The Marsh is always Greener on the Other Side

                                                                                                Edisto Island, widely untouched by commercialism, has a natural beauty that will leave you stunned if you take the time to look.  Oak trees that are hundreds of years old, their limbs fanning out with Spanish Moss, white magnolia blossoms next to waxy green leaves emitting a sweet perfume around the area, the colorful sunrise or sunset reflecting across the water, and much more.  One of my favorite beauties to watch unfold is the green marsh grass.  The drive over the bridge is the best of view.  Every Spring the brown grass gets slowly washed away, after a full moon or a storm, bringing an especially high tide, you will see huge clumps of brown reeds floating down the river. 

        Growing up, there were times when these clumps would get so expansive that they would get caught on our dock and we could actually step off our dock and stand on the floating clumps of reeds.  The closest I've ever been to walking on water. 

        As these dead reeds get washed away, green ones take over.  The process starts slowly.  At first, the brown outnumbers the green, but as the Summer continues, the green patches grow and grow, waves of green and brown grasses fill the marshes.  By August, the marsh is covered with new bright green grass.  The blue water snakes through the grass, creating a beautiful sight that makes me feel home. 

        I always get excited when I see the tiny little grasses sprout up in the mud on the waters edge because it means that boiled peanuts, watermelon, and long hot summer days full of play are on the way.

By: Wesley Kapp

Good Local Eats

Main's Market is a delicious local restaurant located on Highway 174 directly after the turn for George and Pink's.  If you are new to the area or if you are a long time visiter, this place is a must.  Main's Market serves true Gullah cooking made with love by cooks who were born and raised on this island and probably have the cooking secrets of generations at their fingertips.  You will quickly learn that the low country is all about good eats and Edisto knows her food.  I would suggest trying the Tomato Pie, the shrimp or chicken salad, and you definitely can't go wrong with the hamburgers and fries.
You can eat in or take out, breakfast or lunch.  Not only is the food good, but the building is eccentric and fun too. 
Bo Bo's Bar-b-que- Craving some bar-b-que?  Po' Pig's has got the best, at least in my opinion.  Whether you go for the buffet or a sandwich, it'll be great.  The age old question of mustard or vinegar base will be answered when you take a bite.  The answer is Bo Bo.  Don't pass this one by when you drive onto the island.  Located next to the Horizon Gas Station and definitely worth the drive from the beach.
The Sea Cow- All I have to say is that when you leave you'll be saying, "MOOO-re please!"  Opened for breakfast, lunch, and dinner and every meal is tasty!
 
By: Wesley Kapp

Amos the Realty Dog

Prudential Kapp/Lyons Realty is a company made up of many hard workers who do their best to serve you well.  However, you may be surprised to find that our hardest worker is a young English Lab.  Amos lives on Edisto Island and he enjoys  sleeping in his kennel, hunting squirrels, going out in the boat, swimming, and he absolutely loves coming to work.  When you walk into our office you will likely find Amos snoring on the cool tile floor, greeting customers, or enjoying a dog bone in the back.  If you are a dog lover Amos will enjoy greeting you and playing with you while you are here.  If you would rather not associate with dogs, he will get the message right away and leave you alone.  Either way, he will make sure that you are happy.  'Cause that's what we're all about here on Edisto, making sure that you have a fun, relaxing time on  your vacation.  Even our dog wants you to have a good time.

By: Wesley Kapp

Keys to Relaxation

    If you are visiting Edisto I hope you plan on getting some much needed relaxation time.  There are lots of activities to do on Edisto and several different ways to rest.  Various activities include biking, walking, swimming, kayaking, paddle boarding, boating, and almost anything else you could imagine doing around the ocean.  However, if you are feeling a bit lazy on your vacation, I have a few less active things that you should probably try. 
    Go down to the Pig and pick up some string and chicken necks, grab a tide table, find a net, a cooler, and at low tide head down to a public dock and see if you can catch some blue crabs for dinner.  If you want to catch some Red fish go ahead and take some of the blue crab you caught and hook it on your fishing line.  Make sure you have your fishing license!
    Wake up kind of early in the morning, (stay with me, I know this sounds like we're off to a bad start, but stay with me!) brew some coffee, (getting better, right?), and sit outside on whatever deck, chair, bench, or dock that you can find.  Enjoy the morning quiet and the breeze and take the chance to simply sit with some tasty coffee or tea.
   Head over to the Pig to get some fixin's for lunch, pack a cooler and a picnic blanket and head down to the beach or find a nice grassy area at Botany Plantation.  If you're here in the summer, I'd suggest finding a shady and breezy area.  July can be a bit hot.  Complete your afternoon by playing in the surf at the beach.
    After your quiet morning and afternoon full of fun, there's only one thing I can think of that you could do to close out your lovely day in style.  Head down to King's Market and grab a bag of boiled peanuts and a glass bottle of coke.  Find somewhere facing the west and watch the sun go down as you enjoy your treat. If you want to get crazy, grab a moonpie to top it off.
    Do this every day and start to get used to enjoying yourself on Edisto.  Be careful though, because at the end of the week, you might not ever want to leave.  If that's the case, then welcome home.

By: Wesley Kapp

Old Mister King Fisher

   As adults, sometimes we forget what it's like to be a child.  We forget the fact that our children are constantly experiencing and learning things for the first time.  There are new words and discoveries everyday.  Sometimes this can lead to some pretty funny times of confusion and cute mix-ups.  When I was growing up, I had one such instance of confusion that I did not figure out until years later.
   I grew up on Edisto Island and like many homes on the island, we lived down a dirt road, Steamboat Landing Road, to be specific.  The road follows a small creek down to a boat landing.  We would drive by this creek everyday and many times there would be people fishing on the side of the road.  One day, riding home from school with my brother and sister, my mom pointed towards the creek and said, "There's old Mr. Kingfisher."  I looked around and all I could find was an old man fishing.  I assumed that he must be Mr. Kingfisher.  I did not know how she knew him, but she seemed pretty excited about him, so he must have been important.  I was not sure if his name was Mr. Kingfisher, or if she called him that because he fished all the time.
   My mom would point out Mr. Kingfisher a lot.  Sometimes, I would see him fishing, but a lot of times I would look around for the old man, and not being able to see him anywhere, exclaim, "Where? Where!?" It was pretty confusing for my mom to always be pointing out a fisherman that I could never find.  Eventually, I would pretend to spot him so I would not have ask where he was all the time.  I never could figure out where the illusive Mr. Kingfisher was always hiding.
   Years later, I am a little embarrassed to admit, but years later, as in when I was maybe twenty years old... Someone pointed out a Kingfisher to me.  For the first time, I actually saw it and in the same moment, it dawned on me.  Old Mister Kingfisher was a bird.  Memories of my confusion came back to me.  Years of trying to see a seemingly invisible man finally clicked.  I felt as if I had the answer to a question that had been unanswered my entire life.  Actually, I did.
   Kingfishers have now become my favorite bird.  Whenever I sight one, I feel slightly accomplished.  I also always think of my old friend Mister Kingfisher, the man I always looked for, but only found a few times. 
   When you visit the island be sure to look for this lovely bird.  They can usually be found by creeks, on telephone wires, or branches hanging over the marsh.  Go ahead and feel proud of yourself when you sight him for the first time because some people, like me for many years, may never catch a sight of him.  Be sure to point him out to the kids too!
  If you manage to actually get a good picture of him, even better!  Send it on over and we'll publish it on the blog. 

By: Wesley Kapp

5 Reasons to Visit Edisto

There are definitely more than 5 reasons to visit Edisto, but hopefully these few will give you a small idea of why we think this place is so great.

1. Water. You can sit on the beach all day, play in creeks, and go out in the boat.


2. Nature. Botany Bay Plantation and The State Park are both great places to check out the nature and wildlife of Edisto. If you wake up early one morning you might even get to see some turtle eggs hatch on the beach towards the end of summer.


3. Food. Not only are there a lot of delicious restaurants here, but there is also access to fresh local seafood. Does it get better than that?


4. Charleston. Edisto is a bit quieter than Charleston and by staying here, you get the best of both worlds. You have a nice relaxing stay on Edisto and you can take a day trip into Charleston. Whether it's shopping, carriage tours, ghost walks, or the market, Charleston has a lot of fun activities to offer.


5. The Beach. Slightly repetative, but some things are worth mentioning twice. Just in case you forgot that the beach was here.

Can you think of any more reasons why you should visit Edisto?

By: Wesley Kapp

Edisto Time

Edisto Island is a beautiful, historic island off the coast of South Carolina, about an hour south of Charleston. Edisto is a widely rural place, boasting only one grocery store and not much else outside of necessity. If you think it sounds a bit outdated, you are probably missing the point. Edisto's charm comes from not only the natural beauty of the oak trees, marsh, and ocean, but also from the way of life these things seem to promote here. Edisto Island has a vast and lush history and in that history there seems to be a tide of laid back living. It's not that people are lazy, but perhaps simply more relaxed here than in other places. You can call it whatever you like, but we call it Island Time. It's a more relaxed way of living. Don't worry if things seem to move a bit slower. You'll find that on
Edisto, it's all about enjoying the time you have and the people you are with. Lines might be a bit longer at the grocery store and the wait at the restaurant might seem like an eternity, but don't get too upset. The philosophy is not to fret, but to enjoy, and if you have sunrises like this to look at every morning, how could you not enjoy?
So, when you come to the island, be sure to savour your coffee in the morning as you sit on your porch and don't rush to do anything. Take time to look, watch, and enjoy the beautiful creation you have access to and leave the fretting in the city.




By: Wesley Kapp