Folly Beach

As a Northerner, when I think of the beach in South Carolina, I think Myrtle Beach. I have fond memories from visits as a child and last November I took a morning walk on the beach before a I vended at the Mythical and Medieval Festival (I’m going again this year and I hope to see you there!). With the danger of COVID, I hadn’t visited any beach this summer. With summer quickly disappearing and kids in school, I headed to Folly Beach. Just outside of Charleston, this little town has lots to offer.

We started our day with lunch at Pier 101 (It was a two hour drive and I’m not really a morning person, cut me some slack). The restaurant is located in a large wooden building attached to a long fishing pier with a gift/tackle shop. We sat outside and had a great view of the ocean beyond. Service was prompt and safe. While I felt the mahi mahi in my tacos was a little salty, the mango salsa and other parts of the taco were delicious and my friend loved her shrimp salad sandwich. I had a scrumptious Rhapsody in Blue, a frozen concoction with tequila, pineapple, coconut, and Grand Marnier, but really, we came for the view.

As I said, there is a pier. The restaurant and gift shop lead right onto it. It’s nice and wide with amenities for fishing like sinks and rulers. It’s 1,045 ft long and ends in a nice wide square with plenty of room to spread out and fish. There were plenty of people fishing with poles and nets and they even hold fishing tournaments every month as well, but not on the day we visited.

Then we hit the beach. It’s an easy walk down and there was plenty of room to spread out from everyone. I noticed that people had set up hammocks under the pier and I am definitely bringing mine for next time. That is a fabulous idea, though not great for working on my tan. I saw this as my last go for the summer season and wore some Hawaiian Tropic SPF 15 Dry Tanning Oil. I was a little worried that the southern sun would tear through it, but I ended the day with a nice even tan that I hope will hold through the coming chillier season.

There are strong currents and riptides to watch out for. The undertow definitely wanted to pull us into the pier, but wasn’t strong enough to succeed. There were some surfers that I watched as well. One day I’ll climb on a board and give it a go, but this was not that day. There are a variety of cute surf shops right off the beach that offer gear and lessons though.

After 6 o’clock (during this time of year), dogs are allowed on the beach and we enjoyed seeing all the friendly faces. We enjoyed our own walk down the beach and, while the good shells had been claimed much earlier in the day, we found some nice gems amid the wet sand.

It was a wonderfully relaxing day and I look forward to my next visit. Maybe I’ll get the nerve to try surfing. If not, I’m sure that I can work on my tan or listen to the calming waves while I read from my hammock.

With summer winding down, I’ve launched my Halloween inspired chainmaille shop. Be sure to check it out.

You can also download a short story for free! Meet Audrey and follow her as she begins to understand her power.

I hope everyone stays safe and healthy!