A Paddle on One of Charleston's Premiere Waterfront Meccas--Shem Creek

I waited my turn at the Shem Creek Boat Landing to slip into the creek's liquid embrace either coming or going at a steady flow--depending on the tide--along and through the edges of its green-framed space. In all the years I have traveled its undeviating currents, I have never once seen its smooth-skinned submariner breaking the water's surface on the quieter side of the Coleman Blvd bridge. I wonder if before the oyster-covered concrete columns were sunk into the mucky bottom of its murky waters, whether that capricious observation were unerring. I could ask the brown pelican, but truth be told, I have never really heard them make a sound. The feathered fisherman most likely would only silently give me a vertical nod with a stiff upper beak.

Once you pass through the bridge's shadow to the Charleston Harbor side, the scene of grass-lined waters transforms to an unbroken stretch of sundrenched, weatherworn wooden docks, waterfront restaurants, and a variety of gas-powered watercraft of all sizes jockeying for an ideal place to disembark their thirsty and hungry passengers. Boisterous conversation and music popping like shrimp in shallow waters fills the salty air. Take your pick, the long list includes Tavern and Table, Red's Ice House, Water's Edge, Sunsets, Saltwater Cowboys, Vickery's Bar and Grill, and if you are feeling venturesome, the audacious eatery called The Wreck of the Richard and Charlene. The Wreck has been on the creek for over 30 years, recently on Netflix's popular show Outer Banks. Red's Ice House remains my favorite for an after-paddle beer and Saltwater Cowboys for a roof top Island Mule.

Along this stretch of the creek, I pause my paddle to linger and soak in the energized atmosphere. If it is a Sunday afternoon, I will ease my paddleboard up to the dock of Saltwater Cowboys to enjoy the tunes of the band playing on its outdoor deck. Flocks of pelicans gather to feast on the fish scraps tossed into the water from charter and local fishermen's catch of the day. I soon find myself surrounded by a group of dolphins arching above the creek's surface. They have come to join the party. Meantime, one of the waterway's resident oddities, the traveling tiki bar, comes into view. Maybe, I can coax them to toss me an icy beer to counterbalance the hot southern sun and humidity.

Moving on, the scene changes from restaurants and taverns to the thick steel and tall nets of the mighty shrimper fleet that makes the creek its home base. I find myself amused by the names painted on their hulls and sterns, such as Tuff-e-Nuff, The Hagg, Family Thing, Miss Paula, Carolina Breeze, Winds of Fortune, Richardson Bros II, Magwood's Pride, and the not so unusual and dignified, Bridget.

Passing Vickery's, the pillars and rails of an elevated boardwalk rises up where the water mingles with the spartina grass of Shem Creek's expansive marsh. If it is low tide, you will see white egrets and herons prowling the shallows along its grassy edges. Sightseers and tourists with cameras in hand traverse its planks for a better view of the creek and Charleston skyline. In the distance, the spires of the famous Ravenel Bridge towers over the marshscape. SUPers and kayakers attempt to dodge the fishing lines of locals trailing down from above as boats coming and going cruise past, occasionally followed by the whoosh of a graceful, low gliding pelican, so low you could almost see the tips of its wings gently graze the water's surface.

Continuing on, I paddle past the covered ending to the boardwalk and Hadrian's Point, where the creek finally opens into the spacious stretch of water leading to Crab Bank Island and the Charleston Harbor beyond--to the left, Sullivan's Island and Fort Sumter, to the right, Patriot's Point and Charleston Harbor Resort. It is here I stretch my legs over the side of my paddleboard with my feet barely touching the water, lean back, and let the currents and wind take over as I soak in the wonder of it all.

Points of interest:

1) During its history, Shem Creek has been known by many names. The original Sewee inhabitants called it shemmee, but what the word exactly meant is unknown. After the arrival of the English, the creek's name depended on who owned its surrounding land. It was Sullivan's Creek, Dearsley Creek, Rowser's Creek, Lempriere's Creek, and a short time, Distillery Creek. During the time no one had claim of the lands around the creek, it was always referred to as Shem Creek.

 

2) Shem Creek's first restaurant was called Lorelei Seafood Restaurant. It was located where the Shem Creek Inn stands today. It was known for a mural on its dining room wall entitled "The Song of the Lorelei," depicting the mythical siren whose enchanting song lured homesick sailors into the ocean's depths.