Come to Edisto Island & Meet Nature up Close at

BOTANY BAY WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT AREA

Highlights of any Edisto vacation have always included a sense of escape from the hustle and bustle of normal routines (“Edislow”), the magical sounds of the surf and the nearness of nature. On July 1, 2007, a new natural treasure was made available to visitors and residents alike. Botany Bay Wildlife Management Area, a 4600 acre parcel of mixed pines and hardwoods, salt marsh, maritime forest, fresh water wetland and creeks and even an undeveloped beach is now the property of the people of South Carolina. The property is open daily (except Tuesdays) from 6:00 a.m. until 9:00 p.m. Botany Bay Wildlife Management Area is managed by staff of the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources with assistance from numerous local volunteers.

What is there to see at Botany Bay? It offers a fascinating mix of both human and natural history. Reminders are there of the presence of Native Americans. There are visible clues to plantation life of the nineteenth century. Probably the most talked about area is the beautiful, undisturbed beach and there is much there. To get to the beach, though, one drives down a long avenue of majestic oaks and Spanish moss. On the way, the astute visitor will hear the calls of numerous bird species and perhaps catch a glimpse of a red bellied woodpecker, scarlet tanager, tufted titmouse, orchard oriole, rufous-sided towhee, indigo bunting, bluebird, Carolina chickadee, the beautiful multicolored painted bunting or even one of the Lowcountry’s birds of prey. The morning or late day visitor might be greeted by deer or wild turkey along the drive.

It’s hard not to be a wildflower enthusiast at Botany Bay. Every few weeks the colors change as wildflowers fade only to be replaced by the new colors of succeedingwildflowers. On the drive down the avenue, look for rattle bush, coral bean, tickweed, lizard’s tail, prickly poppy,wisteria, passion flower, morning glory, wild mustard, crimson clover and trumpet vine.

Upon reaching the marsh-side parking, the ½ mile walk down the causeway to the beach begins. This is an opportunity to experience multiple natural habitats in the course of a short walk. The parking area/pines merges into a salt marsh habitat and the salt marsh ends at the entranceto a maritime forest habitat which will, in turn, open onto a beach habitat. Note how the plants, trees, animals, and birds change with each habitat. Consider, especially, the special adaptations necessary for plants and animals to survive the high salt load of the marsh or the sandy beach environment.

Returning from the beach, a self-guided driving tour leads past surviving plantation out buildings, through fields and woodlands, past a pond and lake and along the marsh that borders Ocella Creek. Stop at the kayak/canoe landing for a great view of the marsh, shore birds and perhaps even watch the dolphins “stranding” their meal. On the driving tour notice how the density of the forest canopy changes in places, leading to changes on the forest floor. Enjoy the sight of varied species of ferns forming natural fern “gardens.”

What should you bring with you? Bring bug spray. This is the South Carolina lowcountry so protect yourself against mosquitoes, chiggers and ticks. Bring your binoculars to better appreciate the birds, butterflies and wildflowers. And bring your camera to record your experience. Eventhe experts find it helpful to have a good birding or wildflower reference handy.

Botany Bay is a wildlife management area and as such, is managed for wildlife rather than for humans. There are no restrooms, water fountains or food sales. Bring your own water and a picnic lunch if you like. Remember to carry out anything you bring in. Leave everything you find behind, including the sea shells. Allow the shells to continue to accumulate so that future visitors will know what a natural South Carolina beach looks like.

The price is right, too! No admission charge. A great bargain in tough times.

Experience Edisto’s “Wild Side” with an EcoAdventure with Botany Bay Ecotours

Experience Edisto’s “Wild Side” with an EcoAdventure with Botany Bay Ecotours. Whether it’s kayaking with the dolphins or sipping your favorite beverage while our biologist and captain motors you in St. Helena Sound at sunset, Botany Bay Ecotours has a tour for everyone. http://www.botanybayplantation.com/


Tours depart from Edisto Marina and Botany Bay Plantation. Botany Bay is 4,000+ acres of protected salt and fresh water wetlands, upland and bottomland hardwoods, and pine forests. It is managed as a wildlife management area and is open at certain times of the year for public hunts.

A unique part of the property is the roughly three miles of undeveloped beach. Along with the beach on Botany Island, this area hosts South Carolina’s second largest nesting aggregation of loggerhead sea turtles. The sea turtle project is managed by a local non-profit, Learning through Loggerheads. http://www.ltlonline.org/.

Botany Bay Ecotours offers low impact walking and kayak tours that explore the different habitats on Edisto and their connections to the cultural history of the area. “Since humans have lived on Botany, they have used the natural resources for building materials, food and medicine. Our tours focus not only on the variety of systems and their inhabitants, but also on these uses from the early times of the Native Americans, through the colonial and slave periods, and up until today,” Botany Bay Ecotour owner, Meg Hoyle states. Meg is a local biologist who has worked with the sea turtle project on Botany since 1999. Her tours help support the sea turtle program and are a must for people who are interested in more than just scratching the surface of this property on a self guided tour.

To really experience what Edisto has to offer in terms of ecological magnificence, a tour with Botany Bay Ecotours is a must. Local resident and avid bird watcher Henry Woodhead has been on several tours with Meg. When asked what it is about the tours that makes it worthwhile, Henry said "Meg is a deep well of information, and she can tell you not only about Botany Bay, but also about the geology of the land, the kinds of plants and animals and shells you'll see, the medicinal qualities of the plants, the lore about the people and history of Edisto, current issues about the environment that are showing up here, and all with clarity, intelligence and humor. If you want to give your kids and yourself a little "education vacation," bring them to Meg. You won't regret it. She is a tremendous resource. Look, if you were going to Washington DC, and you knew all the museums were free, would you turn down an opportunity to have the Wright Brothers guide you through the Air and Space Museum? You get my meaning?”

Botany’s proximity to Edisto Beach makes it a wonderful asset for tourists and locals. An ecotour gift certificate is a great holiday gift for those who love Edisto.

To find out more about Botany Bay Ecotours, visit them online at http://www.botanybayplantation.com/. To check when the area is open to the public, visit the SC Department of Natural Resources website at http://www.dnr.sc.gov/.

Enjoy the Rich History of Edisto Island, South Carolina

Edisto Island is blessed with amazing physical beauty and a wonderful, tranquil way of life that harkens back to another era and has been virtually lost in many of the other sea islands. Life here is very much like it was 50 years ago. And, as the “locals” and regular visitors to Edisto South Carolina know, one of the greatest attributes of our island is its rich history that still comes alive today.

While you’re here, be sure to set time aside to visit the Edisto Island Museum, which is owned and operated by the Edisto Island Historic Preservation Society. Those who came to this island generations ago left a part of themselves behind, things that have a story to tell about the history of Edisto. Our museum preserves this history through photographs and artifacts, which will give you a true “sense of place” that is unique to Edisto. There are still numerous historic structures on Edisto, many of which are not open to the public except once a year when they are on our annual plantation tour. By visiting the Museum, our visitors are able to learn more about the way of life behind those private gates and doors.

One of our most precious assets that is open to the public is the magnificent Botany Bay Plantation Wildlife Management Area. This property consists of nearly 5,000 acres and about three miles of pristine beach, and is the combination of two large plantations, Bleak Hall and Sea Cloud. While neither home is still intact, several historic outbuildings and structures dating from the 1800s remain.

To truly appreciate the historic significance of Botany Bay Plantation, a visit to the Museum is a must. In addition to photographs of Bleak Hall and Sea Cloud, we also have numerous pieces of furniture, china, silver and other artifacts that give our visitors a better understanding of what life was like on these vast plantations. Your Museum visit will help put everything into perspective when you go out to Botany Bay.

Don’t make the mistake of thinking that the Museum is just for adults. We have a wonderful nature room so children can see – and hear – examples of animals native to Edisto Island and the Lowcountry, including snakes, birds, foxes, raccoons and bobcats. Our Museum gift shop carries items for all ages, including educational toys and books.

The Edisto Museum is located at 8123 Chisolm Plantation Road, just off of Highway 174, at the entrance to Middleton Plantation. Our hours are from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m., Tuesdays through Saturdays. For more information, visit our website at www.edistomuseum.org.

Escape the Wrath of Winter on Edisto Island

One of the best of the many great things about Edisto Island is its mild, pleasant climate and lack of extreme weather, with rare exceptions. As a barrier island on the southern coast of South Carolina, Edisto Island is one of the largest in the chain of “Sea Islands” that form the coastline from north of Charleston to the northeast tip of Florida. The ocean exerts a considerable moderating effect on our coastal weather, tempering both the extreme daytime heat of summer and the colder nights in winter, compared to locations in the interior.

Edisto’s climate is “humid subtropical”. Summers are long and “warm” and winters are mild. Rainfall is generally abundant throughout the year. There are occasional droughts, though not usually severe this close to the coast. In spite of some recent wet weather in April, we are still in a prolonged period of below normal rainfall that has persisted for several years. Rainfall is normally more concentrated in the summer months, mainly due to frequent afternoon or evening thundershowers. The long-term average yearly rainfall on the island is close to 50 inches, but about half of that typically falls in a four-month period from late May to late September.

Spending much of my early life growing up on the southeast coast, my weather career finally brought my family back to the region in 1994 when we relocated to the Charleston area. Living in Summerville, we spent the first couple of summers looking for the best beaches in the area, from the Isle of Palms to Edisto. All were roughly the same distance from where we lived, and not surprisingly, Edisto stood out.

I can remember many days we would leave Edisto Beach in the late afternoon, under a still-sunny sky with a brisk sea breeze blowing. As we headed back toward Summerville, the thunderheads further inland became more noticeable - and closer - as we drove away from the beach. Often we would have to go through a “frog-strangler” somewhere between Ravenel and Summerville. Not only does the sea breeze normally keep our summertime afternoon temperatures lower than those further inland (though it raises the humidity) -- the cooler and more stable air blowing off the ocean also keeps much of the heavier summertime thunderstorm activity away from the coast. As a result, rainfall in the summer averages less on the islands than 10 to 30 miles inland.

Many newcomers to the southeast coast worry about the threat of hurricanes, with media coverage of the topic often overstating the danger. Tropical systems are a normal and expected part of life in this part of the country. In reality, a direct hit by a major hurricane is a rare event for any particular location on this part of the Carolina coast. The last “direct hit” on Edisto by a significant hurricane was in September 1959, when the eye of Gracie (a category 3 hurricane) crossed the coast just south of Edisto. Tropical storms are “out there” every summer, and bear watching, but most never come close. When they do, there is plenty of warning, especially if it’s a big one. The few tropical systems that do affect the area usually bring beneficial rain and little damage.

The Edisto Beach Family Experience

Our beach at Edisto has always enjoyed a wonderful reputation as an unexcelled family experience. The Township of Edisto Beach has worked hard to maintain this reputation by providing accessible parking and a safe and clean atmosphere.

Our visitors are pleased with the lack of stop lights, noisy bars, and these attributes have brought generations back to enjoy themselves.

But note this: Edisto Beach is not only a beachy place, but shares its reputation with a super accessible estuary full of creeks, both narrow and wide, that provide some of the finest fishing and seafood gathering in our state. Don’t forget to bring along your boats, kayaks, and canoes. The State Park has upgraded its boat launching site and welcomes your arrival.
Please do remember to update your fishing licenses at our marina.

By: Jim Rooney

Thank You Prudential Kapp/Lyons...

I know I have already said "thank you" to Christy in person and via the evaluation form, but I want to make sure I cover all bases. Your staff deserves it. We have only rented through your agency a couple of times, but I am so impressed. Everyone I have spoken with has been exceptionally nice and helpful. They go beyond good customer service to sincere caring about the customer and meeting their needs.

I spoke with Danette on several occasions after doing some research on the net to find the best house to suit our needs. She patiently took the time to discuss the houses I mentioned and after learning exactly what we were looking for, offered a couple other suggestions that I had not considered.

She gave her honest opinion about each one as I asked her to do. She gave the pros and cons of each. With her guidance, we made our selection and upon arriving on the 11th, were happy with it. Danette had a world of patience as I asked a thousand questions.

Christy assisted us upon our arrival and she was incredible. As with Danette, we could not have received better service. Christy is just so cheerful and upbeat it gives you a lift just by talking to her. She also worked it out so we could go inside a couple of the houses we wanted to consider for next year after they were vacated on the 18th. We found that Danette had done her job well and it was not a hard decision to stick with the one we rented this year. The other houses were fine, but Danette's advice was perfect and we have no desire to switch.

If you feel I am going overboard with the praise, I assure you, I am not.
These two employees and also those whose names I did not get are doing an outstanding job. I appreciate them for making not only our visit pleasant, but the preparations enjoyable.

Our thanks to Prudential Kapp/Lyons employees for making our 2009 summer vacation special. We will recommend you anytime we get a chance.

Have a great summer.

Casual Dining in Edisto, South Carolina

The Sea Cow Eatery

An item you'll probably want to get at The Sea Cow Eatery , will be one of the cute hats or t-shirts. The cow logo -- a surfing, flipper wearing, goggled up cow -- is cute, and -- after years of the restaurant being a part of Edisto -- iconic. But don't forget to order the food -- it's good dining and a good price.

The must-haves: For lunch, the Oyster Po' Boy and Shrimp Po' Boy, are both want-to-come-back delicious. Order them up with some beer battered fries and lemonade. For dinner, not much beats the Sea Cow Super Platter, with fresh flounder, shrimp, oysters and scallops. If you aren't in the mood for seafood, the Curry Chicken Salad Platter is yummy.

Of note. The "Moo La La" French Toast is a perfect -- and perfectly filling -- island breakfast.
Screened-porch seating and inside seating are available, as is al fresco dining under the giant red umbrellas, but do come earlier than your stomach needs -- as this place gets packed, fast.

Of note. The homemade desserts give you no other option but to
over-order. Don't feel guilty. Indulge.


The Sea Cow Eatery

Address: At the Edisto Village Shops

145 Jungle Road

Edisto Beach, SC., 29438

Phone: 843-869-3222

Website: theseacoweatery.com