Faces of Folly — Folly, The Way He Sees It
Greg Bunn shares stories, gratitude, and a push for better accessibility across the island Walking Joel first introduced me to Greg, recommending him for an interview. I saw Greg often at Rita’s host desk, and every time I saw him, I promised him he would be up soon....
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Uncle Charlie’s Beach
We anchored Spartina in 15’ of water near a narrow beach just west of Lynyard Cay. I snorkeled over the anchor to make sure we had a good set. After that, Grace (the dog), Julia, and I dinghied over for a walk-about. The roughly 100-yard long carbonate sand beach was...
Celebrating Independence Day on Folly Beach,
By 1937, over 15,000 people celebrated the Fourth of July on the island. Folly’s Playground amusement park was a primary draw for day-trippers to the island. Mary Barnett Herbert recalls the riotous atmosphere in local bars during the ‘40s and ‘50s, caused in part by...
Big Bertha’s Close Call
We left Nassau the first week of July 1996 aboard Sailing Vessel Royal Affair, bound for New York City. I’d never been to New York and was excited about the visit. The 90-foot charter sailing yacht was one of two owned by my employer — we’ll call him Homer. I took...
Dancing on the Pier with Bing’s Brother, Bob
The Folly Pier was built in 1931, leading to the opening of restaurants and stores that served an influx of seasonal visitors. Throughout the ‘20s, Folly’s investors and boosters worked to improve the road from Charleston and the thoroughfares on the island itself. It...
All Washed Up
John awoke abruptly to the sound of fiberglass splintering against granite as his boat pounded across the rock groin. Soon he and his 32-foot sailboat washed ashore. A friend messaged, wondering if my boat had washed up on the beach. Standing in Spartina’s main salon,...
Wide Beaches on the West Side
It was less than a decade ago The wide beaches seen in this May 2010 photograph along the west end of Folly Beach, are reliant on our intervention to persist. In August 2011, high swells from Hurricane Irene washed completely over the county park at the island’s...
Folly Flashback
Farewell to Folly’s Dance Pier On Nov. 2, 1977, Folly’s massive dance pier burned and fell into the ocean. “There is no doubt in my mind that it was arson,” says Wallace Benson, the city’s chief of police at the time. Benson’s suspicions stem from a nearby resident...
Folly Faces: Bonne Isenhour
I first met Bonne Isenhour about a decade ago when I had the chanced to sit next to her at the Crab Shack, and as I recall we became fast friends and by a few drinks we were solving all the world’s problems. Isenhour is always a pleasure to talk to, and you may have...
Saltmarsh Diaries
My Folly Comfort Zone It’s a crazy world out there, sometimes you just need to get to your happy place Mostly, I hated the total absence of sunlight. I also didn’t care for the separation from home. Time under the water aboard a submarine was little more than a...
November Fishing Report
By Captain Geoff Bennett | Charleston Charter Fishing Fishing in October was fantastic and we can expect November to be just as good, if not better! Chilly nights remind redfish and trout that they had better eat now or it will be a long few months ahead. Per usual,...