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The Breeze THE MAGAZINE OF BLUFFTON
Bluffton.com The Breeze JULY 2016
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FIVE STAR REVIEWS Thanks for all of your help with my Dadʼs home. I was at my wits-end and you sprang into motion. I truly appreciate your kindness. - Cindy and Skip Recently, we have had to learn that it is not unique to have a rodent problem when you live in this area. What has been unique is the quality of service provided by Hilton Head Exterminators. - S. Lindsay
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NOTES FROM THE EDITOR: July brings our Independence Day. It’s the month to throw some burgers and dogs on the grill, ice down the beer and have a party at the Sand Bar. But many do not know that it also brings Canada Day, celebrating the anniversary of the July 1, 1867, enactment of the Constitution Act, which united three colonies into a single country called Canada. Now a small warning about the burgers. When you read Gene Cashman’s piece you will surely grin, as his group didn’t quite time the tide right at the Sand Bar and had to skedaddle back to their boat in knee-deep water before they could eat their lunch. Sound familiar? Enjoy, as Gene always spins a good yarn.
The Breeze THE MAGAZINE OF BLUFFTON PUBLISHER Lorraine Jenness lorraine@hiltonhead.com 843-757-9889 EDITOR Randolph Stewart randolph@bluffton.com 843-816-4005
We also bring you a bit of humor from Chase Wilkinson, who remembers fighting Poseidon while on a summer vacation with his family! However, dangerous currents at the beach are no joke and his story serves two purposes: have fun, but be careful in the ocean!
COPY EDITOR Allyson Jones allyson@hiltonhead.com 843-757-9889
Allyson Jones looks at all the things kids can do during summer vacation in Bluffton. If you have children or grandchildren, this is a must read! As Bluffton has grown, so has the variety of available activities and entertainment.
SALES DIRECTOR Chierie Smith chierie@bluffton.com 843-505-5823
To celebrate Independence Day, we have a true bit of history for you with a story about Major William Hazzard Wigg, a Revolutionary War hero, owner of what is now Oldfield, and his storied warhorse, born on the 4th of July, named Independence. They had amazing adventures and showed great courage fighting for our freedom.
GRAPHIC DESIGNER Liz Shumake liz@hiltonhead.com 843-757-9889
While you are at the beach, keep an eye out for upside down Horseshoe Crabs; they may not be dead, just flipped over from the tide. Amber Hester Kuehn and Dawn Brut of the Coastal Discovery Museum inform us about this creature of the beach and ocean and the role it plays in our ecosystem. Michele Roldán-Shaw speaks of various ways to exercise. Going to the gym and running on the treadmill or pumping iron; the advantages of yoga with its breathing control, mental relaxation and flexibility; martial arts and the discipline it requires; finding the right personal trainer; and, of course, numerous water and outdoor sports. There are so many ways to work out, so choose the one that is right for your lifestyle, but remember it takes commitment. Also in this issue, we visit a wonderful home on Spring Island that is designed like linear pearls strung together, long and sleek, bending like the turns of a river. Gerry Cowart of Savannah designed a home that does just that and we enjoyed describing and showing some wonderful photography of this allegorical design. Jevon Daly, our maestro, says Americans sometimes lose sight of how much freedom we really have. What better way to express that freedom than with music? When our troops return from duty, hearing their favorite tunes reminds them that they are home and why they put themselves in harm’s way. I also want to thank the Rotarians who took time out of their day to clean up the Post Office. Keep us posted with any of your ideas and thoughts about what we bring you each month. Support our advertisers, as without them there would be no Breeze. Oh, and check out the tide chart in The Breeze and on bluffton.com to make sure you don’t end up with soggy burgers! God Bless America.
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ART DIRECTOR Jennifer Mlay graphics@hiltonhead.com 843-757-9889 CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Dawn Brut, Gene Cashman, Jevon Daly, Rachael Disbrow, Michele Roldán-Shaw Allyson Jones, Chase S. Wilkinson PHOTOGRAPHERS , ARTISTS Dawn Brut, Allyson Jones, Chierie Smith, Tom Jenkins Films CORPORATE OFFICE 40 Persimmon St. Suite 102 Bluffton, SC 29910 843.757.8877 DISTRIBUTION Bruce McLemore, John Tant 843.757.9889 The Breeze is published by Island Communications and The Breeze Media, LLC. All rights are reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or stored for retrieval by any means without permission from the Publisher. The Breeze is not responsible for unsolicited materials and the publisher accepts no responsibility for the contents or accuracy of claims in any advertisement in any issue. The Breeze is not responsible or liable for any errors, omissions, or changes in information. The opinion of contributing writers do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the magazine and its Publisher. All published photos and copy provided by writers and artists become the property of The Breeze. Copyright. 2016.
CONTENTS
JULY 2016, VOLUME 14, NO. 7
F E AT U R E S
08 Major Wigg & Independence 12 "Horseshoe Crabs! Those are Horseshoe Crabs." 18 True Fitness 22 Bluffton Summer Fun Guide 26 The Millenium Home
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32 A Day at the Sandbar 38 Freedom 40 Walnuts Cafe Shrimp Cobb Salad Recipe 44 Fighting Poseidon
D E PA R T M E N T S
08 History 10 Fellowship 12 Environment 18 Health 24 Faces of Bluffton 26 Architecture 36 Tide Chart 38 Bluffton: Music Town 42 Restaurant Guide 44 Comedy
ON THE COVER: Independence Day Fireworks
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The Lowcountry is known for having provided South Carolina and America with some of our most colorful patron fathers and heroes. Although there may be others deserving mention, one of Oldfield’s proprietors, and the legends surrounding his participation in our Revolutionary War, have captured our attention. William Hazzard Wigg, having inherited Oldfield from his grandfather, was a prosperous and progressive planter. Editor’s Note: The following article was compiled from excerpts of “A Brief Memoir of the Life, and Revolutionary Services, of Major William Hazzard Wigg, of South Carolina” Washington: C. Alexander, Printer, 1860. “Major William Hazzard Wigg, the subject of this memoir, and the grandsire of the memorialist, was born in the town of Beaufort, in the then colony of South Carolina, on the 24th of November, in the year 1746. His ancestors emigrated from England, amongst the earliest settlers of the country. At the commencement of the Revolutionary struggle, Major Wigg, then in the prime of life, received the commission of a captain of cavalry, in the militia service of South Carolina. He enjoyed all the advantages of talents, education, fortune, and social position which were requisite to give weight and influence to his services in the cause which he had embraced. He entered upon the war with characteristic energy, and discharged the various duties of his position with zeal, fidelity, and devotion. The first military service of any magnitude, upon which it is known he was engaged, was under General Howe, of North Carolina, who, in the summer of 1778, led the disastrous
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expedition of the Southern Army into the territory of East Florida, whence less than a third part of his brave troops ever returned. In the next year, we find him serving under General Lincoln, upon the Savannah River. He was also present at the Battle (or, more properly skirmish,) of Coosahatchie, (or Tulifinni, as it is sometimes called) at the Battle of Stono: at the siege of Savannah; and finally, at the siege of the City of Charleston, which capitulated to the enemy on the 12th of May, 1780, where his military services in the field were concluded; for upon that occasion, he was surrendered, together with the whole of the American Army, prisoners of war; in which condition he remained, varied only in manner, as will be hereafter related, until triumph finally crowned the heroic struggle of the Colonies. Besides these several services, which of themselves, judging from their respective dates and localities, must have kept Major Wigg continuously employed, from the commencement of the war up to the period of his captivity, he is believed to have taken part in many, if not all, of the numerous conflicts that occurred upon the seaboard of South Carolina, and which has given a distinctive character to the war into which the country was plunged. The long line of undefended southern sea coast, in both of the Anglo-American wars, afforded advantages to the assailants, which, in neither, were neglected—hence the large number of, (so to speak,) amphibious affairs, or battles, partly upon land, and partly upon the water, which characterized both of those wars.
Above: “Battle of Coosawhatchie, Rescue of Colonel John Laurens by Major William Hazzard Wigg on ‘Independence’, May 3, 1779” - painting by Carroll N. Jones, Jr.; image taken from Carologue, Vol. 17, No. 1 Right: Portrait of John Laurens by Charles Willson Peale
Major Wigg is traditionally represented as having been one of the bravest of men; and he is also remembered as one of the most impulsive, uncompromising, and self-sacrificing, patriots of the illustrious age in which he lived. The love of country, was one of the cherished sentiments of his mind, and the achievement of the freedom, and independence of his country was, in his estimation, the great mission of his life —hence, no sacrifices could deter, no labors could discourage, and no dangers could dismay him. He freely periled life and fortune upon the cause of his affections, and joyfully met the hazard which brought success to it, although attended by fatal consequences to himself.”
column followed. Wigg and Independence sprang into action. Wigg reached down and grabbed his wounded comrade, slung him over the saddle, and, with Independence, in keeping with his reputation of being the fastest and strongest horse in Beaufort, carried Col. Laurens to safety.
Wigg lost Independence to the British when he was taken prisoner at Charles Towne. While a prisoner, Major Wigg openly gave a fervent speech against his British captors, July 4, 1776, was a day of great celebration for Planter Wigg. boosting the morale of those imprisioned. As punishment, the The Declaration of Independence was adopted and a colt British arrived at Wiggs Bluff and burned it to the ground, was born at Oldfield. Appropriately named “Independence,” only strengthening Major Wigg’s resolve to fight on harder the colt was to become Wigg’s favorite horse and his partner and win America’s independence and rid the land of the in adventure. As war approached, Planter Wigg, (owner of English army. As Charles Towne surrendered, Major Wigg Wigg’s Bluff, now known as Oldfield) being a man of stature and 39 others were put aboard the ship Pack Horse as prisoners. and known for his patriotism, was appointed an officer and The ship sailed for New York but never made it. During the night, the “colonials” overpowered their captors and sailed to was to serve with the artillery during the war. the nearest North Carolina port, securing their freedom. In one adventure, “It is related of Major Wigg, that on another occasion, while the bearer of dispatches, upon arriving at While making his way home, Major Wigg saw a British the public ferry on the Port Royal River, he found at hand “dragoon” (said to be under Turlington the British officer made no means of crossing, but sooner than submit to any delay famous by his cruelties in the movie “The Patriot”) riding his upon his important errand, he swam over on horseback beloved horse and whistled. Recognizing Wigg’s short shrill with Independence. The Port Royal River is a deep, rapid signal, Independence reared up, throwing off his rider and and turbulent arm of the ocean, where the swiftness of the galloped to the Major. Mounting quickly, Major Wigg made current, and the ferocity of the terrible shark, have proved good his escape and was on his way to back to Wiggs Bluff. sufficient, in all time past, to deter every other man from the same fearful exploit.” Major Wigg died in 1798. Upon his death in 1807, Independence was buried with military honors somewhere In action at Coosawahatchie, Col. John Laurens, a great friend within Oldfield. of the Wiggs and a patriot in his own right, was wounded and lost his mount and taken prisoner. Wigg hid in waiting while Our country is built on the freedoms won for us by the heroes a column of 4,000 British troops passed, and the prisoner of every generation. 9 The Breeze JULY 2016
FELLOWSHIP AFRICAN METHODIST EPISCOPAL Cambell Chapel A.M.E. 25 Boundary St. (843) 757-3652 Sunday School: 8:45 a.m. Worship: 10 a.m.
ASSEMBLY OF GOD New River Worship Center
Hwy 170 & Argent Blvd. (next to ESPY) (843) 379-1815 Sunday: 10:30 a.m. Wednesday: 7 p.m.
BAPTIST Cornerstone Church Bluffton Boundary at Church St. (843) 757-3472 Sunday School: 9:15 a.m. Worship: 10:30 a.m.
First Zion Baptist
Wharf & Robertson St. (843) 757-3128 Sunday School: 9 a.m. Sunday Worship: 10 a.m.
Maye River Baptist Church 3507 Okatie Hwy. (843) 757-2518 Sunday School: 9:45 a.m. Sunday Worship: 11 a.m.
St. John’s Baptist Church
Sat.: 4 & 6 p.m. Sun.: 7:15 a.m., 9 a.m., 11 a.m., 5 p.m., Spanish, 12:45 p.m. Mon.-Fri.: 6:45 a.m. Chapel, 8:30 a.m. Church
Church of the Palms United Methodist
ANGLICAN The Church of the Cross
St. Luke’s United Methodist Church
110 Calhoun St. (843) 757-2661 Saturday Worship: 5:28 p.m. Sunday Worship: 8 & 10 a.m. 495 Buckwalter Pkwy. (843) 757-2661 Sunday Worship: 9 & 10:30 a.m.
The Church of the Holy Trinity
2718 Bees Creek Rd., Ridgeland (843) 726-3743 Sunday Worship: 8:30 & 11 a.m. Sunday School for All Ages: 9:45 a.m. Midweek Services: Wednesday, 6:30 p.m.
EPISCOPAL The Episcopal Church of Okatie
103 Pritchard St. (843) 757-4350 Sunday Worship: 11 a.m.
231 Hazzard Creek, Okatie, SC (843) 592-3965 Worship: Every Sunday 9 a.m.
St. Matthew’s Baptist Church
GREEK ORTHODOX Holy Resurrection Church
SC Hwy. 170 (843) 757-3255 Sunday Worship: 11 a.m.
Indian Hill Baptist Church Hwy. 278 next to Eagle’s Point (843) 757-2603 Sunday School: 9:45 a.m. Sunday Worship: 11 a.m.
JEHOVAH’S WITNESSES Kingdom Hall
119 Bluffton Rd. (843) 815-4455 Sunday Public Talk: 9:30 a.m. & 3:30 p.m. Spanish Public Talk: 12:30 p.m.
Bible Missionary Baptist Church
Goethe Road Community Center (843) 815-5523 Sunday Worship: 11 a.m., Bible Study: 6 p.m.
CATHOLIC St. Gregory the Great Catholic Church 333 Fording Island Rd. (843) 815-3100
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at St. Andrews Catholic Church 220 Pickney Colony Rd. (843) 837-4659 Orthros: 9:30 a.m., Liturgy 10 a.m.
JEWISH Temple Oseh Shalom at Lowcountry Presbyterian
278 Simmonsville Rd. (843) 705-2532 Shabbat Worship third Friday of month, 8 p.m.
1425 Okatie Hwy. (843) 379-1888 Sunday Worship: 10:30 a.m.
SC Hwy. 170 near Sun City (843) 705-3022 Sunday Worship: 8:30 & 10 a.m.
St. Andrew By-The-Sea UMC
Bluffton Campus 39 Persimmon St. Bldg. 200, #203 (843) 837-4712 Sunday Contemporary Worship: 10:30 a.m.
PRESBYTERIAN Lowcountry Presbyterian Church US 278 and Simmonsville Rd. (843) 815-6570 Sunday School: Adult 9:40 a.m., Child 10:30 a.m. Sunday Worship: 8:30 & 10:30 a.m.
Grace Coastal Church (PCA) 15 Williams Dr. (off 170) (843) 379-5521 Sunday School: 11 a.m. Sunday Worship: 9:30 a.m.
NON-DENOMINATIONAL Live Oak Christian Church
Bluffton High School Auditorium, (843) 757-5670 Kidstreet: 9:15 a.m., Worship: 10:15 a.m. Bluffton: 801 Buckwalter Pwky. (843) 836-1101 Sunday Worship: 8:30, 10, 11:30 a.m.
Unitarian Universalist Congregation of the Lowcountry
METHODIST Bluffton United Methodist Church
Unity Church of Hilton Head Island
101 Calhoun St. (843) 757-3351 Sunday School: 9:45 a.m. Sunday Worship: 8:30 & 11 a.m.
Eque coun green
Lowcountry Community Church
LUTHERAN Lord of Life Lutheran Church 351 Buckwalter Pkwy. (843) 757-4774 Sunday School: 10 a.m. Sunday Worship: 8, 9 & 11 a.m.
Stee a tim need
110 Malphrus Rd. (843) 837-3330 Sunday Services: 10 a.m. Religious Education & Childcare provided Seaquins Ballroom 1300 Fording Island Rd., Bluffton (Near Tanger I) (843) 682-8177 Sunday Services: 10 a.m.
Exce gorg with
TH
The Dollenberg Team www.EricDollenberg.com
Eric Dollenberg
843.816.6489 edollenberg@aol.com
Coastal Properties Independently Owned & Operated
Palmetto Bluff
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Hillary Dollenberg
843.290.3063 hillaryhhi@aol.com
117 Mount Pelia
Steeped in southern history, with a dash of salt marsh mystery, 117 Mount Pelia is a property that must be explored and uncovered one layer at a time. Situated on the marshes and water of the May River, steps from the golf course bearing the same name, this exceptional home suits the needs of the most discerning home buyer. Offered at $3,150,000.
Rose Hill Plantation • 4 Queen Crescent
Equestrian Estate on 5 acres, beautiful fenced pastures, pond, 3 stall barn with tack room and grooming area in the estate section of gated Rose Hill Plantation. Lowcountry style home offers 4 bedrooms, 5 baths and a study, heart of pine floors and gorgeous outdoor spaces! Brand new kitchen is part of the great room overlooking green pastures... this is a horse lovers dream come true! Property has direct access to miles of riding trails. Offered at $949,000.
Bluffton • 20 Foreman Hill Drive
Exceptionally well done home affords a unique combination of the most modern interior luxuries with the charm of old town Bluffton. Wood floors, artful lighting, gorgeous natural stone surfaces run throughout the 4 bedroom, 3.5 bath house. Brand new master bath and closets, just renovated kitchen and huge flex room upstairs with seating for movies, game area and fully outfitted wet bar. Large fenced back yard with patio ensures you will enjoy both privacy and the outdoors. Offered at $475,000.
THE DOLLENBERG TEAM | ERIC 843.816.6489 | HILLARY 843.290.3063 | ERICDOLLENBERG.COM 11 The Breeze JULY 2016
ENVIRONMENT
Story and Photos by Dawn Brut, Curator of Education, Coastal Discovery Museum
he Sea Turtle Patrol stays busy monitoring nests every morning in the Lowcountry. Island visitors quickly become accustomed to the beach, the tide and their sunrise coffee, but the wildlife is often a mystery to them. They have seen the green vehicle motoring up and down the beach every morning searching for sea turtle tracks. Usually a polite wave is exchanged but, without fail, there will be at least one mystery solved each morning. Visitors have questions and who more qualified to ask than someone operating a motorized vehicle on the beach? The “stop hand” replaces the casual wave and, wait for it… “Excuse me, what’s up with all the dead turtles?” he asks. I glance at my patrol partner, as I hide my expression. “Dawn, why don’t you take this one.” “Horseshoe crabs! Those are horseshoe crabs.”
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These fascinating animals have been around for about 445 million years and yet they are still a very foreign and confusing creature to many people. They are often misidentified by beachgoers as stingrays or turtles. Many visitors just have no idea what to make of this alien creature and they keep their distance as they curiously poke them with a stick‌a long stick. Yes, they might look a little frightening, but they are completely harmless. The telson (tail) is not used as a weapon, it is not a poisonous stinger and it will not hurt you. It is actually used to steer and to help the crab right itself if it gets flipped over. Horseshoe crabs spend most of their time moving along the ocean floor like a small tank eating shellfish, worms, and dead and decaying matter. They visit our beaches each spring during the new moon and the full moon high tides (called spring high tides). Female horseshoe crabs will crawl out of the ocean, often already dragging a male who is attached to her using his hook-like front legs. Once the female is on the beach, she will dig a hole in the sand underneath her body with her legs. As she lays her eggs, the attached male, and possibly several other satellite males, release sperm to fertilize those eggs. A female horseshoe crab will lay about 2,000-4,000 eggs per nest. She will lay several nests per visit, and possibly as many as 80,000 eggs per season. The eggs develop under the sand for 2-4 weeks until they hatch just in time to hitch a ride on the next spring high tide. During spawning season, many horseshoe crabs will get flipped over
by the waves and stranded by the receding tide. If you see a stranded horseshoe crab, just grab it by its sides and flip it back over. Remember, it will not hurt you, but please be careful that you do not hurt the horseshoe crab. Always pick up a horseshoe crab by its sides and not by its telson. Flipping stranded horseshoe crabs is an easy and important way to help this species. You can also help protect this species by doing simple things like picking up trash off the beach and reporting tagged crabs. If you see a horseshoe crab with a tag on it, please call the number on the tag and report the tag number (take a picture or write it down before the crab crawls away). Reporting tags will help organizations like the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources learn more about these incredible creatures. Historically, horseshoe crabs have been harvested and used as eel bait and fertilizer but, more recently, several important reasons for protecting this
species have been discovered. Currently, in South Carolina, horseshoe crabs may only be harvested for biomedical use by those who are permitted by the state to do so. Horseshoe crab blood contains a clotting agent called Limulus amebocyte lysate (LAL) that can be used to detect bacteria in pharmaceutical drugs and medical supplies. Chances are you have used something or had something used on you that has been tested using LAL. Horseshoe crabs do not have to give their lives to keep us safe. After about 1/3 of their blood is drained, they are returned to the coastal waters where they were collected. In addition to saving our lives, horseshoe crabs play many other important roles. They are a critical part of the food web and help to feed animals like those loggerhead sea turtles that nest on our beaches. Their eggs also help fuel a variety of migratory bird species, including the Red Knot which is a threatened species. If you are interested in learning more about horseshoe crabs please visit the Ecological Research and Development Group website at horshoecrab.org, the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources website at dn r. sc . go v , or participate in a Horseshoe Crab educational experience at the Coastal Discovery Museum (offered each spring). The Coastal Discovery Museum also offers horseshoe crab programs for school groups and a Crabs in the Classroom workshop for local teachers who would like to raise crabs in their classroom and educate their students about these fascinating creatures. Visit coastaldiscovery.org to learn more.
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O L D T O W N
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You don’t want to miss historic Bluffton near the May River for some of the most unique shopping and dining in our area. It’s all blended with colorful and creative art galleries, history up and down local streets, and dining for lunch and dinner in charming settings. The Bluffton Old Town Merchants Society warmly encourages visitors to come and spend an afternoon or a day discovering historic Bluffton.
la petite breeze ad july_Layout 1 6/13/16 11:44 AM Page 1 Featured Art for July’s Grand Giveaway 8 x 8 Original Acrylic by Barb Grubba
Featuring works in oil, acrylic, pastel, watercolor and mixed media by: Margaret Crawford Barbara Grubba Murray Sease
Peggy Duncan Don Nagel Emily Wilson
& welcoming Lee Grefalda, woodcarver Adjacent to “The Store” 56 Calhoun Street lapetitegallerie.com
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True
Fitness By Michele Roldán-Shaw Summer is here, the season of beach bodies. But you can’t expect to go all year like it’s Christmas break then suddenly look good in your swimsuit—fitness must be a way of life. Even if you don’t care about appearances, everyone wants to feel good in their body and be able to rely on it for whatever life demands. True fitness is about energy, agility, stamina, confidence, coordination, posture, breathing, nutrition, positive attitude—so much more than just muscles! A good training regimen will incorporate these things into daily life, but the trick is finding one you enjoy. For some, that means hardcore gym routines at 5 a.m. with treadmills, stopwatches and weights; others prefer zumba classes and yoga; still others take daily dips in the May River or play basketball with friends in the park. Even the simple habit of walking 30 minutes every morning can make a big difference, kickstarting the metabolism and infusing the body with fresh air, sunshine and a healthy spirit. There are many approaches to fitness and it can be challenging to persevere. For those in need of inspiration or a new direction, The Breeze spoke to a variety of local professionals to get their input on choosing a routine and sticking with it. Many common themes emerged. Despite various backgrounds and emphases, all agreed it’s important to shop around for something that suits you; but once you find it, be consistent! Have clear goals in mind and be aware of the choices you make. Another word that came up a lot was accountability: find a coach, gym partner or yoga buddy who will motivate you and call if you don’t show up. Most importantly, make sure your fitness program is enjoyable, something that gives you happiness, otherwise you’ll never stay on track. GYMS The default form of exercise for many Americans is the traditional gym workout. In a society of over-busy people who nonetheless lead largely sedentary lives, quick bursts of high-intensity training seem to maximize what little time they have. But that doesn’t necessarily mean buying into the stereotypical scene of sweaty, grunting meatheads doing curls in the mirror. “Most of our members aren’t bodybuilders and they’re not looking to wear a bikini at the beach,” said Lori Thompson, owner of Curves in Bluffton, which boasts the only exercise program in the Lowcountry designed specifically for women. “They just want to be at a healthy weight, stay there, and live an active life.” The 30-minute total body workouts at Curves can be done any time of day, to match any level of fitness and, with memberships at $34 per month, it’s affordable. “This fits very well with women who have
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kids and a job and everything else,” said Thompson. “We need something efficient.”
And if you waver, don’t beat yourself up. Just get back on track.”
Going to a place like Curves also provides a big boost to those in need of encouragement. “We are a community,” said Thompson. “We know everybody’s names and we are here to be supportive of whatever’s going on in their lives, whether they are a newlywed or recently widowed. We don’t want you to sign up and then never see you again.”
MARTIAL ARTS If your idea of training is that it should be useful beyond the gym and develop such principles as discipline, respect, confidence and self-mastery, then consider the practice of martial arts.
Finally, she says the key to staying in shape long-term is finding something you can look forward to on a regular basis. “Fitness doesn’t have to be grueling,” she insists. “It just has to be challenging enough that you will keep striving.” YOGA A mere few decades ago, the only people who knew about yoga were granola and sprout eating crystal-healers who’d been to India. But now the craze has gone mainstream; everyone’s heard of Downward Dog. “Yoga uses your own body-weight as resistance, so it can be done anytime, anywhere,” said Jean Rioux, owner of Jiva Yoga Center. “It can be for someone who wants to relax and stretch, but it can also be more dynamic for someone who wants to sweat. And, by coordinating your movements with the breath, it brings an instant mind-body connection— presence, mindfulness and calmness, but also strength.” Having come from a more traditional fitness background—running, cycling, working out at the gym—Rioux was pleasantly surprised by yoga. “It met me where I was, which was wanting something vigorous,” she says, “but it also took me to a totally new place that was different from just putting on my iPod and going for a run.” Rioux holds there must be a strong level of commitment, but that it’s not just about saying, “I’m going to lose 50 pounds” or “I’m going to run a marathon.” It’s about every little step of the way to get there. “Moment to moment,” she says, “each decision you make about what to put in your body, what to put in your mind—all these micro-choices build up to produce results. Like, I can eat a donut right now, but does that help me realize my goal?
“Everybody’s joined a gym at some point and burned out on it,” said Tim Quickmire, owner of Sun and Moon Martial Arts Studio in Bluffton. “If you want to learn how to defend yourself and get in really good shape with a lot of different drills that develop power, flexibility and core strength, plus challenge you mentally, then martial arts is where you need to be.” Moreover, it’s family friendly. “You’re not going to take your 5-year-old to the gym,” he points out. To find a suitable program, Quickmire recommends doing research and talking to different instructors before settling. But once the decision is made, be dedicated. “Most people want fitness on their own terms,” he says. “They want to go to the gym when they feel like it and take a month off when they feel like it. But it’s been my experience that any long-term breaks are devastating to your training. Even if you pick up again, you basically have to start over.” He also stresses the value of a support network, and the need to set short-, mid- and long-term goals. “This is another reason why martial arts is attractive,” he says, “because we have the belt system, so there’s always the next form, the next weapon, the next challenge, the next achievement.” On the other hand, the ancient “soft” martial art of Tai Chi provides an entirely different experience. According to local instructor Molly Carrington, it is well-suited to the age 50+ crowd, especially those with diseases like arthritis, Parkinson’s or high blood pressure. “Tai Chi is a form of moving meditation that uplifts the spirit,” she explains. “It’s good for the mind and it exercises the entire body inside and out. It helps you learn about your body, how it moves and what creates the energy for it to move, which means it’s good for balance, posture, and the correct way of walking so you don’t fall.” The Breeze JULY 2016
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Carrington does not find it strictly necessary to learn long Tai Chi forms, and she has even been able to tailor her instruction to people who are limited to sitting in a chair. “Deep breathing is one of the most important things you can learn in Tai Chi, even if you don’t practice the movements,” she says. “Oxygen intake benefits blood circulation, which strengthens the immune system and increases energy. The Chinese believe you’re cleansing the body because when you inhale you’re taking in the good energy around you, and when you exhale you’re breathing out the bad energy. Learning how to do deep breathing will make the biggest difference in your life.” PERSONAL TRAINERS & COACHES Having a skilled professional design a safe, effective routine based on your needs could be the guidance you need, whether you’re a teenage athlete looking to become a tennis pro, or a senior citizen trying to stay mobile. According to Jennifer Wolfe, owner of TrueFit Pilates and Training Center where the wide variety of classes are kept small to allow for personalized instruction, isolating the “why” is your basic starting point to any regimen. “People need to find the reason they want to exercise,” she says, “whether it’s weight loss or overcoming an injury, then make that a priority. I always give the analogy of an airplane flying from Point A to Point B. There might be some turbulence that forces it to adjust, and that’s okay. But if it starts even a degree or two off on its course, it will never get to Point B. If you don’t have the right plan in place, you’re not going to get where you want to go.” Kim Jerue, a personal trainer who works out of the Just Be Centre in Bluffton, takes this concept of individual coaching to the nth degree, even to a psychological level. “Body language is part of every aspect of life,” she says. “So the way I train people is by reading their body mechanics. I’m going to watch your movements, watch your eyes, hear the tone of your voice. I’m going to look beyond the obvious to break down what you do and why you are doing it.” In today’s world, Jerue observes, people are going so fast to get somewhere that they don’t even realize how they’re moving. “I find people move habitually, not intentionally,” she says. “So I get them to be aware of their own bodies. Just teaching someone how to walk is one of my biggest tools. When we learn to walk as children that’s the purest form, but as we age we start to wear our aches and pains, our stresses, our happiness.”
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If you’re dealing with something in your life, that already puts stress on the body—why break it down even more with intensive training? “You’re not benefiting from being a Jackin-the-Box,” Jerue says. “Be present, be yourself. Tap into a better understanding. Fitness isn’t an hour a day, it’s a full-time thing. How you sit in your car is going to affect what you do in the gym. It could be something as simple as drinking water instead of a soda—start small to do big.” WATERSPORTS & OTHER OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES Here in the Lowcountry we avail ourselves of pleasant climate and plenty of outdoor recreation, from long winter beach walks to summer days on the river. Swimming is considered the best form of lifelong exercise because it can be done basically from birth until the final frontiers of old age; it’s low-resistance and gently utilizes the whole body without stressing any one part. Canoeing and kayaking have long been popular with those who prefer forms of exercise that stimulate the imagination, and recently stand up paddleboarding has gained momentum, as well. “Paddling is a core-centered activity so it’s good for those looking to increase core strength,” said Eric Burns, kayak guide and owner of Marshgrass Adventures. “But it’s also an outdoor activity, so you’re getting a good dose of nature, fresh air, great breathing, and exposure to plant and animal life. Plus, it’s also a family activity that’s good for everybody. And you don’t have to wipe off sweaty benches.” Burns has partnered with several other local watermen to form Palmetto Paddle Sports, which promotes everything from lessons to races, private tours to group outings, outrigger fishing trips to moonlight paddleboard yoga. “Everything we do is core-centered,” says Burns. “You’re gonna be swingin’ those hips, and you have to paddle against the current for at least half the trip.” If the water isn’t your thing, there’s plenty of walking, biking, tennis, golf, or just general frolicking at the beach. Try a birdwatching expedition at Pinckney Island National Wildlife Refuge, or a pedal around Old Town stopping at various shops and eateries. For those who need even more fun incentives of the adult beverage variety, check out events like Yoga & Beer at Southern Barrel Brewing Company or Earn Your Brew Paddleboard Tour of the May River hosted by Girls Pint Out. Just do something today that makes fitness fun for you!
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S
chool’s out for the summer! The initial excitement of lazy days spent playing at the pool and beach quickly morphs into the reality of sweltering heat and endless hours of TV or video games. Don’t worry, desperate caregivers, relief from boredom is right around the corner with our handy guide to the most entertaining, educational and downright fun activities Bluffton has to offer.
Outdoor Recreation Play all day at local parks, playgrounds and wildlife sanctuaries or explore Bluffton’s wild side on a May River expedition. With the younger set, check out The Shrimp Boat Playground at Dubois Park in Old Town or catch some cool breezes alongside the May River at Oyster Factory Park, adjacent to the Bluffton Oyster Company, or Pritchard Park. Head over to M.C. Riley Elementary School to use the playground and shoot some hoops on the basketball court or pack a picnic and stop by Oscar Frazier Park for a day of fun in the sun on the playground, soccer and baseball fields or rent out the Rotary Community Center to host a summer party. For daredevils, Buckwalter Regional Park has a state-of-the-art skate park with ramps for all skill levels, a large trog bowl with a shallow and deep end, half pipe, two-tier rail ledge, pump dump and other features. Surrounded by soccer fields, a walking trail and paved pathways, the indoor gymnasium has two regulation basketball courts, as well as men’s and women’s locker rooms. Bike, run or walk along Buckwalter Parkway to the Buckwalter Place Greenway Trail, a 1.35-mile pedestrian nature trail—portions of which are ADA accessible—which winds beside wetland streams and through Mesic, bottomland hardwood and pine forests.
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Bring your smart phone to scan the QR code found on the nature trail signs to download an interpretive guide. Just off May River Road near Heritage at New Riverside, the former Seaboard Air Line Railway is now the New River Linear Trail. View wildlife along this unpaved, 5.2-mile railtrail, part of the East Coast Greenway linking cities from Maine to Florida, and learn about the area’s natural and cultural history through signage along the way. For more information on area parks and available amenities, visit the Town of Bluffton’s website at townofbluffton.sc.gov. Hidden in plain sight between Bluffton and Hilton Head Island, Pinckney Island National Wildlife Refuge is open daily from sunrise to sunset. Part of the Savannah Coastal Refuges Complex, more than half of this 4,053acre refuge consists of salt marsh and tidal creeks with over 14 miles of selfguided hiking/biking trails winding through forests, grasslands and around freshwater ponds. Bring a camera and binoculars to look for alligators basking in the sun or try to spot one of the 250 bird species seen in the refuge, including colorful painting buntings, yellowcrowned night herons and a variety of raptors, shorebirds, and wading birds. Please note, shelters, drinking water and restrooms are not available on the refuge, so pack accordingly.
Opposite the refuge entrance on Highway 278, the C.C. Haig Landing is a public boat ramp, kayak launch and fishing pier providing easy access to the saltwater fishing in the estuarine waters surrounding Pinckney Island. Call (843) 784-2468 or visit fws.gov/ refuge/pinckney_island for details on visitor activities at the refuge, trail maps or to access the Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s eBird Trail Tracker. A floating laboratory, Spartina Marine Education Charters offers “an in depth revelation of the Lowcountry waterways.” Tuesday through Saturday, Captain Amber Kuehn
leads two-hour scientific expeditions on the scenic May River to look for dolphins and learn about local crabs, shrimp and fish via the onboard touch tank. On Wednesday mornings and select Saturdays, join the Bluffton native and other marine biologists for a Dolphin Research Cruise as they document local dolphin activity with photography and by listening to dolphin communication on a hydrophone. Spartina is also available as a water taxi, for Sunset Cruises and private charters, call (843) 338-2716 or visit spartinacharters. com for reservations. After returning to the Calhoun Street dock, head over to the Heyward House Historic Center, an 1841 historic summer home on Boundary Street, for a guided house or walking tour of Old Town (heywardhouse. org) or check out the fresh produce, specialty items, prepared foods and entertainment at the Thursday Farmers Market of Bluffton on Thursday afternoons. July 14-15, the May River Shrimp Festival takes over Oyster Factory Park from 5-9 p.m. A kid and K-9 friendly event, “Chill Out & Chow Down under the Live
Oaks” at this Bluffton Sunset Party featuring fresh local seafood, a Domestic & Craft Beer Garden, arts and crafts, Kidz Zone and live music from Executrix & The Chiggers, Souls Harbor and The Horan Brothers Band. Parking is free; tickets are $5 for adults and free for children 12 and under. Visit blufftonsunsetparty.com for more information. The Palmetto Bluff Summer Concert Series continues on select Tuesday nights throughout the summer with the Colby Deitz Band on July 12 and Lowcountry Boil on July 26. Gates open at 5 p.m., so bring chairs, blankets and your finest picnic regalia to set up early on the Village Green and compete in the Cold Beer, Hot Nights Tailgate Competition. Admission is $25 per vehicle with proceeds benefitting Family Promise of Beaufort County. For details and competition rules, visit palmettobluff.com.
Indoor Entertainment Learning can be cool, especially when it takes place at the Bluffton Branch Library on Palmetto Way. In addition to regularly scheduled storytimes for babies, toddlers and preschoolers, as well as a Summer Reading Program for older children, the Bluffton Library also offers free classes in 3D Design and Printing for all ages, Stop Motion Animation, LEGO Club for ages 5-8, Scratch Computer Programming for Kids, Rubber Band Cars, Zumba for Kids, Live Action Pac Man, Digital Art, Photo and Video Editing, Circuitry Science and more. For the class schedule or registration information, call (843) 255-6490 or go online to
beaufortcountylibrary.org. Nearby, Jungle Jump in Sheridan Park is an all-new indoor inflatable play center with Open Play, select Drop Off hours and Family Fun Nights. Call (843) 7069500 for hours and pricing. Island Playground in Bluffton’s Bridge Center is a huge climate-controlled playground with giant inflatables including slides, obstacle courses, bounce houses and separate toddler exploration area with soft play equipment, tunnels, climbers and ride-on toys, plus a comfortable seating area where adults can chill out with TVs and free Wi-Fi. Call (843) 837-8383 or visit island-playground. com for Open Play hours. A high-tech entertainment center with 24 bowling lanes, an arcade with laser maze and private party rooms, plus a bar and grill serving up live music and private party rooms, Station 300 bills itself as “The Coolest Place in Bluffton.” Ask about the summertime Kids Bowl Free and Unlimited Bowling programs, stop by for Arcade Fun Days with unlimited play at select times or order your favorite meal with a side of live music at Zepplins Bar & Grill. Station 300 is located in Buckwalter Place at 25 Innovation Drive. For special programming and event information, go to station300.com or call (843) 815-2695. Last, but not least, catch the latest blockbuster movies, special events and concerts at Cinemark 12 in Berkeley Place. Those looking for deals can sign up for weekly concession coupons at cinemark.com or ask about Early Bird pricing and Tuesday Discount Day.
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Send your selfies to Chierie@Bluffton.com
Faces of Bluffton
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ARCHITECTURE
By Randolph Stewart and Rachael Disbrow Photography courtesy of Tom Jenkins Films
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“F
I just had to experience his words firsthand. Is The Millennium really like that?
itting in with the environment. It fits the contours of the long lot and is choreographed to flow like the events in a river: one area rapids, at the next waterfalls, with surprising coves along the way. Linear pearls strung together, long and sleek, bending like the turns of a river.”
John Strother with Spring Island Realty was kind enough to arrange a personal tour and knew all the nuances and uniqueness that make it a special place. The home is carefully sited on a heavily oak-laden 5.73 acres with over 550 feet of tidal marsh front and long wide views to the Colleton River. The owners wanted a place to invite many friends and local artists and have their personalities permanently part of the home. Cowart did just that.
These words were used by Gerry Cowart, a Savannah architect, in describing The Millennium Home he designed in 2000 on a secluded site on Spring Island, South Carolina. Gerry is an exceptional designer, and it must be noted that I worked with him on my first job in Bluffton almost 20 years ago. One could not have known a better steward of the land and mentor.
You notice the low tabby walls outlining the near surrounds. The drive, planters, retaining walls, the support columns for the carport and the lower terrace edging embrace the vast views of the ecosystem; almost as if they were the string holding the pearls together. “The Tabby Man,” artist Herbert L. Taylor, built them, as well as the interior fireplaces, with his own recipe of broken oyster shells, sand cement and other secret ingredients. The tabby instantly adds a connection with the past history of the Island. The Breeze JULY 2016
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The molded brick motor court brings you to the first pearl—the front of the house, with its deep porch and substantial Doric Order concrete columns. Doric is the earliest form of Greek column order and their presence announces the entrance by providing a sense of permanency. As you walk through the home, you experience the spaces— all only one room deep—with angled connectors and elements that allow the home to be woven among the trees. Each room, while addressing a function, never loses contact with nature. Stepping onto the four-bay porch with its 3x8 exposed rafters, and tall four lite windows with stately gabled pediments, a keen eye will observe the oversized beaded shiplap siding. The rest of the house has a smaller-scale clapboard cypress siding. The builder, Bill Mischler of Genesis Construction in Bluffton, confided
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that the rafters and cypress siding around the front porch set the hierarchy for the interiors. The ingenuity, talent, magnificent attention to detail and quality craftsmanship, such as hand-cut eaves to allow ventilation under the home’s expansive copper roof, are seen in the many fine details found throughout the home. The iron railing and balustrade was forged by John Boyd Smith, a notable ornamental blacksmith from Savannah, who created the railing and crafted newels in the palm motif. Entering the home through the off-center hardwood door with its beveled glass, sidelites and half round transom—also with the continued leaf motif—you are introduced to one large room with cypress gothic cathedral beams and ceiling. Pairs of French doors invite access to the rear marsh portico beyond. The sheer scale of the space requires a few seconds to get your
bearings and notice the 30-foot tall stone fireplace with raised hearth. The fire screen and andirons throughout were also made by the Master Blacksmith. Finials on the beams and arch braces create a humbling sense. As you look up, the dappled light filters in subtly through eight dormers. The floors are cherry, and in the center is a multi-species, inlaid wood, artistic palmetto medallion. Art and sculpture throughout the home are conscientiously placed to offer multiple viewing positions.
master wing carries forward the design aesthetic of a continuous view of the dynamic coastal marsh from one end of the home to the other. Every room has a private porch with access to the lower terrace and a long, winding, raised boardwalk naturally orchestrated around select trees to the marsh edge. The main rear porch and outdoor kitchen can handle a crowd of any size, yet has intimate areas for privacy and enjoying the sounds of nature.
study just off the living room. The multi-angled, 10-foot tall shelves and cupboards anchor one end of the room. The stained trim and floors being the stained cherry automatically bring your eye to the wall of windows looking out to a flood tide. The two-story guest house and screened porch has its own kitchen, living space and two bedrooms with large baths, perfect for a grown family of friends or visiting golf buddies to enjoy in privacy.
As you meander down the hallways, a Let’s not fail to mention the four-car Just as Cowart said, we flow from the quiet curiosity builds in anticipation for garage and covered carport with timber living room, trickling past the wet bar what may lie around the next bend. decking. This was designed to provide an and then arrive at the waterfall—the One treasure tucked like a tiny tributary easy way to hop out of the car and into the great room with high cathedral ceilings just off the kitchen is the guest powder house. The garage is sited separate from with the same beams as the living room, room. Bluffton Master Craftsman the home, but provides covered access. stone floors and the gourmet open kitchen Jerry Taylor created a one-of-a-kind with two islands. The focal piece is the burl redwood slab countertop with a When you walk the boardwalk at marsh stylized monumental tabby fireplace that mounted glacier glass sink to appear as edge just before dusk and turn around, is a masterpiece of craftsmanship. Family if floating. It is a true work of art and you see all the aforementioned pearls. dining and an intimate sitting area to conversation piece with a museum-like The Millennium Home is an excellent enjoy conversations with the cook and quality. Bathrooms throughout the house example of gently placing a house on enjoying the fire make this truly a special have handmade tile and the uniqueness the earth and leaving the surroundings room, whether or not you have company. of each tile is autographed by the artist. untouched. It truly is a special house and it was a privilege to visit. Cowart’s idyllic The sophisticated simple hall to the A great example of a pearl is the cherry description could not be more accurate.
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A Day at the Sandbar S
urveying the horizon and tide table it became clear a river party should be organized. The tide was high and about to turn and, with nary a cloud in the sky, conditions were perfect for a long day on the water. The necessary preparations were made and by noon a lively crowd of neighbors and friends were gathered on the dock. The crowd was a blend of youth and age, size and shape. The college guys stood tall and tanned in their aviator glasses while the younger teenage boys sulked in their shadows full of big teeth awkwardness and unsculpted baby fat. Girls of all ages milled about in their swimsuits or cover-ups. You could tell the generation gap by the amount of cotton covering their rear end. They all smelled of coconuts and island fruits and wore oversized sunglasses, each carrying the latest trash novel or fashion magazine in a large over-decorated shoulder bag. The men looked the most relaxed. Perhaps it was the Bloody Marys or the fact that none worried about how they looked in their suits. Either way, they stood at the edge of the dock inspecting some random object in the water. Most had bellies that flopped over the elastic band holding up their suit; most seemed not to care.
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The group was a sight to behold. The men moored an old bateau to a small wooden barge, loaded it with coolers of beer, a small charcoal grill, crab lines and a picnic basket and headed across the river for a lazy afternoon. If lucky, they would catch a tan, a buzz and a bushel of crab. Cousin Shelby, acting as master of ceremonies, stood in the bow and christened the leaky contraption the “May River Queen� and with a plume of smoke from the motor, they were underway. The sun burned white in the deep, cloudless sky as the May River Queen crept upriver. The day was hot, but not oppressively humid. The water was cool as people jumped to swim beside the slow-moving flotilla.
Everyone was in high spirits. River parties were both fluid and leisurely, an excuse to get out but not enough activity to warrant use of the mind. The small 35-horsepower motor struggled to push the heavy load against the opposing tide. The pace was slow and the strain of the engine’s hum hypnotic, perfect for catching rays on a hot summer day. A tattered, red and white striped umbrella flapped in the wind casting a shifting band of shade as it rocked in its rusted perch, offering the only protection for the smaller children as they huddled together out of the sun. The ladies lay on brightly colored towels, golden skin oiled and Ray Bans directed heavenward, their tongues wagging with the latest gossip. The slander dripped like honey from the hive.
Each child scrunched up their nose and let out a collective “peee-eww” as the grease from the chicken collected on the water’s surface; not much beats the spectacle of hand-line crabbing. So, with lines left to chum in the water, the women resumed tanning and the men cracked another cold beer waiting for the crabs to bite. Patience is essential for hand-crabbing, almost as much as watching the water boil when you cook them. You have to let the greedy crab come feast on the meat, and become gluttonous to the point it will risk its life to hang on to the rancid piece of chicken. With the bait taken, the prize was then retrieved by gently reeling in “the blue” until a net grabbed the enraged, but helpless, greedy crab. The blue crabs were then deposited in a tall peach basket and the process repeated until the basket was full.
This was the typical process until one of three things occurred—one, the tide changed and the run of crab stopped; two, the girls got too sunburned to remain; three, the beer ran out. Yes, life on the river can spoil a lazy man. However, this afternoon there happened to be a fourth element. When the visiting preacher’s youngest daughter found a way to sit in the “Oooh, have you heard what that Miller boy did last bucket of angry crabs, it was time to call it a day and head week; bless his heart. I bet he never saw her coming,” back to the sandbar. cooed one particularly knowledgeable matron from By the time tears were subdued, lines pulled in and the barge beneath her oversized hat and over-painted red lips. set back in motion, the tide had turned. Upon reaching the A small radio tuned in the classic sound of 1960’s sandbar, we found the incoming waters had already split the Motown, Philadelphia and Memphis, drowning out exposed sand in half. The others in the party seemed to hardly most of the conversation radiating from the girls’ side of notice as they sat in chairs waist deep, wallowing in the warm the barge. The men gathered by the motor and smoked summer currents.
cigars and drank beer, talking of football and fishing.
“What’s to eat?” called Kathy from her chair in the water. “How them Jawga boo-dawgs gunna fair this season?” “We’re half-starved, fire up that grill!” drawled cousin Shelby’s friend John. And so, with less than 25 minute’s worth of dry land “Aw, heck, Dooley will have them ready; ready to lose remaining, the men set out to fire up the hibachi and grill to Pat Dye’s Tigers that is,” mocked Doctor Norton, burgers. Apparently, the sun and fun impaired their ability to a physician from Atlanta who loved to razz Georgia master flame. It took a ring of women holding towels around the little hibachi to produce any hope for cooked food. The football fans. tide rushed in closer and closer to the small band and, just as The party barge cleared Bull Creek and continued to snake its the white foam spilled between their toes, the coals lit. There way up the May River to within sight of Potato Island. There would be food after all. And so, as rays and skates cruised by the anchor was tossed on an emerging sliver of sand and in the now ankle-deep water, the burgers cooked. Chairs and several ladies who preferred the tidal sandbar and Danielle baskets began floating away in the tide. Mothers scrambled Steel to crabbing on the crowded barge were offloaded. The after children, children scrambled after floats and fathers children scattered about like fiddler crabs on a hot dock, scrambled after coolers. The whole affair was quite a sight. yelping and screeching among the adult’s legs as lawn chairs After some quick maneuvering, the last chair and child were and coolers were taken ashore. loaded on the barge as the sun began to dip into the horizon. With half the crew comfortably settled on the sandbar, the Shelby waded through the waist-deep water with a platter May River Queen continued its journey to the mouth of a of burgers for the crew who now sat sunburned and happy, narrow creek just out of sight of the river’s boat traffic. The feet dangling in the water. The May River Queen began its children watched with reserved curiosity as stinking chicken methodical push back to the home dock after a glorious day necks and thighs were pulled from the reeking bait cooler, on the May. New memories forged by the changing of the fastened to metal pins, then carefully dropped overboard. tide. 33 The Breeze JULY 2016
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JULY TIDES Tide chart is calculated for the May River. Full Moon July 19. FRI 1
SAT 2
SUN 3
MON 4
TUES 5
WED 6
THURS 7
FRI 8
SAT 9
SUN 10
2:42 8:20
PM PM
H L H L
2:48 8:38 3:31 9:14
H L H L
WED 13
THURS 21
AM AM PM PM
L H L H
4:37 10:41 4:40 11:08
AM AM PM PM
FRI 22
3:35 9:26 4:18 10:10
AM AM PM PM
L H L H
5:40 11:27 5:27 11:53
AM AM PM PM
SAT 23
L H L
6:05 12:16 6:15
AM PM PM
H L H L
4:23 10:16 5:06 11:06
AM AM PM PM
SUN 24
H L H L
12:42 6:51 1:10 7:06
AM AM PM PM
THURS 14
H L H L
5:12 11:06 5:55 11:58
AM AM PM PM
MON 25
H L H L
1:36 7:40 2:07 8:03
AM AM PM PM
FRI 15
H L H
6:02 11:56 6:44
AM AM PM
TUES 26
L H L H
12:48 6:53 12:45 7:33
AM AM PM PM
H L H L
2:32 8:33 3:05 9:05
AM AM PM PM
WED 27
L H L H
1:36 7:42 1:33 8:19
AM AM PM PM
H L H L
3:30 9:31 4:04 10:11
AM AM PM PM
THURS 28
L H L H
2:23 8:30 2:20 9:03
AM AM PM PM
H L H L
4:29 10:32 5:03 11:18
AM AM PM PM
FRI 29
H L H
5:28 11:33 6:02
AM AM PM
MON 11
L H L H
12:35 6:44 12:49 7:17
AM AM PM PM
L H L H
1:34 7:44 1:45 8:14
AM AM PM PM
L H L H
2:30 8:42 2:39 9:08
AM AM PM PM
L H L H
3:23 9:36 3:32 9:59
AM AM PM PM
L H L H
4:14 10:28 4:23 10:48
AM AM PM PM
SAT 16
L H L H
5:02 11:19 5:11 11:36
AM AM PM PM
SUN 17
L H L
5:47 12:11 5:58
AM PM PM
MON 18
H L H L
AM AM PM PM
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3:08 9:14 3:07 9:45
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12:24 6:30 1:02 6:44 1:12 7:12 1:53 7:31
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Hilton Head Boathouse Showroom: 1498 Fording Island Road Bluffton, SC 29910 Hilton Head Boathouse: 405 Squire Pope Road Hilton Head Island, 29926
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843-681-2628 www.hhboathouse.net
A great learning trip for kids & adults!
Voyage of discovery
Discover the local marsh habitat. See the richness of life in our tidal estuary. Learn measures for water quality. All trips led by Captain Amber Kuehn MS in Marine Biology Contact: SpartinaCharters@gmail.com or Spartinacharters.com 843-338-2716
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MUSIC
by Jevon Daly
F
reedom is something I think most musicians are aware of. We can show up a few minutes late to work and it’s not a big deal (unless you are performing at a wedding). We are fed, given beer and have a special place in this creature comfort friendly world we live in. People can be out of work, but “they still gon’ drink.” And that is where the musician comes in.
song you wrote about the place they’ve never heard of or that girl who broke your heart into little crumbs. Freedom. I often wonder what songs DJs will play at weddings in 100 years. Will there even BE weddings in 100 years?
“Sing me something I know, so I can tell if you’re any good or not.”
But, if I have that song—the “Simple Man” or, God forbid, a song that I WROTE that can get that person to sing along or stop texting—then I win for the next five minutes. That “win” makes hearing a request for “Brown Eyed Girl” from that little 14-year-old on vacation with her mom at the Tiki Hut easier as an “artist.”
And therein lies the debacle. Do musicians have as much freedom as we think? I picture a ball and chain and a longhaired dude with a guitar churning out all the hits: “Benny and the Jets.” “Jack and Diane.” “Freebird!” is yelled from the back of the bar. People laugh. “Play ‘Rocky Top’!” “Dedicate this one to the troops!” Then there is a silence onstage. Maybe there isn’t even a stage. Now what the guitar player does next is what we are talking about. Does he play what people want, or is this guy so slick that the tricks up his sleeve will take this in another direction? I remember going to see Ozzy in 1991. I wore out my copy of No Rest for the Wicked a few years prior to the concert. When I got to the show, I knew all the words to “Miracle Man” and “Breaking All the Rules.” So, after playing a few songs off the album, I wondered why “Crazy Train” came oozing out of the giant guitar amps onstage. OK, maybe oozing isn’t the right word. But then I noticed something. Hands instantly went up in the air. Screams scraped my ears. My hair stood up on my neck. Maybe I fell in love with the new album, but “Crazy Train” is played at Super Bowls. I learned something about myself and most of us out there in the audience that night. We want to be “hit over the head” by these big songs when at a music show. Just GIVE IT TO US. I’ve noticed after playing “Rocky Top” or “Wagon Wheel” that audiences are like wild animals. Throw them a piece of meat and they will listen to you. That is the time to play the
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I joke. No one laughs. The crowd turns to their phones. “I’m going outside to smoke a cig,” says another patron.
As a musician, I have learned (still learning) that people just wanna hear songs they know. They wanna feel like you are including them in your day. And, yes, usually original music is boring to the average guy with his kids from Wisconsin or the drunk chick at the bar you’ve been playing at for five years. “Learn your craft” is what Michael Kavanaugh, a veteran player of 25 years on Hilton Head Island, says. “But, if the chance to be yourself arises, do it. But get in and get out.” Living in America, sometimes we lose sight of how much freedom we have. Pierce that septum if ya want. You won’t be burned alive. There are guys and gals fighting every day in strange places for your right to wear your hair blue. Paint your car in DayGlo paint. Kiss a boy or a girl. You can go to college to be a DJ or a surfer these days. Do I think it’s OK to acknowledge the troops in song? Why not? Zach Brown has it down to a science. A soldier returning home just wants to re-connect and plug back in to society. If watching guys in wigs sing “Pour Some Sugar on Me” helps make that transition back to normal life, then heck yes. Some of the biggest supporters of music in my life have been men and women who have served our country. They love life, they love beer, and they need music. We all do. Take the music away and the natives get restless.
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SHRIMP COBB SALAD from Photo by Chierie Smith
(Makes 1 Serving) 1. layers:
1 oz. scallions 1 oz. shredded cheddar cheese 1 oz. diced bacon 1 oz. blue cheese 1 oz. diced tomatoes 1 oz. diced avacodo 1 oz. chopped hardboiled egg 2 oz. chopped cooked shrimp
2. garnish:
mixed greens olive oil, drizzed balsamic glaze, drizzled
3. method: 40 bluffton.com
• Take an empty soup can (topped on both ends) and layer all ingredients inside can, then firmly press down with a smaller container. • Remove both containers gently. • Top with mixed greens and drizzle with olive oil and balsamic glaze.
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The Breeze JULY 2016
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BLUFFTON’S
RESTAURANT GUIDE Agave Side Bar** Southwestern 13 State Of Mind St. (843) 757-9190
Toomers’ Bluffton Seafood House** Seafood 27 Dr. Mellichamp Dr. (843) 757-0380
Butcher’s Market and Dell Deli 102 Buckwalter Pkwy., Ste. 3G (843) 815-6328
Cahill’s Chicken Kitchen** Southern 1055 May River Rd. (843) 757-2921
The Village Pasta Shoppe** Italian, Deli, Wine, 10 B. Johnston Way (across from Post Office) (843) 540-2095
Captain Woody’s Seafood, Sandwich, Salads 17 State Of Mind St., The Promenade (843) 757-6222
Corner Perk** Breakfast, Lunch, Coffee Promenade St. & May River Rd. (843) 816-5674
Walnuts Café** Contemporary 70 Pennington Dr., Ste. 20 (843) 815-2877
Choo Choo BBQ Express Barbeque, Pulled Pork, Ribs 129 Burnt Church Rd. (843) 815-7675
May River Grill** Seafood Contemporary Old Town Bluffton 1263 May River Rd. (843) 757-5755
Bluffton BBQ Barbeque, Pork, Ribs 11 State Of Mind St. (843) 757-7427
Claude & Uli’s Bistro French 1533 Fording Island Rd. #302, Moss Creek Village (843) 837-3336
The Oyster Bar** Seafood 15 State Of Mind St., The Promenade (843) 837-1893
The Bluffton Room Fine dining 15 Promenade St. (843) 757-3525
Corks Wine Co. Contemporary, Tapas 14 Promenade St. #306, The Promenade (843) 816-5168
The Pearl Kitchen and Bar** Fine Dining 55 Calhoun St. (843) 757-5511
The Brick Chicken American 1011 Fording Island Rd. (843) 836-5040
The Cottage Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner 38 Calhoun St. (843) 757-0508
Pour Richard’s** Contemporary 4376 Bluffton Pkwy. (843) 757-1999
British Open Pub Pub, Seafood, Steaks 1 Sherington Dr. #G, Sheridan Park (843) 705-4005
Downtown Deli Burgers, Sandwiches 27 Dr. Mellichamp Dr. (843) 815-5005
Squat ‘N’ Gobble** American, Greek 1231 May River Rd. (843) 757-4242
Buffalo’s Contemporary 1 Village Park Sq. (843) 706-6630
Fat Patties Burgers, Sandwiches 207 Bluffton Rd. (843) 815-6300
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Hinchey’s Chicago Bar & Grill American 104 Buckwalter Pl., Ste. 1A (843) 836-5959
Mulberry Street Trattoria Italian 1476 Fording Island Rd. (843) 837-2426
Sigler’s Rotisserie & Seafood Contemporary 12 Sheridan Park Circle (843) 815-5030
Hogshead Kitchen Contemporary 1555 Fording Island Rd., Moss Creek Village (843) 837-4647
Napoli Bistro Pizzeria & Wine Bar Italian, Mediterranean 68 Bluffton Rd. (843) 706-9999
Southern Barrel Brewing Co. American 375 Buckwalter Place Blvd. (843) 837-2337
Neo Gastropub - Farm To Table Fare 1533 Fording Island Rd. #326, Moss Creek Village (843) 837-5111
Stooges Cafe American 25 Sherington Dr. (843) 706-6178
Inn At Palmetto Bluff Continental 1 Village Park Sq., Palmetto Bluff Village (843) 706-6500 The Juice Hive Juice Bar 14 Johnston Way, Bluffton Village (843) 757-BUZZ (2889) Katie O’Donald’s Irish, American 1008 Fording Island Rd. #B, Kitties Crossing (843) 815-5555 Longhorn Steakhouse American 1262 Fording Island Rd., Tanger Outlet 1 (843) 705-7001
Okatie Ale House American 25 William Pope Dr. (843) 706-2537
** See the ads in The Breeze and Bluffton.com for more info
Old Town Dispensary Contemporary 15 Captains Cove, off Calhoun St. (843) 837-1893 Redfish Contemporary 32 Bruin Rd. Old Town Bluffton (843) 837-8888
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COMEDY
By Chase S. Wilkinson While you are enjoying your lovely beach vacation with the family this summer, please keep an eye on your children because Poseidon is greedy and will try to steal them, if he can. Make sure they’re wearing at least three life jackets at all times and don’t let them wander. In fact, maybe put a leash on them. I remember exactly one beach vacation from my entire childhood, and I was almost dragged out to sea. It was a perfect vacation, if that is any consolation. I was eight and my parents and I took a trip to Costa Rica with two of their friends. It was magical. We explored rain forests and saw monkeys and macaws. We even watched a sloth cross the street! Well, we watched it get halfway across the street. Then we got bored and left. They are very slow animals. We had made it through nearly a week without any major incident. Sure, we got lost in a grocery store parking lot, but we had covered a lot of ground since then. We were world explorers, by this point. That’s when my Dad got the brilliant idea to go body boarding in the middle of the night. He and his friend Matt were pretty drunk and I was kind of just happy to be along for the ride.
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So the three of us snuck by the hotel’s office and stole a couple of boards and took off for the ocean. Now, it may have been all the alcohol or a complete misunderstanding of very obvious foreshadowing, but my Dad was completely undisturbed by the giant lightning storm not far off the coast. We plunged headfirst into the choppy, pitch-black surf. Giant cracks of lighting filled the sky occasionally, but never let us see whatever massive sharks were surely lurking around waiting to rip our legs off. As the waves threw us about, we proved to be about as graceful as ice skating squirrels. Slipping, sliding and getting lost beneath the waves. For roughly 20 minutes, we tempted fate itself to fumble around in the ocean. We survived without incident, but after that I was hooked. Anytime we stayed near the beach on that vacation, I’d race out into the waves with a boogie board in hand. We arrived at the Look Out Inn near the end of our stay. After settling in a bit, we befriended a hotel staff member and convinced him to walk us down to the beach so that I could get my next fix. He dropped us off and turned to walk back to the hotel. When we asked him to stay, he just sort of laughed like a low-rent Bond villain and continued to leave. Suddenly, the ocean felt less like an old friend and more like an ex who arrives out of nowhere with cookies. Sure, we’d had good times before, but there’s a good chance those cookies were baked with rat poison, instead of love.
Salt water smashed into me again and again, as I felt myself get dragged away. Everyone stampeded toward me, yelling for me to get to my feet, to get out of there. I tried to get up but I couldn’t find the strength to battle the water. I’d get to my feet and immediately be pulled back down on my back or my stomach. My Mom and her friend Terri pulled at my arms and I felt like I was going to be ripped in two like some sort of medieval torture device. No matter how much the two women tried, my tubby little body was too much for them. I could hear the God of the Ocean laughing at me in the distance as I cried, desperately not wanting to die over a stupid activity I wasn’t even good at. I clawed at the sand. I cried. I promised my Mom that I would do the dishes for like a month if she saved my life. It could have been two minutes but it felt like five hours. Eventually, I think through the combined might of four grown adults, I was pulled from the clutches of the ocean and onto the relative safety of the beach. We limped our way back to the hotel and cursed our guide for not talking us out of our own hubris. So now I spend my summers locked safely away in the comfort of my own apartment. Far away from the sunshine and evil draws of the sea. But, if you attempt to brave the fearsome waters, take precautions. Invest in sandcastle building materials, show your children “Jaws” on the car ride over or sacrifice a small goat to the Ocean God. This summer, your children’s safety is what is most important.
But we were stubborn fools and made our way down to the shore. I was told to wait and let the older men test it out first. The tide crashed in with force, like a toddler throwing a fit in the toy aisle. My dad walked out and you could tell that the current was stronger than anything we’d seen so far. Our friend Matt swam for a few moments before the waves spat him back out against a giant chunk of driftwood. Our last trip to the beach was going to be a bust. We were getting ready to pack it in, but somehow I ended up near the shore. Water crashed in around my tiny 8-year-old ankles and before I could turn around back to my parents, it grabbed hold and ripped me down. Now, I’ve spent more time behind a sewing machine than I have on a football field, but I’m pretty sure that’s what it felt like to get hit by a linebacker. I laughed for a moment, “Ha, ha, okay, you win Poseidon. I will not tempt you today.” But the laughter quickly turned to panicked screams as the undercurrent latched onto me and began to tug my body back toward the ocean like jungle cat pulling its kill away to eat later.
Chase S. Wilkinson is a humorist/superhero. His bumbling alter ego graduated with a degree in writing from SCAD in 2014. Now he spends his time rescuing humanity from its own self-consciousness through laughter and dance! With self-deprecating charm, he vows to remind everyone that it’s okay to laugh at yourself. The Breeze JULY 2016
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