Great Loop: Daufuskie Island
April 14th, 2022
Let's go have an adventure! I think you need to have clear concise goals in life. My goal is to have as many great adventures as I can with the ones that I love. Creating lasting memories is a by product of this goal. Ones that will remain long after the event has passed. The kind of memories that brings a smile to your face, perhaps accompanied by a laugh or a chuckle. Those are even better. Memories can included all sorts of people, places, and activities. The accumulation of these memories is the real wealth in life. The best have persistence that be shared and retold across generations. Almost by definition the best memories include people and new experiences. So round up those you treasure the most and strike out on an adventure that expands your horizons or helps you collectively expand your boundaries. Make life more interesting and fulfilling.
Along the way, our skipper wove his way through passages that required local knowledge to successfully navigate. We zipped through the water at 25 mph in a large Carolina john boat, up close and personal with the waterfowl and wildlife that who call the tidal salt marshes home.
We arrived safely at the public dock on Daufuskie Island, off loaded, and picked up a 6 passenger golf cart, our transportation for the day. Equipped with a map and a sense of curiosity, we set off to explore the 3 mile by 5 mile island. Humans have called this island home for thousands of years. Artifacts have been recovered from the island's large shell mounds which included pottery shards from the original hunter-gatherer occupants. The area was also inhabited by Indian tribes prior to Europeans arriving. The Spaniards first arrived to explore this area in the 1520's. In the 1600's, the colonial powers of France, Spain, and England all contested control of coastal South Carolina.
A "Praise House", used for worship, schooling, and meetings by the former island slaves
Early settlers brought sea island cotton, and indigo crops. These were highly valued in Europe. The live oaks on the island were used to build ships. By the Civil War there were 11 plantations on the island. The start of the Civil War resulted in significant changes. The island was occupied by the Union Army, who freed the slaves. Plantation owners left and the lands were sold to the former slaves. Between the Civil War and the mid 20th century, the mix of former slaves and other settlers developed a rich culture blended from West African roots and English influence. Their language was a mix of both cultures in sentence structure and words. Only in the mid 1950's did this start to be diluted.
Daufuskie Island Museum in old home.
Today, when you visit the island, you can find examples of the islands rich history. This is what we set out to explore and contemplate. One of the good things about travel is the new perspectives you acquire. This island and it's history is ripe for opportunities to challenge assumptions with which you may have arrived.
You can see samples of the crops grown on Daufuskie at the museum
Carrie drove us from spot to spot
Yes! There is even a small winery on the island
There is a good 3 mile long beach on the Atlantic Side of the Island
Storms undermine the trees on the Atlantic Shore
Beth on the beach
A stuffed Alligator at the museum
Local Driving Hazard
Island Cabin
Island House
Exploring the Island
On the boat back to Bluffton
A good time was had by all
Arrangements
- Daufuskie Island Water Taxi from Bluffton
- Golf Cart Rental on Daufuskie Island
- Can book water taxi, golf cart rental as a package with this link
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