Coastal Expeditions' Shark Tooth Beach Drop on Big Crab Bank Island in Charleston Harbor--A Hunt of Fun

Shark teeth are a highly sought-after relic of the past. Like the gold rush days of the West, where miners sifted streams for the king of nuggets, shark teeth hunters sort through the tidal deposits of the barrier island beaches of Charleston in search of the mother load of shark teeth, the teeth of the Megalodon.

There are several shark teeth tours offered in Charleston by different outfitters. We chose Coastal Expeditions' Shark Tooth Beach Drop, scheduled from October 16 to March 14. The tour's destination is a man made island in Charleston Harbor called Big Crab Bank Island, formed by the dredging of the harbor. This tour is not to be confused with the Morris Island Shark Tooth Beach Drop offered beginning March 15. A mistake I made. I should have read the details that this was a trip to Shark Tooth Island, a.k.a. Big Crab Bank Island.

Coastal Expeditions' Coast Guard-certified vessel for this tour departs from their Shem Creek location. Bottlenose dolphins and Eastern brown pelicans are present to be seen as the vessel heads down Shem Creek and out into Charleston Harbor past Small Crab Bank Island. On the morning of our tour, there were no dolphins in the creek, and the pelicans were sparse, but numerous other species of birds were spotted and named by the naturalist. It is just the nature of wildlife viewing. It can be hit or miss. Wildlife makes no promises and do what they do at their leisure.

 

You will enjoy views of the downtown skyline, Ravenel Bridge, Fort Sumter, and other iconic landmarks on the trip to the island. After reaching the island, we departed directly onto the beach by way of a plank extended from the boat with the assistance of Coastal Expeditions' naturalist. He did not join the group on the hunt. I do not know if he gave any instructions to anyone on how to spot fossils in the sand.

Once on the beach, we left the group and began our search, as did most everyone else. Most of the island is a bird sanctuary. You are not allowed in those sections. The tidal deposits of tiny shells and other ocean debris were sparse and scattered across the beach. It wasn't long after starting the hunt my companion found our first shark tooth. She had the keener eye. It was strange how a fair number of clamshell bits and pieces are shaped like a shark's tooth, often fooling you into thinking you spotted one.

The majority of the group's finds were small. The chances of finding a Megalodon tooth are slim to none on Big Crab Bank Island, but not impossible. What comes to shore is dependent on the rising and falling tides. We found 10 in all, with the largest about one and a quarter inches. Other finds included interesting shells and bones.

The boat ride is relaxing. The narrative by the captain and naturalist was informative. The hunt takes patience and a keen eye. The walk on the beach the day of our trip, in the warm Charleston sun for a December day, was pleasant. The tour duration was 3 hours, which included a 30-min boat eco-tour each way. The price is $65 for adults and children 12 and under $40.

Shem Creek Flagship, 514 Mill Street, Mount Pleasant, SC

Meeting at Market in Charleston Place--An Upscale Pub That has It All

Charleston, like many cities meandering in the stream of time, has both tragically suffered and joyously celebrated through changes inflicted on it by forces beyond its control. Through the upheavals, the city has licked its wounds and rebounded.

Time, the most unrelenting of the forces, mercilessly moves in only one direction. Either the city planners seize upon the opportunistic moment or suffer ending up being a "decaying American city, a poisoned ecosystem." Joe Riley, mayor of Charleston, unflatteringly characterized the downtown district by those phrases and then, seized the moment. Charleston Place rose from a huge, sandy lot where a JC Penney once stood. The Holy City celebrated a rebirth to become what it is today.

Built in 1986, Charleston Place was the catalyst for Charleston's revival and resurgence as a world-class travel destination--voted the most popular destination in the nation to visit.. Its historic hotel along with its restaurants, cocktail lounge, spa, and retail shops created jobs and won the hearts of locals, vacationers, corporate travelers, meeting planners, and wedding planners alike.

Located inside Charleston Place and at the corner of one of the city's busiest intersections sits an upscale pub called Meeting at Market. With floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the historic City Market, the pub offers a sophisticated yet relaxed viewing environment with 22 flat-screen televisions, cozy banquettes, and high-top tables. 

Its menu includes 20 rotating craft beers complimented by elevated bar fares like Duck Confit Sliders and Truffle Chicken Salad. Its menu offers good grilled bacon, Caesar salads, and blue cheese. Tasty bread pudding, fruitcake and crème brûlée declared their best dishes. It is known for its superior service, which my companion and I can attest to after our visit during our Second Sunday walk on King Street.

My culinary appetite was in the mood for simple fare, so I chose Grilled Cheese made with Sharp Cheddar and Mozzarella Cheese, Bacon Jam, and Tomato($15) with a side of French Fries($8). The fries were the best I have tasted, perfectly crisp. The Grilled Cheese was simply satisfying. My companion, who is a no-nonsense lady, chose Market Fall Salad with Mesclun, Butternut Squash, Craisins, Red Onion, Toasted Pecans, Goat Cheese, and Maple Mustard Vinaigrette($15), and declared it to be awesome. For drinks, I chose a glass of Rickshaw Pinot Noir($11) and my companion chose Scarpetta Pinot Grigio($13).

A highlight of our visit, aside from the food, was our server. She showed patience while awaiting our choices, catered to all our questions and requests, and willingly engaged us in light conversation. We spent a considerable amount of time in conversation while enjoying our view through the restaurant's spacious windows of the Meeting and Market Street intersection as visitors and locals shuffled past with cell phones and packages in their hands. It was like watching a living diorama.

Meeting at Market is the perfect place to take a break from whatever you are doing on your visit to the downtown district of the King and Meeting Street area around and in Charleston Place. The prices were very reasonable for the upscale atmosphere of what is referred to as a pub. The food was well-proportioned and artfully presented. The service was impeccably tasteful, like its food. If you haven't already, give it a try. If you have, a second visit is warranted.

Monday - Friday 12pm - 11pm

Saturday and Sunday 11am - 11pm

120 Market St, Charleston, SC

Photographs by Anne-Merle Bryant

It was a Dickens of an Evening at the Historic Dock Street Theatre--Bravo Charleston Stage

It was a Dickens of an evening in the old French Quarter at Charleston's almost three hundred year old theatre venue. Standing on Church Street, positioned in front of the lighted, tall trees across the way, we had a magical view of the theatre doors and windows brightly lit with the colors of the season. The entranceway and box office lobby was busy with paying patrons filled with anticipation of what was yet to come. Their expectations would not be scrooged.

The original Dock Street Theatre opened in 1736. It was the first building designed for theatrical use in the Americas. Quite a privileged distinction that set it apart from all other theatres. One month after the it opened, Queen Street replaced Dock Street. However, the theatre retained its original name. The original theatre was probably destroyed by the Great Fire of 1740, along with many of the buildings in Charleston's French Quarter.

In 1809, it was replaced by Planter's Hotel, where wealthy planters stayed during Charleston's horse-racing season. In 1835, the wrought iron balcony and sandstone columns of the Church Street facade were added. After the Civil War, the Planter's Hotel fell into disrepair. It became a derelict building and nothing more than a shell slated for demolition.

In 1935, it went through a restoration. The new theatre was constructed within the shell of the Planter's Hotel. The new stage house and auditorium were modeled after eighteenth-century London playhouses. The local carpenters, who were put to work as a part of this Depression-era relief effort, utilized locally grown and milled native black cypress for the beautiful warm, wooden interior and used mantels salvaged from the Radcliffe-King Mansion. The theatre's second grand opening took place on November 26, 1937.

In 2007, a full-scale renovation brought the historic theater into the 21st century with state-of-the-art lighting and sound, modern heating and air conditioning, and new restrooms and seating. In addition, the theatre was made seismically secure and fully handicapped accessible. Extensive soundproofing was added to ensure that outside noises no longer intruded on performances inside. It reopened in March 2010, ready to dazzle and gratify its patrons with a taste of Broadway.

Dock Street Theatre became the home for Charleston Stage, its resident performing arts group, in 1978. Ironically, their first show in 1978 was a production of A Christmas Carol. However, this year's production is brand new, with all new sets, costumes, and updates to Wile's original script adaptation. The stunning scenery features a dozen hand-painted drops and sets created by Guest Scenic Designer Susan Crabtree, faculty member of the North Carolina School of the Arts and one of America’s premier scenic painters. Over 80 original, colorful costumes have been built by Charleston Stage's professional costume staff and designed by Guest Costume Designer Janine McCabe, chair of the College of Charleston’s Department of Theatre and Dance. While the score features many familiar traditional carols, Charleston Stage's Resident Music Director, Sam Henderson, has created new and bright arrangements and orchestrations for each number.

Guest Actor Gabriel Wright, a former Resident Actor with Charleston Stage, now appearing on behalf of the Actor's Equity Association, played the squeezing, wrenching, grasping, clutching, covetous, old sinner Ebenezer Scrooge, who was solitary as an oyster. Gabriel walked the walk and talked the talk of the old, cold-hearted miser with masterful poise. He was surrounded by an energetic and up-to-the-task cast consisting of Cody Elsensohn as Bob Cratchit, Raymond Cronley as Fred, Brietta Goodman as The Ghost of Christmas Present, K'nique Eichelberger as Young Ebenezer and The Ghost of Christmas Future, Louie Chaplin Moss as Tiny Tim, and Jenna Barricklo as Belle.

Other talents included Acting Ensemble Member Colin Waters as The Ghost of Christmas Past, and former Resident Actor Patrick Brett as Jacob Marley. Over twenty additional actors from the Resident Acting Company, Charleston Stage Performance Troupe, and local community rounded out the cast as the Ensemble.

There is nothing humbug about Charleston Stage's heartwarming adaptation of  Charles Dickens timeless story of redemption and transformation. You will be thoroughly entertained by its colorful and artistically presented production. Without a doubt, the cast successfully connected with their appreciative audience. I will give you this one parting valuable hint, pay close attention to the initial arrival of each ghost.

135 Church St, Charleston, SC

Nov. 30 - Dec. 21, 2022

Purchase tickets.