menu



Edisto



The beach Village of the low country.



The ideal Spring break



They say 'it takes a village' and after a stay on Edisto Island in South Carolina's low country you begin to appreciate you can go home again.



Until the pandemic hit, it was my privilege to be invited by my cousin and her husband to their rental condo in Edisto for a week or so. Compared to Canada in late February it was rather like spring with warm, often sunny days, life reduced to the basics of eat, rest and wander and road trips to the fabulous towns and cities of the low country. Charleston is only an hour away, Beaufort a bit more and Savana a few hours. The flights were often adventures but that only added to the luster of a place that is so awesome it should be a ride through great oaks dribbling Spanish moss and dappled sunlight.



Beach living



The beach is a constant presence in Edisto. There are the daily tides, something you learn to become aware of and the constant pulse of the waves against the shore.



Change is constant as in the spring it can vary from a major storm, to overcast dull to blazing sun, the sun having the upper hand.



The local scene



The map to the right pretty much displays the local stomping grounds, Palmetto Blvd is the main road and it has 37 beach access stops off of it. In low season, there is a good chance for parking at most of them. Each guides you through the beach grass, to the beach and often a small bench. You are asked to stay to the path and not walk on the natural beach areas. Once on the beach sand you can wander. After a few days you will find you know where to eat, to golf, and which beachscape you prefer. They vary from the dramatic to the broad, from the ocean to a sheltered channel shore and at varying distances from the homes.



beachscapes





There is something for everyone on the arc of the beach that tips the island.



Atlantic ocean side looking toward Beaufort.



Oceanfront is always a premium.



The channel side. Dolphins swim here often as they feed.



My host and hostess well relaxed in winter.



Dolphin watch beach at the opening of the channel.



Porch living is almost required here.



It is all right to collect shells and finds on beach walks.



Fine sand everywhere for miles.



Shelling is great fun. Also found a pair of Wayfarers, an Apple Red phone, and a great, sun bleached hat.





Channel side walk.



Sand structure.



Metal search deep underway.



The long walk to the channel.



Channel side house sit further back.



Beach paths are made to protect the beach.



OK then, it is chilly.



Homes are large as you never go the beach alone.



The channel opening. Dolphins feed here.



The salt marsh, like the prairie demands you listen and watch closely for life.



The condo overlooked a small channel to a cluster of homes and a salt marsh with a hedgerow which hosted egrets. It was like having your own private view. For the first few years there was this alligator in one of the lakes on the golf course. Saying hi to him was a ritual part of many walks. They do not do much, as if they are in a life long game of statues. The egrets find their way up to Manitoba to our inland ocean where they are seen rarely but always with delight. To see them daily was a delight.





Egrets, pelicans and the gator.



The saltmarsh and channel is alive with birds, dolphins and drama. King tides, especially high tides that occur 3 or 4 times a year can fill the marsh and refresh much of it.



ROAD TRIPS



Edisto is an island in an area full of them. Beaufort is just across the channel but by road, it is a good hour or so away. Charleston is an hour and Savannah a few. There are attractions like Magnolia Gardens and the Angel Oak.



Carriage rides are very popular in the low country. Charleston, Beaufort, and Savannah all offer such tours. The finer B&B's can wrap you up in the atmosphere of the old south with fine antiques and lavish dining.



Charleston



mAGNOLIA PLANTATION AND GARDENS



Stunning gardens first planted in 1676.



A place TO WANDER IN BEAUTY



Beaufort



The prettiest little town in America.



hUNTINGTON BEACH



If the image moves click on it to see the larger view.



The only tea plantation in north america



The bush as a lawn



Not at all like the mountainside tea plantations across the world. Here, the tea bushes grow on flat fields in the forest. They do not pick by hand.



The elevated leaf mower



Specially designed and built mowing machines take off the top of the mature crop. They are taken away to be dried, sorted, and packaged.



the beauty of the South Carolina forests is captivating.



South Carolina forests have a blend of the familiar, the tropical and the floral. Most long lived properties tend to have all three levels. All the more reason to kick back on a cool porch and enjoy an iced tea.





Botany Bay



The ocean meets the great oaks to create a forested beachscape that is unique and protected. Many beaches have single and famous trees often draped in swinsuit models. Here, day trippers explore the ever changing beach with reverence.



SavannaH





This city revels in its history, centuries worth of a proper southern city with homes, parks, businesses, and a booming waterfront right up to the moment.



salt marsh



The ocean has a pulse, twice a day the waters rise, rest for a moment and then recede. Many living things depend upon this to continue living. What appears to be wild grass is a stage for birds. The ocean itself calls constantly, an infinity of possibility. Many chose to live on the water exclusively.