We checked out Fish Haul Beach Park on Hilton Head Island this weekend. Of course I had my trusty 3″ x 5″ Stillman and Birn Alpha Journal with me : ) Mostly overcast, the blue sky patches were trying to gain strength. The cooler weather feels sooooo goood! The park beach overlooks the Port Royal Sound.
The land on the far shore is Bay Point Island. There is a lot of public concern for this undeveloped barrier island. A developer out of Bangkok, Thailand submitted their special use application to Beaufort County to build / operate what they are calling an ecotourism resort. That would be a big hit to this environmentally sensitive, erosional barrier island, not to mention Beaufort Country residents having to shoulder the costs, through taxes, for any beach nourishment and damage caused to infrastructure from severe storms.
The island is a designated Important Bird Area. In the winter, there can be 5,000 to 8,000 shorebirds on this island. In the summer loggerhead turtles nest there. Since the island is only reachable by boat or air, it’s a rare untouched sanctuary for wildlife in the lowcountry.
The Coastal Conservation League has an intensive article about this proposed development that you can read here. The Audubon South Carolina further explains the importance to shorebirds in this article.
There was a county zoning board meeting on September 24th, but I cannot locate any information about what transpired. My fingers, toes, eyes and soul are crossed for the correct environmental outcome to prevail.
Yes, the Girls were with us. They love weekend adventures. Annie, is not real keen about getting near the water, but sunbathing is mighty fine : ) Lots of folks were enjoying their Sunday on the beach. Fish Haul Beach Park is open to the public and just a short walk from the parking lot to the sand. It’s one of the few beaches that isn’t manicured. Wrack is everywhere. (last year’s spartina). It’s a haven for beach critters. This beach is fabulous for nature journal exploration. Be careful if you are walking barefoot on the sand area untouched by water, though. Sand spurs are lurking. Those little devils hurt!
