"The Great Outdoors"

Last weekend I, my wife, and my sister in law went to Dafuskie Island, South Carolina I had been invited to be part of a panel speaking before a group at a section of the island called Haig Point. I had eagerly accepted the invitation because the lady in charge of getting the panel together had long raved to me about Dafuskie Island. Her name is Patti Callahan Henry and she lives there part time in the summer.

The only way to get to Dafuskie is by ferry. You park your car at a welcome center for the island and then get on the boat. Patti told me my car would be totally and absolutely safe, but this was the new car I had just bought. I felt a little scared at leaving it alone and unattended, but I did.

The ferry voyage was fine, just a few bumps every now and then. It took a little over thirty minutes to reach the island. Once there we checked into a place called "The Mansion." This is an old home that was built years ago on St Simon's Island. It was going to be torn down but some people got the idea of moving it to Dafuskie. They put this 7500 square foot building on two barges and moved it lock, stock and barrel to the island.

After we were shown to our rooms, we were told that if we wanted to explore the island there were golf carts behind the Mansion with our names on them. This was a new experience for me. I had never in my life driven a golf cart. Hey, I am not a golfer. 

Anyway I first had to ask where the key was. It was on the key ring for my room. Then I had to ask how to start it. The guy in charge told me to turn it on and go. I asked again how to start it. I was expecting to hear some kind of motor starting.

The guy told me to put it in gear (to the right was reverse, to the left was forward). I thought he meant you had to put it in gear to start it. I know this guy felt like braining me cause he finally came over, moved me over, and showed me how to drive the thing. Once I understood I liked the whole battery concept and we scooted around the island just fine.

The scenery was beautiful, and the homes on the island are awesome. I did keep an eye out for snakes and I almost choked when I saw signs that said, "Don't molest the alligators!" I thought "molest" was a rather strange choice of words.

Patti had told me there were tons of activities on the island. You could go crabbing, shrimping, tubing, boating, etc. I was fine with just carting. I have never been a real outdoors person and those activities seemed like something that would get you hot and sweaty.

My wife and sister in law went on and on about the beauty of the scenery, the symphony of sounds, the joy of getting back to nature. I kept looking for a Golden Corral. There is nothing like that there. There isn't even a movie theater.

I had a great time meeting the people on Dafuskie and the panel was a real joy in which to participate. When we left the next day I was raving about the fun I had with the people. My wife and sister in law had their heads together trying to figure out how we could all come back next year with my sister in law's husband included. They talked about wanting to stay for a couple of weeks. 

A couple of weeks! No way! I would go berserk. The peace and quiet as well as the beauty of nature would not do it for me. My wife says I would de-stress. I say I would up my stress level. I like to see nature. I am glad nature is there. But to dwell among the beauty for two weeks would be like water torture for me.

Dafuskie Island is a great place to visit but I wouldn't want to vacation there for more than a weekend at a time.
 

 

 

 

 

©2007 Jackie K. Cooper

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