There is no debate about it: Some of the most abundant natural beauty in all the world is right here along the Grand Strand. And thanks to the Work Projects Administration (WPA) and the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC)—federal agencies that were created as part of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s New Deal program, which was enacted during the Great Depression to create employment by establishing and building parks—these natural resources are preserved today in their original splendor.
During the summertime, sunshine is hot and plentiful in the Carolina-blue sky. The water is cool and equally plentiful. Autumn is brilliant—crisp mornings and breezy afternoons are perfect for beach walks and surf fishing. Winter comes in bite-size pieces: a string of brisk, snappy days, with long warm stretches in between. And when spring quickly arrives bearing wisteria, daffodils, and bright-faced college kids, it’s hard to believe another year has passed. This deliciously temperate climate enables tourists and residents to enjoy the great outdoors for most of the year.
So head for the parks and take advantage of the enviable climate and incredible store of natural resources. Myrtle Beach State Park and Huntington Beach State Park are known for being among the best locations on the East Coast for bird-watching. Both parks also feature an ever-changing array of programming for the young and the young at heart.
We’ve also included a Spectator Sports section for those times when you want to sit in the bleachers and root for the home team. Locals are especially proud of the Myrtle Beach Pelicans, our first professional sports team.
With the Grand Strand’s 60 miles of beachfront for surf fishing, eight piers, deep-sea fishing charters, and even freshwater fishing, just how is an angler to choose? And for that matter, you could know nothing about fishing. What better opportunity to learn?
The waters off the coast of South Carolina and the Grand Strand are teeming with everything from sport fish to fish that simply make for some darned good eating. The Gulf Stream pulls the flow of water along the coast from the tropics and keeps the waters pretty warm. In fact, during the summer months, the ocean can have the feel of bathwater. That same flow brings a variety of migrations of fish, and it would be a mistake to think all fish are created equal, or that they can be caught in the same manner. This chapter will answer the who, what, where, when, and, often, the why questions about fishing along the Grand Strand. If you don’t find the answers to your questions here, the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, Marine Resources Division, in Charleston, is a wonderful resource; call (843) 953-9000 or visit them online at www.dnr.state.sc.us.
They can also help with licensing. According to South Carolina state law, people (age 16 and older) harvesting oysters or clams, fishing for marine finfish from privately owned boats, or transporting catch in privately owned boats must purchase an annual or temporary Saltwater Recreational Fisheries License. Fishing piers and chartered vessels charging a fee for fishing and those offering fishing boats for rent must purchase a Marine Recreational Fisheries License annually. Nonresidents can get an annual license for $35 and 14-day license for $11. No license is needed for those under 16.
Boating the Grand Strand’s waters is a bewitching alternative means of travel through this part of the country, forgone by most. What often gets missed in the wink-of-an-eye speeds of faster modes of transportation stretches out before you in a peaceful panorama when navigating rivers, marshes, and waterways. Like the persona of area natives, the Grand Strand’s seaways seem slower-moving, easier . . . belying the churning eddy of activity just below the surface.
In this coastal area, water routes once were the main arteries for the lifeblood and growth of this region and today are steeped in the history of its people. When the marshy inlets of Calabash, Cherry Grove, Murrells Inlet, and Pawleys Island were fair game for anyone, their bulging beds of oysters and clams fed generations of families. There was a time when nets, pots, and traps were seen dangling from almost any dock or even a tree, containing the daily catch of blue crabs and shrimp. The deep, drifting Waccamaw River made rice planters some of the wealthiest people in the world during the 1850s, as its waters fed massive rice paddies along its banks. During summers in the mid-1800s, the river was alive with barges carrying whole families and their favorite furnishings from their inland plantation homes to seasonal abodes on Pawleys Island—a cooler clime and a safe haven from “summer fever” (malaria transmitted from mosquitoes).
The historical development of Grand Strand boating routes seems as murky as the water itself. All that we know for sure is that it was a generations-long process, most likely motivated by economic need or inspired by the discoveries of maverick explorers.
With an average annual temperature in the mid-70s and 215 days of Carolina-blue skies and bright sunshine each year, the Grand Strand’s mild, subtropical climate is a mecca for sun worshipers and beachcombers alike. Even when the summer temperatures and humidity chase the majority of people into air-conditioned shelter, the beach will always carry a soft, welcoming breeze that defies the heat. The wide ribbon of sandy coast stretches for 60 miles, and the Atlantic Ocean is usually less turbulent than its West Coast cousin, the Pacific Ocean. As hundreds of thousands of locals and visitors will attest, there’s nothing like a glorious day at the beach!
Worldwide, there are more exciting waters to explore, but for the sheer pleasure of participating in water sports, the Grand Strand has its fair share of fans. In fact, our sun-kissed area is a perfect place to learn and practice the rudiments of a particular water sport. The Intracoastal Waterway and Black River offer calmer waters to test out waterskiing, there are plenty of scuba-diving courses available and some interesting underwater ledges and wrecks to explore, and the relatively less powerful breakers of the Atlantic Ocean have never discouraged a novice surfer.
Whether you’re adept at a water sport or want to try one out, this chapter should send you in the right direction.