Folly Beach's Two Famous Boats--One Barely Retained, One Barely Remains

2008

The boundless Folly Beach landscape is a stunningly beautiful tangled blue web of saltwater creeks, rivers, and estuary marshes. It is this dazzling network of rising and ebbing saltwater that decidedly makes it a water sportsman’s wonderland of swimming, boating, fishing, surfing, kayaking, stand-up paddleboarding, and the home of two famous boats, one with a Hurricane Hugo connection.

I came across one of Folly's notable maritime landmarks for the first time while paddleboarding Folly Creek in 2015. Coastal Expedition's had a small office located in a wooden planked building next to Crosby Fish and Shrimp at that time.

I boarded my rented long board, shoved off into the warm waters of Folly Creek, and paddled towards Bowen's Island Restaurant. Not long into the paddle, the object of my interest came into view with its stern sticking out of the water along the edge of the marsh grass. It had been there since its abandonment. I took my first pictures of the solitary wreck.

2015

2019

I have revisited the sunken boat off and on since that first encounter. It has changed over the years. Aside from the Skull-and-Crossbones being placed on it, the creek's salty water and weathering elements since have ravaged the wooden denizen of the deep. My last visit was in November, 2022.

If you are interested in seeing this famous sunken Folly boat for the first time, I would suggest you do it sooner than later, because the maritime clock is ticking down to once upon a time there was a sunken boat on Folly Creek.

2022

Location of sunken boat on Folly Creek.

In the decades after Hurricane Hugo swept the other famous Folly Boat to its resting place next to Folly Road in 1989, it became a sounding board for community residents, who painted and repainted it with political slogans, declarations of love, and other messages. In 1996, two killer whales were painted on one of its sides. It was irresistible to passersby, who would stop to have their pictures taken next to it. Perhaps, you were one of them.

Then, in September 2017, Tropical Storm Irma came into town and along with a high tide swept the boat up from its iconic roadside location and crashed it into a private dock on Sol Legare Road where it remained with an uncertain future, even after over two thousand dollars of donations was raised to save it. At one point during the next two years, the over 20 ton behemoth was precariously considered for the scrap pile. However, a James Island bar owner came to the rescue.

In December of 2019, Crews with Limehouse and Sons used a crane and a flatbed truck to move the boat from its marshy resting place to The Barrel on Folly Road. Even though it is on private property, it is both visible and accessible from Folly Road. Looking at Google maps, it shows the bar is pinned as permanently closed, but the painted boat still remains at that location.

The Folly Boat by itself is just an aging, metal hull, but when painted, it was both inspirational and controversial through the years. It produced some beautiful art works and sometimes emitted words like a drunken sailor. Town officials often debated whether it was a landmark or an eyesore, but it was the everyday person that settled the matter in favor of a local icon. Recently, it may have lost its luster among newcomers who couldn't possibly fathom its allure, but long time residents of the Lowcountry remember it like they do Hugo. Hey, it even had a Facebook fan page where you can see pictures posted by painters and lovers of the Hugo boat, though the last one posted was in 2021.

You, the reader, may have pictures of these two famous boats of your own or even a story recounting your own encounter with them while traveling Folly Road to Folly Beach or paddling Folly Creek. Go ahead and share them if you so desire.

Fort Sumter Tour is like the Carriage Rides in Downtown--When Visiting Charleston, You Should do It

The first shots of the American Civil War are traditionally said to have been fired at the bombardment of Fort Sumter on April 12, 1861, but officially they were not. Some months before the Sumter bombardment, in January of that same year, a merchant ship sent by President Buchanan carrying supplies for the fort was fired upon by Confederate batteries on Morris Island and after sustaining minor damage, turned away. The ship was called the Star of the West. This is just one of many interesting facts you will learn when you take the tour of Fort Sumter located at the entrance of Charleston Harbor. Of coarse, the only way to get to the fort is by ferry.

We chose Spirit Line Cruises for our tour. The primary departure point is the Aquarium Wharf at 360 Concord Street in Charleston and boats also depart from Patriots Point at 40 Patriots Point Boulevard in Mount Pleasant. Before boarding the ferry, you will want to visit the Fort Sumter Visitor Center at 340 Concord Street at Liberty Square in Charleston where you will enjoy a museum and get necessary information about the tour. The total tour time is 2 1/4 hours with about 1 hour spent in the fort.

The boarding time for our cruise was 2 pm. It was full capacity, and most everyone gathered on the top deck for the best views of the surrounding harbor sights and the entertaining narration, which lasted the full trip from departure to the fort's dock. Ravenel Bridge, U.S.S. Yorktown, Charleston Harbor Resort, Pinckney Castle, Charleston's waterfront, ships of all sizes, and if you are fortunate, dolphin swimming in the nutrient-rich, murky waters of the harbor are the points of interest you will see on your trip out.

Fort Sumter was the trigger point that plunged the North and South into America's deadliest war. What you see of the fort today is the preserved ruins left over from the bombardment it suffered, first, from the Confederates in 1861, and then, from the Federals after the South took control of the fort to the end of the war. It was a formidable fort, although never really completed.

Fort Sumter was constructed on a man-made island built from over ten thousand tons of granite transported from Maine and started in 1829. Well over 60,000 tons of rock was imported from other sites. The island itself was 2.4 acres in size. Bricks, shells and sand could be obtained locally, but the capacity of local brickyards was inadequate to supply the millions of bricks required to build. Hundreds of thousands of oyster shells were used for the lime to make concrete. The fort would have 50 foot three-tiered walls with five sides. By 1860, the island and the outer fortifications were complete, but the fort's interior and armaments remained unfinished. You will get the full story as you stroll the grounds reading the various detailed information locations on your self-guided tour. There are park rangers available to answer any questions you may have.

The Fort Sumter Tour is informative and absorbing. The ferry ride to and from is relaxing as you take in the surrounding sites and listen to the engaging narrations. Our narrator told an intriguing story. While in the fort, you get a sense of what it was like to be within its walls while hundreds of shells rain down from the sky from Fort Moultrie, Fort Johnson, and other surrounding coastal batteries totaling 19. Some Civil War cannons had the power to launch shells up to five miles in distance.

Fort Sumter Tour is part of the story and allure that makes Charleston the number one destination in the nation. When in town visiting, tourist or local, you should reserve your ticket, hop on the ferry, and take a ride into the past.

Fort Sumter Tour Prices:

Adults - $37

Seniors/Active Military - $33

Children(4-11) - $23

Children 3 and under - Free

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Low Country Public House--Another Welcome addition to Summerville's Restaurant Scene

The name is no surprise considering it is a renovated one-time house that has gone public, and you, the public, have been given an invitation to drop in. The relatively new eatery is fittingly called Low Country Public House. It has achieved the honorary privilege of becoming another name to be added to the growing list of restaurants now serving Summerville. It is classified as a pub-style diner with a full bar and private dining areas available to book for a special event. Its address is 1426 Central Ave.

Low Country Public House's promise is to introduce their customers to a fresh and exciting dining experience. Their passion is for excellent food, hospitality, and a promise for a strong commitment to quality and service. The best of local and seasonal ingredients will be offered with a menu that includes dishes that are both familiar and innovative including burgers, smoked wings, salads, brats, pork belly nachos to name just a few. Their chefs passions will be to create innovative and delicious dishes that showcase the flavors of the region. Their success at achieving all of that will depend on you, the public, who have the final word.

As we approached Low Country Public House's Central Avenue driveway, parked near its entrance was a huge food truck with the name Low Country Fish Camp painted on its sides. It was an obvious reminder the two eateries are affiliated, both owned and operator by the same proprietors, Ginny and Chris VanZile.

The newly renovated once-upon-a-time house had a fresh look to it with vertical rough-sawn planked siding covering its exterior and a stuccoed facade with its name and pine trees painted on it. Plenty of parking space was available towards its rear. We strolled passed a long, wood deck attached to its backside used for outdoor seating. A slated name plaque noting the year of its establishment, 2023, was displayed at its front entrance, a nice touch.

Once inside, the host asked our preference for seating. We opted to sit in the bar area, which included a well-stocked, small bar, one table setting, and a very inviting enclosed step-down space with comfort chairs, coffee table, and brick fireplace, already occupied, so we chose the table.

The bartender would be our server for the evening. She rattled off the evenings list of drink specials, which featured Pomegranate. My friend started with a glass of wine, and I chose one of the specials called Winston, which was a tall mix of Pomegranate, lemonade, and Knob Creek Whiskey--a tasty blend with a satisfying "kick". 

Prior to visiting, upon recommendations from a friend, I had already decided to try their French Onion Soup($10) and Fish and Chips($22), but after perusing the menu, I completely changed my coarse. I chose the Jalapeno Cheddar Brat with house made Chili, Cheese, Onions and Rosemary Fries for $14. My friend went with the Fish and Chips with Beer Battered Cod, Rosemary Fries, and Coleslaw.

I was thoroughly pleased with my choice. The chili was mild and the brat was cooked just right with a balance of onions. The Rosemary Fries had the right amount crispiness, at least, what I considered just right. I had read reviews where some patrons were not happy with the Rosemary Fries--overdone leaving no potato left--but that was definitely not my experience. I closed out our sitting with a Pomegranate Martini.

Our bartender/server proficiently juggled her dual task even though she was busy also serving patrons sitting at the bar. She was informative, attentive to our wants, removed used dishes, and took the time to share a few laughs. She was a good mixologist.

Low Country Public House has a relaxing atmosphere and pleasant surroundings. Being a former house, its dining space is split between several different rooms, each accented with varying wood stains and eclectic wall decorations. Each rooms color schemes compliment one another and the red leather booths in one of its main eating areas is a nice touch. The bar seating is a tad cramped, but if you are just waiting on a table, it will do. What was likely at one time the garage is now a step down room with a glass garage door. Enjoy the pictures, they tell the story nicely.

Monday and Sunday Closed

Tuesday - Thursday 11:00 am - 8:00 pm

Friday and Saturday 11:00 - 9:00 pm

Happy Hour Tuesday - Thursday 3 - 6 pm  Friday 3 - 5 pm

(843) 285-9999

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The Low Country Fish Camp in Summerville--An Orderly Chaos of Corrugated Steel and Weatherworn Wood with Great Seafood

My description reads exactly like its name. With a large, unpaved parking area, its outdoor spaces are
a mixture of corrugated steel and weatherworn wood slapped together into a kind of orderly chaos. Nostalgic tin signs and nautical buoys line outer fences that surround a choice between family size picnic tables and smaller ones for a more intimate sitting. Its main edifice is a simple, unassuming square building. While in other parts of the country, the name fish camp would designate a campsite for anglers, throughout much of the Carolinas, it refers to family-friendly seafood restaurants, and this portrayal is the Low Country Fish Camp in Summerville.

Low Country Fish Camp has morphed over the years to meet its ever increasing demands, but from the time it opened to now, it has been a popular favorite with locals. In its early days, it was just the simple square building with a simple sign in front and multicolored umbrellas on its outdoor patio. Today, the one-time graveled front is now a large roof-covered, outdoor patio with plenty of seating. Inside is a small bar and long tables with additional enclosed seating on its backside.

Low Country Fish Camp is advertised as a "laid back, rustic and eclectic restaurant and bar. The perfect place to relax, eat some great local fresh seafood, and enjoy an ice cold beer, glass of wine, or one of our specialty cocktails," and it is exactly that. No white table coverings and $14 cocktails are found here. The prices for everything are very reasonable with specials of the day listed on a chalk board located at the outside back entrance.

A couple of highly recommended appetizers are its shrimp and grits Camp Rolls with Tasso and pepper jack cheese ($15) and Gouda Mac and Cheese bites ($12). Among its platter offerings, Scallops ($25) and Flounder ($19) are local favorites, or lump them together with fried oysters and shrimp on its Fried Fisherman's Platter for $32. For dessert, there is its Pecan Pie with Bourbon Glaze and whip cream. As for cocktails, there is the Moscow Mule ($7) and Mexican Mule ($8) with Tequila instead of Vodka served in the recognizable copper cup.

It was a warm January evening. We were seated at one of the picnic tables under the roof-covered patio in the front. With plenty of space between you and other patrons, you really don't notice their chatter, but you do have to contend with the traffic noise of Central Avenue, especially if you are seated around rush hours with heavy pedaled drivers and boisterous exhaust pipes.

To open, we chose from the beer selections, Folly Juicy Pale Ale by Holy City. It was a good start. From the platters, we picked the Shrimp with the fried option. Each came with fries, hush puppies and mayo slaw. The platter had a generous portion of crispy shrimp done to perfection, the fries were golden crispy, and the hush puppies were firm and tasty. We passed on the desserts. Instead, we closed out the evening with a drink from their specials list. My friend chose the Chocolate Espresso Martini ($7), and since I am a big fan of Chai, I selected the Boozy Chai Latte with Spiced Rum, Chai, and Almond Milk served Hot or Cold ($8), which was smoooooooth.

Our server was a strapping, young gentleman, who was very accommodating, patient, and helpful. I did have to ask for a water, which was a slight oversight, and neglected to ask me if I wanted my Chai drink served hot or cold, but Low Country Fish Camp is a laid back kind of restaurant experience where the protocols of fine dining are understandably more relaxed--apologies automatically accepted. You are there more for the great food and eclectic atmosphere, not the niceties you would expect at High Cotton. It is more along the lines of Bowens Island Restaurant on Folly Creek, where it has a reputation similar to pluff mud, "Either you love it or you don't."

Low Country Fish Camp looks exactly like its name. The only thing missing is a body of salty water and fish guts. However, a really, really, delicious seafoody menu, it does. So, bring your family and friends to 903 Central Ave in Summerville to relax and enjoy some great fresh seafood along with a variety of liquid refreshers at reasonable prices, but leave your fishing rods and boat at home.

No reservations needed. 

Monday  CLOSED

Tuesday and Thursday, 11-8

Friday and Saturday, 11-9

Sunday, 11-3 

Happy Hour Tuesday – Friday, 3:00 – 6:00

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