Tuesday, June 23, 2009

6.23.09 Chas Co Parks Event Calendar

Charleston County Parks

Thursday, June 18, 2009


For some Charleston County Park and Recreation Commission activities, a chaperon is required for participants 15 and younger. Registration is required for all programs and some special events. Call 795-4386 or visit www.ccprc.com to register.

SPECIAL EVENTS

Waterparks Open: Visit Whirlin' Waters, Splash Zone and Splash Island. Splash Zone waterpark within James Island County Park, Palmetto Islands' Splash Island waterpark and Wannamaker County Park's Whirlin' Waters Adventure Waterpark are open daily. For rates, visit www.splashparks.com.

Moonlight Mixer: Dance the night away under the stars at the Folly Beach Fishing Pier with the return of the popular Moonlight Mixers. On June 26 from 7-11 p.m., local DJ Rob Duren will spin the hottest oldies and beach music around. Advance tickets are $10 and $8 for Charleston County residents. If available, tickets purchased on-site are $10. Only 600 tickets will be sold for this event. No refunds or exchanges.

Pier Fishing Tournaments: Registration for all tournaments begins at 6 a.m. and takes place on-site only. Tournaments end at 4 p.m. and prizes are awarded at 4:15 p.m. For additional information, call the Folly Beach Fishing Pier at 588-3474. Meets at: Folly Beach Fishing Pier. Age: 3 and up. Fee: $12/$9 CCR Discount/$7 ages 3-12 CCR & NCR. $14/$12 CCR Discount (King Mackerel). 6 a.m.-4 p.m. June 27.

JUNE PROGRAMS

Early Morning Bird Walks at Caw Caw: The walk through distinct habitats allows participants to discuss birds, butterflies and other organisms. Preregistration is encouraged, but walk-ins are welcome. Meets at Caw Caw Interpretive Center. $5/free for Gold Pass members. 8:30 a.m.-noon June 20, 24, 27.

Parent & Child Trips: Folly River Kayaking. Join group for a paddle along Folly River. A registered and paid chaperon is required for participants ages 16 and under. Preregistration required. Meets at: CCPRC Headquarters. Age: 8 and up. Fee: $34/$28 CCR Discount. 9 a.m.-3 p.m. June 20.

Triathlon Series: The Charleston Triathlon Club presents the 19th annual Sprint Triathlon Series. This year's series will consist of four triathlons and will include a 0.3-mile swim, a 13-mile bike ride and a 5K run. Events are June 21, July 12, Aug. 2 and Aug. 16. To register, contact Paul King at 881-8872.

Local Sea Kayak Trips: Morris Island Lighthouse Kayak Tour. Come on out and explore your Lowcountry backyard waterways. Paddle from Sunrise Park to Morris Island. Once there, group will highlight the cultural history of this barrier island. Pre-registration required. Meets at: CCPRC Headquarters. Age: 16 and up. Fee: $54/$45 CCR Discount. 9 a.m.-5 p.m. June 21.

Introduction to Climbing: Climbing Technique 101. Climb smarter not harder, as group covers the basics of climbing technique where small gains in technique lead to big gains in ability. Pre-registration required. Meets at: James Island County Park. Age: 10 and up. Fee: $30/$25 CCR Discount. 10 a.m.-1 p.m. June 21.

Surf Seining: Gain a new perspective on creatures of the surf zone. A registered and paid chaperon is required for participants ages 15 and under. Pre-registration required. Meets at: Isle of Palms County Park. Age: 6 and up. Fee: $9/$7 CCR Discount. 5-6:30 p.m. June 23.

Summer Entertainment Series: JuggleSTUFF, starring Ben Matthews, will provide an entertaining show that will involve juggling knives, balls and clubs. Seating begins at 9:30 a.m. Advance registration for groups of 15 or more required seven days prior to each show. Only 300 seats will be sold for each show.

-- Meets at: Wannamaker County Park Cypress Hall. Age: Best suited for ages 3-12. Fee: $5/$4 CCR Discount/$5 walk-in/Free: chaperons and children ages 2 and under. 10-11 a.m. June 24.

-- Meets at: James Island County Park Edisto Hall. Age: Best suited for ages 3-12. Fee: $5/$4 CCR Discount/$5 walk-in/Free: chaperons and children ages 2 and under. 10-11 a.m. June 25.

Introduction to Climbing: Rescue for Climbers 101. Learn valuable rescue skills for your next rock climbing trip. Preregistration required. Meets at: James Island County Park. Age: 16 and up. Fee: $72/$60 CCR Discount. 9 a.m.-5 p.m. June 27.

Introduction to Climbing: Knots, Knots, Knots. Experienced staff will walk you through some of climbing's basic knots and a few of the more advanced ones as well. Pre-registration required. Meets at: James Island County Park. Age: 14 and up. Fee: $18/$15 CCR Discount. 10 a.m.-noon June 27.

Step & Steep — A Tea Farm Tea Party: Tea, once grown commercially at Caw Caw and now naturalized, thrives under oak and pine trees here. A registered and paid chaperon is required for participants ages 15 and under. Pre-registration required. Meets at: Caw Caw Interpretive Center. Age: 9 and up. Fee: $10/$8 CCR Discount. 11 a.m.-1 p.m. June 27.

6.23.09 Be a volunteer on your vacation

Gateway to independence

Habitat for Humanity home-repair program helps teen with cerebral palsy achieve self-sufficiency

The Post and Courier
Thursday, June 18, 2009


Rick Singletary (left), a volunteer from the James Island Zaxby’s, and Tripp Clayton, a Lowcountry Zaxby’s partner, install a new window for Eula Thompson’s house.

Almar Flotildes
The Post and Courier

Rick Singletary (left), a volunteer from the James Island Zaxby’s, and Tripp Clayton, a Lowcountry Zaxby’s partner, install a new window for Eula Thompson’s house.

Micah Greene, 17, checks his e-mail on his desktop computer. Micah, Eula Thompson's grandson, has cerebral palsy but is able to control the computer using a special device that lets his head movements control the mouse.

Almar Flotildes
The Post and Courier

Micah Greene, 17, checks his e-mail on his desktop computer. Micah, Eula Thompson's grandson, has cerebral palsy but is able to control the computer using a special device that lets his head movements control the mouse.

Laurel Prichard, volunteer coordinator for Habitat for Humanity, talks with Thompson, one of the first recipients of Habitat's new home repair program. New windows and doors will be installed at her West Ashley home. Ramps leading outside will also be built and her back porch will be enclosed with screens.

Almar Flotildes
The Post and Courier

Laurel Prichard, volunteer coordinator for Habitat for Humanity, talks with Thompson, one of the first recipients of Habitat's new home repair program. New windows and doors will be installed at her West Ashley home. Ramps leading outside will also be built and her back porch will be enclosed with screens.

Dani Montgomery (left), a volunteer from the Azalea Square Zaxby's, removes glass from the aluminum siding as Phillip Atkins (center) strips the siding from another window. A team from several Zaxby's locations across the Lowcountry came to help out last week  with Charleston Habitat's second home-repair project. Also pictured (from left) are Thompson, Prichard and Clayton.

Almar Flotildes
The Post and Courier

Dani Montgomery (left), a volunteer from the Azalea Square Zaxby's, removes glass from the aluminum siding as Phillip Atkins (center) strips the siding from another window. A team from several Zaxby's locations across the Lowcountry came to help out last week with Charleston Habitat's second home-repair project. Also pictured (from left) are Thompson, Prichard and Clayton.

Phillip Atkins, a volunteer from the Sam Rittenberg Zaxby's, works from inside Eula Thompson's bedroom to remove an old window siding.

Almar Flotildes
The Post and Courier

Phillip Atkins, a volunteer from the Sam Rittenberg Zaxby's, works from inside Eula Thompson's bedroom to remove an old window siding.

Micah Greene, a teenager with cerebral palsy, is bound mostly to his wheelchair. Since his hands and arms move uncontrollably, he can't do many things by himself. But just like a lot of teens, his innate desire for independence is there.

About a week into summer break after his first year in high school, his grandmother, Eula Thompson, pushed Micah, 17, to his desk and tried to help him navigate through the icons on his desktop computer, which was donated to him. But he complained to her that he wanted do it himself.

"Just like a teenager," Thompson said lovingly. "Wants to be more independent."

Though it takes him a bit longer than most people, Micah can check his e-mail, advance to new levels on Internet games and do other things on the computer that Thompson, 68, said she can't even figure out.

When Thompson adopted her grandson in 1997 after his mother could no longer take care of him, she was always looking to make her West Ashley home more accessible for Micah. She just didn't have the resources to make it happen.

Thankfully, her prayers were answered by Habitat for Humanity.

Known mainly for constructing new homes for needy families, Charleston Habitat started a new program earlier this year called the Homeowner Home Repair Program where qualified families are able to get their homes repaired to become more livable and before they become too dilapidated.

The program has been a five-year concept geared toward older folks that has now come to fruition, according to Kayla Droney, Charleston Habitat's director of development.

"We saw that there was a huge need for these home repairs," Droney said.

So far, Thompson is the second beneficiary among three families who are scheduled to get the home-repair treatment from the program this year.

Charleston Habitat has almost completed renovating a North Charleston home belonging to a disabled woman. They replaced Andrea Gardner's asbestos siding, installed energy-efficient doors and windows, replaced her roof and made her bathroom handicap-accessible. (To read the story, go to: Self-confidence blooms in service to Habitat families.)

Habitat is doing much of the same to Thompson's home, where she's lived since 1995. By next month, volunteers will finish enclosing Thompson's back porch with screen covers and installing ramps that lead outside along with new doors and storm windows to help with energy costs.

Workers from several Zaxby's restaurants around the Lowcountry helped start the work last week.

Tripp Clayton, a Zaxby's partner, said they do service projects around the community each quarter.

"I think it's real important to support the community where we do business," Clayton said. "Projects like this give us an opportunity to get involved."

When the repairs are done, Micah can go onto the back porch, free of biting gnats, and play music, which Thompson said he loves to do outside. Micah, who plays baseball with the Charleston Miracle League and is in the Navy Junior ROTC at West Ashley High School, said he loves listening to the Jonas Brothers.

"You don't know what a blessing it was," Thompson said about finding out she was on the list to get her home remodeled.

Thompson, who said she lives to serve God and to serve others, retired in 2000 from her patient care assistant job at the Medical University of South Carolina. She's involved in several organizations, including a health ministry and the Advocacy Coalition for People with Disabilities.

She's lived on the biblical philosophy of helping others who can't help themselves, she said. Along with taking care of Micah, Thompson has helped five foster children who have gone on to be adopted by other families.

"I decided that I was not just going to retire," Thompson said. "I wanted to give back and make sure I was not living in vain."

Now that people are giving back to her, Thompson said she's still doing everything for Micah.

"I want to show him that he can get the best help and get the best love I can give him," Thompson said. "And help him become the best that God wants him to be."

For more information about the program, or if you want to help, contact Charleston Habitat for Humanity at 722-7145 or visit www.charlestonhabitat.org.

Reach Almar Flotildes at 937-5659 or aflotildes@postandcourier.com.

6.23.09 5 Day Forecast


5 Day Forecast for ZIP Code 29439

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Sunday, June 14, 2009

6.14.09 Charleston Roses

Former nuisance is coming up roses

Sunday, June 14, 2009
What once was a civic nuisance is now Charleston's newest source of civic pride. Several years ago, downtown merchants and residents griped about youths selling roses that they wove from palmetto fronds.
Read MoreRead More

6.14.09 Goodwill planting

Planting goodwill on Wadmalaw Island

Garden Club of Charleston landscapes property for Sea Island Habitat for Humanity

The Journal
Thursday, June 11, 2009


Kennitha LaBoard and her children — Z'aire, 2, (right); Dominic, 5; and Tremayne, 10 months — check out a vegetable garden planted by the Garden Club of Charleston at their Habitat for Humanity home on Wadmalaw Island.

Edward Fennell
The Post and Courier

Kennitha LaBoard and her children — Z'aire, 2, (right); Dominic, 5; and Tremayne, 10 months — check out a vegetable garden planted by the Garden Club of Charleston at their Habitat for Humanity home on Wadmalaw Island.

Ripening tomatoes hang from vines planted by the Garden Club of Charleston at the Habitat home of Kennitha LaBoard. She said the family will be grateful for the fresh fruits and vegetables the garden will provide all summer.

Edward Fennell
The Post and Courier

Ripening tomatoes hang from vines planted by the Garden Club of Charleston at the Habitat home of Kennitha LaBoard. She said the family will be grateful for the fresh fruits and vegetables the garden will provide all summer.

Two-year-old Z'aire LaBoard is ready to roll on his toy tractor and to continue the landscaping efforts the Garden Club of Charleston started at his Wadmalaw Island home.

Edward Fennell
The Post and Courier

Two-year-old Z'aire LaBoard is ready to roll on his toy tractor and to continue the landscaping efforts the Garden Club of Charleston started at his Wadmalaw Island home.

Becky Greene (left) and Sue Lawley, both of the Garden Club of Charleston, show 2-year-old Z'aire LaBoard some of the flowering plants the club put in place beside the LaBoards' home.

Edward Fennell
The Post and Courier

Becky Greene (left) and Sue Lawley, both of the Garden Club of Charleston, show 2-year-old Z'aire LaBoard some of the flowering plants the club put in place beside the LaBoards' home.

Kennitha LaBoard (right) and her family — Tremayne (in stroller), Z'aire (next to LaBoard) and Dominic — on the steps of their Habitat for Humanity Home on Wadmalaw Island. Their acre of property was landscaped as part of a Garden Club of Charleston annual project.

Edward Fennell
The Post and Courier

Kennitha LaBoard (right) and her family — Tremayne (in stroller), Z'aire (next to LaBoard) and Dominic — on the steps of their Habitat for Humanity Home on Wadmalaw Island. Their acre of property was landscaped as part of a Garden Club of Charleston annual project.

Z'aire LaBoard is just 2, but after watching the Garden Club of Charleston put flowers, trees, bushes and fruit- and vegetable-bearing plants around his Wadmalaw Island home, the little lad was ready to do some more landscaping on his toy tractor.

The boy and his toy will have to wait a little longer for the chance. The garden club did a thorough job this spring landscaping the Sea Island Habitat for Humanity property.

The club considered some sites close by but settled on the LaBoard property for its annual spring landscaping project.

The site is 30 miles from Charleston, but in taking on the project, the club extended its outreach while fulfilling a commitment to the National Garden Club's Open Your Hearts and Hands Project, said outgoing Charleston club President Becky Greene.

"We are a working garden club," added club member Sue Lawley, who headed up the landscaping project. "This is one small project. We maintain five gardens in town."

Lawley got several businesses on James and Johns islands involved and organized the volunteer labor force.

For Kennitha LaBoard, who owns the three-bedroom home that was landscaped, the club planted more than just attractive and functional vegetation all around the property. The club planted a lot of goodwill, she said.

LaBoard is the mother of Z'aire, 5-year-old Dominic and 10-month-old Tremayne. Mom said she's grateful for the entire project.

The decorative plants will improve the exterior views, and the tomatoes, peppers, watermelons and other fruits and vegetables the family will harvest will make delicious salads and side dishes. The crops also will help keep down the family's grocery bill, she predicted.

"Tremayne and I eat a lot of spinach and a lot of tomatoes," LaBoard said.

A lifelong Wadmalaw Island resident, LaBoard works at Sea Island Habitat's ReStore. When she heard that the garden club had chosen a Sea Island home for a landscaping project, she at first was unaware that the site was her home.

Lawley said the club in the past has chosen Habitat of Charleston sites for its landscaping projects. "But they didn't have a home available for us to landscape in this time period," she said.

LaBoard, who moved with her children into the Richard McCloud Lane Habitat home this year, was at work at the ReStore when she learned in a discussion with Greene that her home was the one the club chose for its 2009 project.

Greene also didn't know at first that she was talking to the occupant of the home that was going to be landscaped. Greene recalled the conversation after telling LaBoard the project was for a Sea Island home.

"Is it on Wadmalaw?" LaBoard asked. "Is it at McCloud Lane?"

Yes and yes.

They put two and two together.

Greene and Lawley said the home sites for most of the previous landscaping projects usually were small. After choosing the Wadmalaw site, the club realized the lots there are much bigger than what they usually work on in Charleston.

Zoning at the Wadmalaw site requires that new single-family homes occupy a lot size of at least 1 acre, the women said. So the club faced a daunting task with a much larger project than usual, involving not only much more ground to work with but also a larger budget and more labor, they said.

"We had in the budget a tiny little yard, and we ended up with an acre," Greene said.

The club put in $1,500 for the Wadmalaw project, "And we spent it all," Greene noted.

Donors helped, including the Hyams Garden and Accent Store on Folly Road, which provided 26 plants valued at more than $500, and Sodbusters, which installed four pallets of St. Augustine grass.

All Seasons Mulch delivered 75 bales of pine straw to the site, and Lowe's on James Island and in West Ashley and Home Depot in West Ashley all provided discounted plants.

The actual planting took place in mid-April over a span of a little more than two days. But a lot more time than that went into planning, purchasing and transporting supplies and tools and organizing the volunteer labor force, the club members said.

"It was a gargantuan effort on everyone's part, and you came away feeling really good about doing something nice for someone else," said Barbara Heddinger, who handles public relations for the club.

For more about the garden club, see http://ocw.esiteasp.com/ gardenclubofcharleston/home.nxg. For more about Sea Island Habitat, see www.seaisland habitat.org/index.htm.

Reach Edward C. Fennell at efennell@postandcourier.com or 937-5560.

6.14.09 Folly Forecast


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Current Conditions - Folly Beach, SC

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Pressure: 29.95 in
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Visibility: 10.0 miles
Updated: 10:15 PM EDT on June 14, 2009 at Charleston, South Carolina(KJZI)
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5 Day Forecast for ZIP Code 29439

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6.14.09 City Gallery

CONTEMPORARY CHARLESTON 2009: REVELATION OF PROCESS
The City Gallery at Waterfront Park Presents:
Graffiti: Past, Present, and Future
A Lecture with Ishmael
Ishmael Wall
Upcoming Lectures:

Ben Timpson: June 20
Karin Olah:
June 27
Dorothy Netherland:
July 11
Jonathan Brilliant: July 18
Ishmael was born in Madrid, Spain to Cuban parents and raised in Florida. Influenced by his family of artists and the metro bus routes through South West Miami, he taught himself to paint with spray paint secretly after receiving a tongue lashing by his aunt for his interest in graffiti.
In the year 1999 he chose the name Ishmael for his art. His focus was to bring attention to a book called Ishmael by Daniel Quinn. Quinn questions the human condition and talks about spiritual adventure, tackling the status quo, and reinventing yourself.
Ishmael's new work unifies his rebellious history with a journey into fine art. The work combines graphic forms with feminine organic shapes and bold masculine hard lines using fire, spray enamel, latex and ink. He splits his time between Charleston and Asheville, North Carolina. Using a word of mouth, street approach to networking--stickers, live painting collaborations with musicians, shows--Ishmael enjoys an international reputation as a skilled, provocative artist.
Contemporary ChasGraffiti: Past, Present, and Future

A Lecture with Ishmael !

When: June 13, 2009
12:00 pm
Where: City Gallery
At Waterfront Park
34 Prioleau St. Charleston,
SC 29401
* Free and Open to the public!
Ishmael- remember

City Gallery at Waterfront Park

34 Prioleau Street
Charleston, SC 29401
(843) 958-6484
citygallery@ci.charleston.sc.us
Office of Cultural Affairs
180 Meeting Street, Suite 200
Charleston, SC 29401
(843) 724-7305
culturalaffairs@ci.charleston.sc.us

Monday, June 1, 2009

6.01.09 June Event Calendar

June 2009

Sweetgrass Cultural Arts Festival
06/05/2009 - 06/06/2009
The highly anticipated Sweetgrass Festival will celebrate the rich Gullah Geechee cultural heritage and provides the most extensive showcase of sweetgrass baskets in the Lowcountry area.

Spoleto Finale at Middleton Place
06/07/2009
Bring a blanket and picnic supper to enjoy under the live oaks on the Middleton Place Greensward.

14th Annual Sea Island Habitat for Humanity Golf Benefit
06/07/2009
Let’s play…let’s build! Build a house with a golf club? That’s right, we are going to tee-up to help reach our goal to fund at least one house.

Blues & BBQ Harbor Cruises
06/11/2009, 06/25/2009
Cruise Charleston harbor, enjoy a Home Team BBQ Buffet and hot Live BLUES from Shrimp City Slim.

The Rice Planters Amateur Golf Tournament
06/23/2009 - 06/27/2009
Welcome to the Annual Rice Planters Amateur Golf Tournament, an elite amateur event that brings together national and international amateur golfers.

Charleston Harbor Fest
06/26/2009 - 06/28/2009
Come visit Charleston's celebration of the sea which spans over both sides of the harbor with Tall Ships from all over the world, family boat building, art and marine exhibits, children's villages and zones, and much more!

From Slave to Sharecropper: Exhibit to Highlight African American Experiences in the Lowcountry after the Civil War
06/12/2008 - 08/31/2009
The Charleston Museum will present an original exhibition to commemorate the bicentennial of the abolition of the international slave trade in the United States and the British Empire...

Charleston Farmers Market

04/11/2009 - 12/19/2009
offer Charleston residents and visitors fresh locally grown produce and locally processed food products as well as distinctive hand wrought arts and crafts and will continue every Saturday until Dec. 19.

6.01.09 LIVE - Surf Web Cam

Folly Beach SC


Enjoy live feeds from our webcam that is placed at "The Washout", a popular surf spot on the Folly Beach coastline.

6.01.09 Surfs Up!

Folly Beach Surfing

Folly Beach is one the top spots for surfing on the east coast. Folly also hosts a number of surfing contests every year including the Wahine Contest in May. While the "Washout" is considered the best waves on Folly, there are several other spots popular among surfers. When is the best surfing on Folly? When a storm is coming or passing nearby.

The links below will help you find the top surfing spots, learn where to get surf lessions, find monthly Folly Beach tide charts, surf shops and surf photos. If you have surf photos you would like to share, please send them to me at Jeanne@follybeach.com.

Keep an eye on this spot....we have new surf cams coming soon!!!

on folly beach Top Spots for Surfing on Folly
Tide Chart
Surfing Lessons on Folly
Surfing Links
Surf Shops on Folly Beach
Folly Beach Surf Cams
Local Surf Photos
SurfRider Foundation

6.01.09 Morris Island Lighthouse

Morris Island Lighthouse

lighthouse
Morris Island Lighthouse

Morris Island lighthouse stands all alone about 300 yards off shore from the island of Folly Beach. It can be viewed from the northeast end of Folly Island and from the bridge coming on to Folly Beach.

The Morris Island lighthouse is now completely surrounded by water but was once sitting on a good sized island with numerous buildings around it. The lighthouse was completed in 1876 and was the second lighthouse to be built on the island.

In the 1700s there were three islands that stretched for four miles between Folly Island and Sullivan’s Island. They were named Middle Bay Island, Morrison Island, and Cummings Point. The first Charleston lighthouse was built on Middle Bay Island in 1767. The lighthouse was designed by Samuel Cardy and built by Adam Miller and Thomas Young. The tower was cylindrical and stood 102 feet tall. The lantern room had a revolving lamp that had a range of about 12 miles. In 1858 a Fresnel lens was installed.

In the early 1800s the channel leading to Charleston began to shift causing a change in the tidal currents. Sand began to build up between the islands and this resulted in the three islands merging into a single island. Since Morrison Island was the central of the three earlier islands, the now single island was called Morrison Island. Later the name was shortened to Morris Island.

The first Charleston lighthouse continued to provide service up to the Civil War. In 1861 the fleeing Confederate soldiers blew up the lighthouse so northern troops could not use it.

Following the civil war, in 1873, Congress appropriated money for the rebuilding of the Morris Island Lighthouse (then referred to as the Charleston Main Light). The lighthouse was completed in 1876 approximately 400 yards from the earlier tower. It stood 161 feet tall and was patterned after the Bodie Light of the Outer Banks in North Carolina. It even used the same paint scheme as a day mark – black and white horizontal stripes. There were a total of 15 buildings on the island besides the lighthouse tower. Included in these were the keeper’s quarters, various outbuildings, and a one-room schoolhouse (the school teacher came over from the mainland on Monday, taught the children during the week and returned to the mainland on Friday).

Toward the end of the 1800s the channel had again shifted, but this time the change threatened the Charleston Harbor. In order to keep the channel open several jetties had to be built. These were completed in 1889. Although the channel into Charleston was saved, the changing tidal currents resulting from the jetties caused severe erosion on Morris Island. The island began to shrink. By 1938 many of the buildings were destroyed and others moved. The light was automated in 1938 and the Fresnel lens was removed.

morris island

Since 1938 over 1600 feet of land surrounding the tower has been lost. Today it stands alone, completely surrounded by water. In 1962 the Sullivan’s Island lighthouse was built to replace the Morris Island Light, which was decommissioned. The U.S. Coast Guard had plans to demolish the tower but petitions from local residents saved the structure. The Coast Guard built an underground steel wall around the tower to protect it from further erosion damage. The lighthouse is now privately owned and efforts are underway to preserve the Morris Island Light.


The Morris Island Coalition - www.morrisisland.org - is working hard to protect Morris Island. The Morris Island Lighthouse Project - www.savethelight.org - is working to preserve and restore the lighthouse. Please visit their sites and learn much more about the rich history of Morris Island.
Directions: The Morris Island Lighthouse can best be seen from the northeast end of Folly Beach. Take East Ashley Street until it ends. There is a parking lot there and then it is about a 1/4 mile walk to the beach.

6.01.09 Folly History

Our Evolution

The History of Folly Beach – A Timeline

The word "Folly" is an Old English word meaning an area of dense foliage

1600’s Early settlers found an Indian tribe, the Bohickets, inhabiting the island

1696 Folly Island was deeded to William Rivers.

1744 Folly was passed down through a generation and sold to Henry Samsways whose deed referred to the Island as "Coffin Land" and a map from 1780 depicts Folly as such. However, a map dated 1800 shows Coffin Land as the western end of Folly Island where the State Park is now. The name Coffin Land came from the fact that it was customary for ships with plague or cholera victims to the leave the ill travelers on barrier islands before they entered the Charleston port. On their way back out to sea, they would pick up the survivors and bury the dead.

1832 The ship Amelia wrecked on Folly Island while sailing from New York to New Orleans. Twenty of 120 passengers died of cholera while marooned on Folly Island and Charleston cut off communications and supplies to the Island, fearing it would spread into Charleston and become an epidemic.

1838 Thomas Gillespie, a Scottish captain, died on Folly. His marker still stands at the southeastern end of the Island.

1860’s The first shots of the Civil War were fired by Citadel Cadets on Morris Island. Three months later Beauregard’s men fired on Ft. Sumter. The Union army took Folly Island and Morris Island on their way to Charleston

1920’s Rumors of bootlegging on the Island. The original Pavilion was built.

1930’s The new Atlantic Pavilion, Boardwalk, Pier and Oceanfront Hotel were built where the Holiday Inn now stands.

1932 Nine families lived on the Island year-round

1934 Gershwin stayed at 708 West Artic and wrote Porgy & Bess. He also judged a local beauty contest.

1937 Over 15,000 people were at the Pier for the 4th of July celebration

1940’s Many homes were built, improvements made to roads & utilities

1955 Elmer "Trigger" Burke (the man who killed Joseph "Specs" O’Keefe of the $1.2 million Brinks robbery) rented a cottage on Folly and was arrested by the FBI on the corner of Erie & Center Street.

1956 The wooden Folly River bridge was replaced with a concrete bridge

1957 The Oceanfront Hotel and Pavilion and Joe’s Restaurant burned

1960’s Ocean Plaza was opened with 1700 feet of boardwalk, pier, amusement rides, shops, roller skating and concessions. This was the Golden Era of Folly Beach. The first surfboard on the Island was introduced by Pat Thomas.

1964 Palm reading was banned on Folly

1967 Horseback riding was banned on the Island

1977 The Pier burned again, suspected arson

1985 Holiday Inn was built

1989 Hurricane Hugo destroyed many homes and devastated the beaches

1995 The current Pier, restaurant and tackle shop was built

Resource: Time and Tide on Folly Beach South Carolina, Gretchen Stringer-Robinson (1998)

6.01.09 Tis the season . . . .

Folly’s Turtles

Loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta) crawl onto the beach at Folly between May and September to lay eggs. Females nest between 2 and 5 times in one season and do not return for two to three years to repeat the nesting cycle. It is believed that they nest on the beach where they were hatched decades earlier. Therefore, the sustainability of nesting at Folly is dependent upon proper management of these nesting sites.

Because Folly Beach is prone to severe erosion and the dune system is unstable, the nesting sites are precarious and require daily monitoring. Mother turtles come ashore at night to lay approximately 100 eggs. The eggs incubate for 45 to 60 days. Hatchlings emerge, usually at night when sand temperatures cool and the chance of predation is lessened. Before their protein-packed burst of energy is depleated, they must swim to the shelter of Gulf Stream sargassam floats thirty miles away.

In recent years, loggerhead sea turtles nesting at Folly Beach have produced

  • 3200 hatchlings from 38 nests (1998)
  • 4084 hatchlings from 45 nests (1999)
  • 3094 hatchlings from 41 nests (2000)

Even with the best of nest conservation efforts, it is estimated that only about 1 of 1000 hatchlings will live to adult reproductive age.

Frequently Asked Questions about Folly Turtles

Q: What kind of turtles?
A: Mostly loggerheads (Caretta caretta); “northern sub-species” that nests in Georgia, SC, NC; genetically distinct from “southern” (Florida) species; population #s much smaller than southern. In 2003, Folly had one leatherback nest that produced 67 leatherback hatchlings. It was only the 3d leatherback nest ever recorded in SC.

Q: When do they nest?
A: About mid-May (sometimes earlier) until about mid-August (sometimes later)

Q: How big are they?
A: About 3’ long and almost as wide; 250-300 pounds

Q: How do they make the nest?
A: They dig with their back flippers

Q: How long does it take?
A: About 30-45 minutes just to dig; another 30-45 minutes to emerge from ocean, find suitable nest site, and return to ocean.

Q: How deep are the eggs?
A: Bottom of the nest is typically about 18” — as deep as the turtle’s back flipper can reach — but topmost eggs can be only 8-10” from surface.

Q: How many eggs per nest?
A: Multi-year average for northern sub-species is 126.

Q: How long until hatching?
A: 45 - 65 days; Folly’s average last year = 56 days

Q: The mother doesn’t come back?!
A: That’s right.

Q: Why are you moving the eggs?
A: To protect them from water (tide inundation/ erosion)

Q: What can harm the eggs?
A: Too much heat, too much water, bacteria & nest diggers (roots, ants, sand crabs, racoons, dogs, people)

Q: What can harm the hatchlings?
A: Too much heat, too much water before leaving the nest, artificial lighting, ants, ghost crabs, dogs, birds, fish, people

Q: What can harm the adult turtles?
A: Sharks, boats/ships, fishing nets & lines, trash & pollutants, diseases, obstructions on beach, people

Q: Does the use of TEDs reduce turtle deaths?
A: YES!

Q: When can I see a turtle nesting or a nest hatching?
A: Very rarely. Both usually take place at night and according to turtle time. To feel safe, the nesting turtles need a NATURAL habitat (dark, quiet, motionless). To have the best chance, the hatchlings need NATURAL lighting & no obstructions between the nest and the ocean.

Q: How can I find out more?
A: For more information about turtle nesting on Folly, e-mail your questions to the crew. For more information about loggerheads and other sea turtles, visit Links.

6.01.09 Folly Nature

Folly Beach Nature & Wildlife

Turtle Watch
Folly Tide Chart
Dolphins
Sea Shells
Trees, Plants & Flowers
Other Wildlife on Folly Beach
Folly Weather & Surf Cam
Hurricane Information
SurfRider Foundation
Help Keep Folly Beaches Clean

6.01.09 Tee It Up!

Golf Courses

golf

golfing

At Kiawah Island Golf Resort, golfers tee up against the works of the masters of modern golf architecture - Pete Dye, Tom Fazio, Clyde Johnston, Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player. The result is a collection of golf courses as diverse as the architects themselves.

Visit the Kiawah Island Golf Resort Web Site

The Ocean Course - Host of the 1991 Ryder Cup Matches and the 1997 World Cup of Golf, the 7300 yard this course offers the most challenging golf se

Osprey Point - offers water views from every hole, and its new clubhouse encompasses over 14,000 square feet of pro shop and semi-private dinin

Oak Point - a Scottish-American style par-72 course, challenging to both novice and experienced golfer.

Turtle Point - Host to many tournaments including the 1990 PGA Cup Matches, Turtle Point features three spectacular oceanfront holes.

Cougar Point - our completely new par-72 course, designed to championship standards that will challenge every player.

folly beach golfing

golfing

Charleston National Country Club and Learning Center

1360 Highway 17 North
Mt. Pleasant, SC 29464
Shop: (843) 884-7799
Academy: (843) 884-3969
Fax: (843) 881-0756

Unabashedly beautiful, it is a golf course of high standards and impeccable taste. Designer Rees Jones calls it, "one of the elite venues in golf." Ranked as the #1 non-resort course in the Charleston area by Golf Magazine.

Visit the Charleston National Web Site


Charleston National is a spectacular eighteen-hole championship course designed by Rees Jones. This year round layout meanders through the marshland and natural lagoons which add beauty, as well as challenge to the course. Strategically placed wooden bridges carry the golfer over the natural areas from the tee box to the green. If you are looking for a visual experience and a challenging but fun golf course, Charleston National should be put on your must-play list.

golf

Oak Point Golf Course, Johns Island

4255 Bohicket Road,
Johns Island, SC 29455
843-768-7431

"Oak Point offers both wide windswept open spaces that stretch along salt marshlands and dense spaces of live oaks, magnolias, pines and palmetto palms."

This beautiful course is frequently described as a Scottish-American style course. It has the best of both golfing experiences. Also indicative of the low Country is Oak Point's fresh water wetlands (alligators included) and winding creeks. Oak Point borders on Haulover Creek and was built on the rounds of an old indigo and cotton plantation. Its play is challenging to both the novice and the experienced professional. Group rates, family discounts and season passes are available as well as 2, 3, and 5 day series discounts. Come experience Low Country golf. The Scottish way at Oak Point Golf Course.

General Manager: Richard Rankin
Club Pro: Kevin Zemnickas
Architect: Arthur Hills
Course Record: 60
by Tommy "Two Gloves" Gainey

golfing

Ladies

Men

Champ


Yardage

4956

5952

6759

Par

72

72

72

Rating

69.8

69.8

73.8

Slope

121

127

140


golfing

Patriots Point Links, Mt. Pleasant

Patriots Point Links
100 Club House Drive
Mt. Pleasant, SC 29464
843-881-0042

"Overlooking Charleston Harbor."

One round on this harborside links course will confirm its popularity. A subtle and rolling course, the Links' pleasing appearance belies its most devilish feature: the winds blowing from the harbor. This factor gives it a certain unpredictability, especially on hole #17, a short 3 par whose green reaches into the harbor, giving golfers a real test for birdie. The constantly changing natural conditions of Patriots Point Links, coupled with the breathtaking vistas, combine to give varied dimensions to this course that promises to be a rewarding experience each time you play it.

Club Pro: David Nelson
Architect: Willard Byrd
Course Record:63

golfing


Yards Par Rating Slope
Champ 6838 72 72.1 118
Men 6274 72 69.5 113
Forward 5562 72 71.0 115

Greens Fees: $20 or Less
Course Type: public
Dress Code: No tank tops or cutoffs
Season: Open all year


Tee Par Yardage Course Rating Slope
Blue 72 6411 70.2 112
White 72 6161 69.1 110
Red 72 5202 69.2 114

City of Charleston (Municipal) Golf Course

2110 Maybank Hwy
Charleston, SC 29412
Phone: (843)795-6517
Fax: (843)406-6517

This course, built at the turn of the century, has a few scenic holes built within the marshlands. Locals say that it is the oldest course in Charleston.

6.01.09 Folly Arts

Folly Beach Art, Theater, Music & Dancing

Folly Beach Art Galleries
Folly Arts Center
Charleston Art Dealers and Art Galleries
Local Folly BeachArtists
Actors Theatre of South Carolina
Theatre
Local Folly Beach Music & Dancing
Charleston Beach Music by Harbor Towne Entertainment