EDISTO BEACH, S.C. — The curled silvery Spanish moss dangles from the limbs of the live oaks forming a canopy over South Carolina Highway 174 — the shaded passageway signaling to me I’ve almost arrived at my home away from home.
With each mile, familiar points of interest come into view – the Presbyterian Church, the Serpentarium, the decorated mystery tree. As we pass through, the stress begins to slip away and the cares of the outside world disappear.
Along Palmetto Boulevard are the beach dwellings with their creative names — “Turtle Turf,” “Beach Music,” “A Fish Called Wanda,” “Caroline Blue,” “Surf Tide,” Tuckered Out” and “Sweet Carol Ann.”
Edisto, or Edislow as it’s sometimes called by those who know it well, is my all-time favorite beach in the United States. Some might call Edisto rustic, natural. It’s a far cry from other South Carolina beaches such as Myrtle Beach.
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No high-rises to spoil its natural beauty, no amusement parks, no outlet malls. I remember a time when my cell phone didn’t even work there. It was truly a place to unplug. Even though my phone works there now, I find it easier to ignore.
For those who like their beach trips to include shopping, shows and lots of activities, there are plenty of sandy beaches within a three to four-hour drive of Augusta to fill that niche. And if you’re looking for those things, Edisto is not the place for you.
But if you want a getaway where a sunset is a spectator sport and a focal point of the trip, then go to Edisto’s St. Helena Sound.
I’m a firm believer in those social media memes that proclaim the ocean water is the only salt that lowers your blood pressure. Like the song in Disney’s “Moana,” the sea calls to me. My favorite parts of visits to Edisto include early morning walks along the shore.
Nothing is quite like a sunrise or sunset at the beach. Parts of Edisto’s 4.5 miles of beach are separated with craggy rocks while masses of shells sprinkle the shoreline and other parts unveiled by the surf reveal a smooth surface.
I remember one particularly glorious sunrise — not that I’ve ever seen a bad one. Ominous dark clouds hung low and heavy in the sky as a bold orange rippled from beneath them like flames licking the sky under a billow of smoke.
Sunsets, barring cloud cover, are equally impressive as the sky becomes a canvas with brushstrokes of violet, fuchsia and tangerine as the vivid fiery sphere seems to drop into the ocean.
Encounters with wildlife are common along the beach.
Pods of dolphins swim and play near the sound and Big Bay Creek.
My husband and I have been kayaking at Edisto in that vicinity and have had a close-up view of the dolphins as they’ve passed by, gently surfacing and diving below in a rhythmic arc — their only sound comes from their blowhole.
And the living creatures of the sea often come from the depths such as a baby shark who strayed close to the beach on one of my recent walks.
There’s more to Edisto than just the beach, but I’ll stop here because I could write about it for days.
It’s a nature lover’s slice of paradise.
Charmain Z. Brackett is the managing editor of The Augusta Press. Reach her at charmain@theaugustapress.com
