Hunting Island: After the Storms
“To describe our growing up in the low country of South Carolina, I would have to take you to the marsh on a spring day, flush the great blue heron from its silent occupation, scatter marsh hens as we sink to our knees in mud, open you an oyster with a pocketknife and feed it to you from the shell and say, ‘There. That taste. That’s the taste of my childhood.’” Pat Conroy – Prince of Tides
struck and we observed first hand neighbors helping neighbors. Remember the “Cajun navy?” We get it. Barrier islands are normally long, narrow, deposits of sand or sediment that parallel the coastline. As these marvels of nature developed thousands of years ago, they were separated from the mainland by marshes, shallow sounds or lagoons. Many elements influenced the development of these islands and are responsible to this day for their changing appearance. Waves and wave action that deposit (or remove) sediment from the ocean-side of the islands are the most influential element. Another is offshore currents that tend to move sand from the northern end of our coastal islands, then deposit it further south. One element we live with daily in our coastal region is the greatest tidal amplitude (over eight feet) in the southeastern U.S. Take a look at a map of the east coast between the Outer Banks of North Carolina and Cape Canaveral, Florida. The curvature of the coast and relatively shallow continental shelf contribute to tidal waters being pushed into a smaller and smaller area. We’re right smack in the middle – an area known as the Carolina Bight north of the Savannah River and the Georgia Bight to the south (at least that’s how we refer to it). High tides tend to build up sediment behind our barrier islands while the ocean side continues to erode. Another unique feature of our eastern seaboard is the frequency of offshore winds, changing the slope and shape of our beaches, and not always in a positive manner. Hurricane- and nor’easterinduced wave action affect our barrier islands the most. Our last two years serve as a prime example. Last, but certainly not least, a continuous threat to our barrier islands (and elsewhere) is rising sea levels. This is not a statement
Story and Photos by John and Lisa Holden
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or months I’ve toiled with writing about the effects of two hurricane seasons on Hunting Island, one of our most cherished South Carolina barrier islands and state parks. Like many, I suspect, I was initially focused on the horrific impacts of Mother Nature on such a beautiful island, a beautiful park and a historic landmark. Visiting the park soon after it reopened this past year was a bit of an emotional event. Words such as shock, despair and grief come to mind. Please understand, I’m sharing thoughts about a state park that endured the wrath of nature – not residential neighborhoods, homes or families impacted by the storms. The sympathy, and often empathy I feel for neighbors nationwide is far deeper when disasters strike. Like many coastal residents, my family dealt with the challenges of Hurricanes Matthew and Irma. My wife and I were also in Houston when Hurricane Harvey 14
Southern Tides Magazine
March 2018
