Hunting Island S.P. Part III. Quick Trip to Beaufort

Click here for the first post in this series.

No more rain here at Hunting Island State Park. Standing water has drained away from many, but not all, of the campsites. Another day or so and it all should be gone.

Weather is ideal, at least for me. Chilly, with hazy sunshine. Outside it was 36 degrees earlier on this morning. Glad to be camping with the Aliner rather than a tent! Note the shrimp boat on the horizon in the photo above. Talk about chilly work!

Late in the morning, I drove out Route 21, across the bridges, and on to St. Helena’s Island to gain WiFi access at the County Library Branch. Thanks to the Library for providing the free access!

Then on to Beaufort for a quick look around. As happens so often, however, the attractive Christmas display of the Lowcountry Store pulled me across the road for a look inside.

There I met retired businessman and photographer extraordinaire, John McCormick. John provided interesting information about the region. From the perspective of an observant transplant resident. One who’s lived many years in other places. And, he showed me some of the stunning Low Country photographs that he and his wife, Maggie, have taken.

As impressive as the photos themselves were the innovative approaches to photographic display the McCormicks have devised. It goes well beyond photos affixed to coffee mugs! Though they have those too. When you visit, ask to see one of their 3-D-like treatments. Their work far surpasses run-of-the-mill tourist attraction fare. You’ll just have to see it for yourself.

Yet the McCormicks have managed to keep their prices low enough to allow even retired folks like me to buy them. If you can’t manage a visit to the store, e-mail them at magsmugs@comcast.net and ask for more information.

Leaving the Lowcountry Store I headed toward Beaufort again, determined to improve the quality of my own photographs.

And what an ideal place to begin! Here’s a shot of the long graceful bridge that feeds right into downtown. Well …. This photo isn’t all that impressive. But you’ve got to admit: the bridge is beautiful!

Downtown Beaufort, South Carolina, seems as if it were designed to be photographed! Though it was late and light was fading by the time I arrived yesterday. So I parked on the main street, and just walked around aimlessly for a half-hour or so.

Emerging from an arcade-like row of shops, I glanced over to see this typical downtown Beaufort yard. Click on that photo and look closely at the trees. And how well they go with that porch. Natural, unaffected elegance. What a sight!

Then, back toward the water, past the shop where tickets for Walter Gay’s horse-drawn carriage tours are sold, I stumbled on this eclectic throne-like construction. Also a well-known part of the Beaufort scene. Though “natural, unaffected elegance” doesn’t quite seem to apply here …..

There’s so much more to see in Beaufort. I’ll try to visit again on Tuesday. So stay tuned!

Click here for the next post