So, I started to write a Jeff Foxworthy style blog post titled “You might not like Edisto if:” 1) you need roller coasters to be entertained; 2) you need an activities director for your kids; 3) you need a bellman to welcome you home on your vacation, etc. Instead, I decided to make this a list of some of my favorite things about Edisto — you know, “accentuate the positive, eliminate the negative, latch on to the affirmative . . .” So, here goes a list of some of my favorite things to do at Edisto:
1) Nothing — It might seem strange to have nothing top the list of favorite things to do but doing nothing is highly underrated as a wonderful activity. In our day to day life of school, work, soccer practice, PTO, meetings, etc., doing nothing either alone or doing nothing as a family, has become a lost art. Give it a try. Block out an hour, block out an afternoon and the only thing on the agenda is nothing. Do nothing on the beach. Do nothing in a hammock. No tv, no cell phone, no IPad. Give it a try and let me know how it goes. It may take a little practice but you will get better at it and it is definitely worth a try.
2) Walking — Edisto Beach and Edisto Island offer a wide variety of beautiful walking opportunities. Walk the beach to Jeremy Inlet at the North End of the Island (ocean on your right as you or walk toward it [on your left as you return]{I know, but you never know.}). Or head south (reverse directions above) toward Big Bay Creek and St. Helena Sound, where the Edisto River reaches its terminus into the Atlantic Ocean. More options: walk Jungle Shores Road, the dirt road that parallels Jungle road from blocks 2 through 10. Or, drive to Botany Bay and walk either the beach with its boneyard trees or the long dirt road marked as “Tour.” Watch for Fox Squirrels (they’re squirrels, not foxes and they won’t hurt you but you probably want to keep them away from your nuts).
3) Fishing — See my Fishing at Edisto blog.
4) Cycling — See my Cycling at Edisto blog.
5) Crabbing — Get a chicken neck, some string, a 2 ounce weight, a crab net, and a cooler or bucket to put them in. If you have a boat, go up any of the smaller creeks at low tide and have at it. if you’re on foot, it helps if you have a friend who has a dock. If not, you can crab on the front beach or in the Sound or Jeremy Inlet (see #2 above).
6) Finding Shark’s teeth — Follow the directions in #2 above, especially the part about walking toward Jeremy Inlet. One important difference — look down while you walk. Shark’s teeth are almost always black and tend to be about the size of your smallest fingernail but pointier. Imagine you’re looking for a labrador retriever’s toenails. Some shark’s teeth are much larger — almost the size of your hand — but that is a very rare find indeed.
7) Set up on the beach — OK, this is activity number one for many people who come to the beach but, if so, you probably don’t need to see it on my list anyway. If it’s not on your list, give it a try. Lay out a blanket, or a towel, or lay in the sand if you don’t have either. Set up a tent if you want (or need) to avoid the sun. Enjoy yourself, you’re at the beach!
8) Boat tours — If you have your own boat, it’s easy. Put in at the state ramp off of Palmetto Road (watch the currents, they move through here). If you don’t have your own boat, book a trip with Botany Bay Eco Tours or one of the other outfitters that will take you boating or kayaking to some of Edisto’s outer islands.
9) Explore a little — Drive some of Edisto’s back roads. Find Steamboat Landing, the Hutchinson House, King’s Market, the Marina, George and Pink’s, Botany Bay Road. Wander around, it’s ok.
10) Enjoy your friends and family — We don’t spend enough of our lives just enjoying each other’s company. There is no better place to do it than Edisto.