plus, a dead Portuguese Man of War w/ surrounding footprints. GREAT to see the ocean again and hear the waves! Dave
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[scifan57]

First Day - Walk to the Beach at the Sanctuary Hotel - arrived at the bridge crossing the lagoon where two years ago a frequently seen osprey nest at the top of a dead tree (pic from previous page) is no longer present (Susan today - tree should be to her right and at the top of the image) - result of storm damage and/or removal, not sure?

Pathways then pass the 17th tee of the Turtle Point Golf Course, as seen below; an adjacent large pond had a few Common Moorhen ducks and a sunning turtle - BUT the largest alligator on the island was not seen today (pic is from our trip two years ago - previous page of thread shows more images and discussion).

Onto the ocean at the level of the Sanctuary Hotel (beach goes for miles in either direction) where Susan decided to wade in the ocean - I took a mile or so walk - refreshing after being cooped up in a house for months - lot of bird life including many V-shaped flying pelican groups; plus, a dead Portuguese Man of War w/ surrounding footprints. GREAT to see the ocean again and hear the waves! Dave
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What’s sticking out of the sand in the last picture?

 

[giradman]

What’s sticking out of the sand in the last picture?

Last line of my previous post - I assume that it's what is left of a Portuguese Man-of-War without all of the tentacles etc attached? Dave

 

[giradman]

Bohicket Marina & Market - Salty Dog Cafe

Just west and next to Kiawah Island is yet another of the nearby barrier islands named Seabrook Island, on which is located the Bohicket Marina & Market - not large and a number of places closed because of the COVID pandemic, but two restaurants were open and we dined at the informal Salty Dog Cafe - below are pics of the mapped location of the marina w/ an aerial view of the boats along Bohicket Creek; also views of the boardwalk, numerous boats, and visitors sitting and enjoying the upcoming sunset.

For our second night, we decided to eat as stated above at the Salty Dog Cafe - we have dined in this location (although the name has changed and renovations have occurred) since 1984 - nice option for coming off Kiawah Island. The menu (first part shown below of appetizers, BUT wanted to emphasize the 'raw bar' - remaining menu HERE for those who may be visiting the SC islands and are looking for a place to eat). Susan had a mojito and I a glass of New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc for starters - she ordered grilled shrimp and I had the 'catch of the day', redfish grilled (a little over done) and probably should have had the fish blackened (not sure if it would have been as good as Paul Prudhomme's Recipe which I've had several times in New Orleans years ago).

So, nice ending to our first full day - will check the weather for tomorrow and may go 'off island' - and curious about this new forum software? Dave
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[giradman]

Magnolia Plantation and Gardens & Other Ashley River Plantations

Well despite the title of this thread including Charleston, the historic city and environs has been little discussed. So, to add some additional posts pertinent to this town, we decided to re-visit the Ashley River Road (also known as the 'Plantation Road') - in this location are a number of historic sites dating back to the colonial times - the three of interest are Drayton Hall, Magnolia Gardens, & Middleton Plantation - but Magnolia Gardens probably offers the greatest variety of attractions, including some beautiful gardens w/ numerous live oaks filled w/ Spanish moss, a narrated tram ride which not only provides plenty of historic information but great views of wildlife, a swamp walk w/ plenty of cypress trees w/ their knees, and a pontoon boat ride w/ narration about the rice culture on the property and plenty of wildlife. A brief review of the history of the plantation and gardens quoted below.

Magnolia Plantation and Gardens attractions are described above and shown in a pic below - an admission fee is charged plus additional attractions (e.g. house tour and boat & tram rides) include added fees. This was at least our third visit but we decided to re-do the tram and boat tours. Below are a pictorial schematic map (not completely accurate) and pics of the house (my own and one from the web). Reconstructed slave cabins are shown which are not original to the plantation but realistic (we took the tour on a previous visit). There are multiple bridges on the property, but the most famous is Long Bridge crossing Big Cypress Pond - my pics show nothing in bloom but a web image which would have been a month or more earlier in the year shows the azaleas in bloom - just beautiful. Upcoming posts will be mainly my own pics from today - plenty to see and do. Dave

Magnolia Plantation and Gardens (464 acres) is a historic house with gardens located on the Ashley River at 3550 Ashley River Road. It is one of the oldest plantations in the South, and listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Magnolia Plantation is located near Charleston and directly across the Ashley River from North Charleston. The house and gardens are open daily. The plantation dates to 1676, when Thomas and Ann Drayton (née Anna Fox) built a house and small formal garden on the site. (The plantation remains under the control of the Drayton family after 15 generations) Some of the enslaved people who were forced to work at the house were brought by the Draytons from Barbados in the 1670s. The historic Drayton Hall was built in 1738 by John Drayton, grandfather of judge John Drayton, II., on an adjoining property.

Magnolia was originally a rice plantation, with extensive earthworks of dams and dikes built in fields along the river for irrigating land for rice cultivation. African slaves from rice-growing regions created the works. As time went on, these slaves developed a creolized Gullah language and vibrant culture, strongly influenced by their West African cultures. They have retained many combined cultural elements from West Africa to this day in what is known as the Gullah Heritage Corridor of the Lowcountry and Sea Islands of the Carolinas and Georgia (Source).

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[scifan57]

Thanks for the photos. It’s still beautiful even without flowers.

 

[giradman]

Magnolia Plantation & Gardens (continued)

The tram nature tour is about 45 mins - the guide discusses the history of the grounds, flora and fauna seen, and other topics - first four pics below just a few of the observations during the ride - also passes the slave cabins (where a tour was in progress - another paid attraction). Next group of images of the many bridges on the property, Long Bridge shown in the previous post is the most famous but Red Bridge shown below also a beautiful structure (pic of azaleas in bloom from the web - we missed the season by a month or so). Plenty of Spanish Moss present mostly on the live oaks - a little history of the plant quoted below - the name is really a misnomer, i.e. not Spanish nor a moss - the Native Americans felt that the hanging plant looked like the beards of the Spanish 'invaders'. Finally, the plantation (along w/ others) was occupied by Cornwallis' British troops during the Revolutionary War when in 1780 Charleston was surrendered to him - front/back plaques of the story. South Carolina was the state seeing the most battles during this war, but another post - Dave

Spanish moss is an epiphytic flowering plant that often grows upon large trees in tropical and subtropical climates. It is native to much of Mexico, Bermuda, the Bahamas, Central America, South America, the Southern United States, West Indies. Most known in the United States, it commonly is found on the southern live oak (Quercus virginiana) and bald cypress (Taxodium distichum) in the lowlands, swamps, and marshes of the mid-Atlantic and southeastern states, from the coast of southeastern Virginia to Florida and west to southern Arkansas and Texas. It is a flowering plant (angiosperm) in the family Bromeliaceae (the bromeliads) that grows hanging from tree branches in full sun through partial shade. (Source)

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[giradman]

Magnolia Plantation & Gardens (continued)

Final post on Magnolia - much of the experience on this property is strolling through the gardens, crossing the bridges, and walking along the Ashley River (named after Anthony Ashley Cooper - the latter named river, i.e. Cooper River, is on the other side of the Charleston peninsula) - the first half of the pics below show some of the views along the river, an anhinga drying its wings on the opposite bank of the Big Cypress Lake, and the Drayton family tomb. The remaining pics were taken on the pontoon boat tour (about 45 mins) - the boat ride is on the largest old rice field and is now land, vegetation but mostly water (depth is only 6-8 ft were the boat tours and has been dredged for that purpose; less in most of the field). Much wildlife is seen - alligators by the dozens, birds (anhingas seemed to be predominant today), turtles, and other animals. The final pic is of a reconstructed 'rice trunk' passing through the dike between the Ashley River and the rice field - these were used to regulate the flow of water into and out of the field relative to the change in tides in the estuary river.

Now, there is much more on these grounds that we did not do (many done on past visits) - some examples include other garden areas, observation tower, walking trails, zoo and nature center, Audubon Swamp Garden, and even more. For those reading this thread and visiting the Charleston area, the Ashley River Road plantations are worth a visit. Dave

 

[giradman]

South Carolina and the American Revolutionary War

Yesterday on the tours at Magnolia Plantation and Gardens, I was reminded of South Carolina's major participation in the American Revolutionary, especially in the last 2-3 years - over 200 (400 quoted below) battles and skirmishes occurred - a brief summary below and LINK for some of the best places to visit in the state related to the war (I've been to at least half listed). The fighting was as much against Loyalists and Patriots, i.e. a civil war, as with the British. The maps show many sites of conflict, but the ones I would suggest are King's Mountain, The Cowpens, Fort Moultrie, and Camden (the town mainly - the battlefield is marked/plaqued but no visiting center). The major leading characters involved on both sides and locally are shown. For books, I've read the first two below (and probably others not remembered or more general about this war) and the third is on its way to me. Lastly, the film 'The Patriot' (2000) with Mel Gibson is about this period but not completely accurate, an understatement - read Roger Ebert's Review before watching (or re-watching) the film, which is in my video collection but wish a better one existed? Dave

South Carolina saw the rise of partisan groups over the years before the outbreak of fighting with Britain. The "Tories" or Loyalists were the conservative force, grateful for the protection afforded their commercial interests by the British navy. "Whigs," the Patriot element, included leading merchants, were opposed to the British policies in the Stamp Act, Townshend Act, and the Boston Port Bill. Well over 400 land engagements (battles and skirmishes) took place in South Carolina during the war for independence. The first major battle were the British efforts to seize Charlestown in June of 1776, when the Patriots held off the combined land and sea forces at the battle of Fort Moultrie; a second British assault failed in 1779, but a third attempt on Charlestown in the Spring of 1780 succeeded. Source

Patriot forces suffered another serious setback in the battle of Camden in August of 1780. Major General Horatio Gates failed to surprise the British. The Patriots suffered nearly 1,000 soldiers killed or wounded and about the same number captured. The resulting withdrawal left most of South Carolina in British hands. The tide turned in the Patriots’ favor in the victories at Kings Mountain (October 7, 1780) and Cowpens (January 17, 1781). Later in 1781, Continental Army Major General Nathanael Greene commenced a drive that pushed the main British force out of South Carolina, through North Carolina, and into Virginia. Source

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[giradman]

Freshfields & Hege's Restaurant

Freshfields Village (first aerial pic below plus brief description) is a shopping complex with stores, banking, large grocery, restaurants, and a small boutique hotel - one of my favorite eateries is a Japanese sushi restaurant. The village is located on Johns Island between Seabrook and Kiawah Islands. Last night was our 'splurge dinner' at Hege's French Bistro, our first time there. Again for those coming to the area, this complex offers multiple dining options, so worth a try.

The menu is at the link given but a portion is shown on the last pic below - we started with sharing the seafood ceviche & a raw hamachi special for the night (in fact numerous specials were offered making decisions difficult!) - Susan had the seafood shrimp and grits and I enjoyed another evening special, the whole fish branzino (Mediterranean bass popular in Italian and Greek cooking) - not my first time w/ this dish and a delight. Susan had a champagne cocktail and I a few glasses of Napa Vly chardonnay. We will likely return on our next trip here.

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[giradman]

Walk to the Ocean & On the Beach

Our last full day - decided to return to the ocean and take a walk on the beach - Susan wading in the water, several different types of shore birds, and people on bicycles. Tonight our last dinner - doing a golf course Italian restaurant - will post later. Dave

P.S. on entering the villa, a Great Blue Heron was right outside the window presumably fishing but watched for a good half hour and the bird was mostly preening its feathers - no fish caught; notice that our heron did not have head plumage like the last pic from the web - not sure if age/sex makes a difference?
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