2 APRIL 2022 – NORTH MYRTLE BEACH, SC
Over the last two weeks we have enjoyed cruising the ICW along the South Carolina Coast from Hilton Head Island to North Myrtle Beach (part of the “Lowcountry”), and we have found many treasures along the way.
We spent a night at Harbourtown Yacht Basin overlooking an often-photographed lighthouse on Hilton Head Island and part of the swishy Sea Island Resort. This was in very sharp contrast to the very (!) rustic (!) Leland Oil Co. Marina we stopped at in McClellanville. And each had its own charm.
We loved touring the small town of Beaufort (“Bewfort”) and learning more about its role in reconstruction after the Civil War. It wasn’t just about rebuilding and forming new governments, but Beaufort became a model for teaching the newly-freed slaves how to read and write and conduct their lives in freedom. We also became intrigued with the culture of the Gullah Geechees or “Gullahs,” who created a common English-based creole language that allowed West African slaves of many tribes and dialects to communicate among themselves and with those of English and French Huguenot descent. We also discovered there are several Lowcountry areas where ancestors of the original Gullah people still live together and practice cultural traditions passed on through many generations—food, music, folklore, language, art, medicine and religion.
We’ve seen a number of shrimp boats with their huge outriggers that hold their nets out wide to catch the shrimp, and even found a large bed of oysters on the other side of our dock at McClellanville. (A few hours later, it was high tide and the oysters disappeared!)
Georgetown was another favorite stop where we could walk to the town center with all its shops, restaurants and museums. I found the BEST Pecan Pralines I’ve ever eaten as well as the best Garlic Green Pepper Jelly (great poured over a block of cream cheese and served with crackers for “Docktail” parties!).
Spontaneous Beaufort SC “Docktail” Party with 3 Looper couples we’d just met!
One highlight of Georgetown was The Rice Museum. For nearly 200 years, beginning early in the 18th Century, Georgetown County produced over 80% of the rice in the United States (called “Carolina Gold”). A shortage of labor after slaves were freed together with multiple hurricanes in the early 20th century wiped out the rice industry, but it was fascinating to learn how slaves with skills in growing rice in West Africa were specifically “recruited” to turn the “virgin swamps” of the Lowcountry into highly productive rice fields. We also learned how labor-intensive rice growing and harvesting is.
We chose not to play tourist in either Savannah GA or Charleston SC and purposely stayed at marinas that were not in town. We’ve been to both places by car and now prefer to explore the smaller towns. This gave us time to find treasures of all kinds including the quaint and sacred St. James-Santee Episcopal Church Chapel of Ease 1890 in McClellanville.
We also found many yards filled with blooming dogwood and azaleas and an ancient oak tree (said to be over 1000 years old!) .
In recent weeks, we’ve seen many blue and yellow flags of the Ukraine flying…on boats and on land. We especially liked this tribute to that country and its people.
We’ve spoken often of the friends we’ve met along the way on this America’s Great Loop Adventure. This continues to be one of the best surprises as we cruise the mostly-inland waterways of the eastern United States. These friendships will always be treasured. But I must include among the treasures of South Carolina our visit in North Myrtle Beach with a dear friend named Barbara whom I have known since our 50-year-old daughters were in kindergarten together in McLean, VA (a suburb of Washington, D.C. where I lived for 11 years until 1988). We were best friends and helped each other through many ups and downs, and I am so grateful we have kept in touch all these years. She has Parkinson’s now yet she is still filled with love and joy and gratitude for her dear husband and family and all the blessings in her life. I got to see her 4 days in a row and we had such a wonderful time. Her grandson created a very special painting for her:
No matter what is going on in the world or in our own lives, may we always look for and remember the treasures and be grateful for our blessings. And may we continue to spread the love, the joy and the gratitude, allowing it to ripple out to all we meet. Blessed be!
Cruising with Gary & Annie 