#14

Folly Beach Pier at sunrise.  The beach is littered with broken shells.  

Erosion is a large problem along some of our most favorite beaches.  Here at Folly, it has been partially attributed to large jetties built here in 1898. While the jetties served their purpose by preventing sand from building up in Charleston Harbor, allowing the shipping industry to grow in the area, they caused rapid erosion.  By the 1930s, the shoreline was quickly disappearing.  In the 1940s, some work was done to try and prevent the further devastation, but in 1989, hurricane Hugo destroyed those efforts.  Erosion has been estimated at four to six feet each year! 

In January 2014, the US Army Corps of Engineers began a controversial six-month long project of pumping sand dredged from three miles off shore back on to Folly Beach.  The Folly Beach Renourishment Project was an attempt to slow the erosion of the beach by bringing an estimated 1.5 million cubic yards of sand back on to the beach.

#13

My backyard friend! A Praying Mantis. This little fella was very fast and very attentive; his tiny noggin followed my every move.

#12

One of my great pleasures is seashell hunting.  Even the tiny ones intrigue me.  Sometimes, I'm taken by the little scenes the beach presents and of course, I stop to photograph. Sullivan's Island.

#11

Yes, I'm still at the beach, in my mind at least.  Here is another take on the beach view.  It's one of the many container ships off in the distance that come through the harbor and head up the Cooper or Ashley rivers.  

#10

Let's go to the beach! Sullivan's Island, one of my favorite beaches; rolling sand dunes decorated with tall sea grasses.  

Ahhhh.

#9

Angel Oak from a different perspective.  Yesterday, I gave you the iconic version.  Today I give you reality.  This photo not only depicts the sheer size of this old beauty, but how honored she really is (the tourists- myself included- that come to see the old oak tree).

#8

Angel Oak, John's Island, SC

This majestic oak is estimated to be in excess of 400-600 years old.  It was more grand than I expected, towering over 66 feet tall and a whopping 28 feet in circumference, its canopy covers 17,200 square feet!!  The longest branch last measured was over 187 feet.

It certainly draws spectators; it was difficult to catch one photograph void of gawkers (I'm sure I made it into a few pictures of others as well).  This is one place I will revisit many times in attempt to catch that one shot that exemplifies to me the pure grandeur of natures relic.

#7

A stroll through the streets, enjoying the lush greenery and flowers, fountains in every courtyard.

#6

The cemetery at St. Phillips.  Many laid to rest in this tiny area.  It was protected by the shade of magnolia trees almost as old as the stones themselves.  While you may think it may have been a tad creepy, it actually felt quite peaceful.

In these grounds lie Charles Pinckney (1757 - 1824) signer of the United States Constitution and Edward Rutledge (1749 - 1800) signer of the Declaration of Independence.

That should give you some idea as to how historic and old this town really is.

#5

A holy city indeed.  

Did you know Charleston is dubbed "The Holy City"?  This is because of the multitude of church steeples that dot the city skyline, as well as being home to over 400 places of worship.  This part of the culture is rich and found anywhere you would walk through the city streets.

#4

Vines creep over the brick and blocks everywhere.  Most of the time, they are kept neatly trimmed to provide a lovely contrast to all the stone walls.

#3

B is for Buckman!  I couldn't help myself, the monogram was begging to be photographed.  Yet another piece of decor in the building blocks of this historic city.

#2

One of the many things I adore about this city- the ornate architecture decor.  Particularly the very old and worn pieces that adorn the broken down buildings.  This one gave me a sense of being watched over.