Tag Archives: hunting island

Windy beaches, selfies and fake stars.

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After discovering the lighthouse we’d come to see was closed, we decided to walk the Hunting Island beach instead.

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Following the rubber highway across the dunes we hit the sand and were just about blown away.

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I packed for the south, where it’s supposed to be warm…. and I swear the week we spent in South Carolina was colder than Maine.

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The beach was lovely.

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But to be honest it was too cold and windy to enjoy.

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The husband was less than thrilled to be walking in arctic wind, but I persevered.

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For a little while anyway.

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You know it’s windy when the sea foam is bouncing down the sand.

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We left before frostbite set in and continued on.

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Past a shrimping fleet and towards Fripp Island which we were told was lovely.

It might have been, but we’ll never know because it’s a gated private island where we were told to turn around and leave in no uncertain terms.

Didn’t they realize the rental vehicle we were driving cost $100k? That should have counted for something.

I mean really… it had a dashboard star display.

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What more could they want?

🥴

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Where we go to Hunting Island but don’t hunt.

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We’d heard quite a few locals mention Hunting Island lighthouse (which is the only lighthouse in South Carolina open to the public) and since we were in the area, we decided to check it out.

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Paying the unexpected entry fee at the gate, we drove down the twisting, turning road.

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It felt a bit like the forest primeval with dense vegetation and palms lining both sides.

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At the end there was a parking lot and our first glimpse of the lighthouse.

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The views of the Sea Islands were supposed to be great from the top and I was anxious to climb.

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We approached…

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Entered the gated area….

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Took the required wind blown selfie…

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And after climbing the entry steps to the door… read the sign saying it was closed.

Of course it was.

Thank you Mr. Gatekeeper for taking our money but not sharing that fact. Grr. 😡

Was it worth the $20? Sure.

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See there? That used to be the light keeper’s house.

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And my husband found a fascinating rail contraption used to move the lamp oil.

Totally worth it.

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🥴

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