Tranquillity provided

The state park has a great beach that hasn't been taken overby tourism.
BY REBECCA SLOAN
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
HUNTING ISLAND, S.C. -- If you love the sun and surf but abhor the hustle and bustle of crowded ocean-side resorts, plant your toes in the sandy beaches of Hunting Island State Park.
With its rugged coastal shoreline and tranquil nature trails, Hunting Island was made for folks who seek sunshine and seclusion.
Hunting Island visitors can choose from three beaches.
Campground guests have dibs on the first beach and cabin guests lay claim to the second beach, but the third beach is open to the general public.
Of course, the term public beach applies loosely here.
On a typical day, the next beach umbrella will be propped up a good distance away, and the only sound in your ears will be the pounding of the surf and the cries of the seagulls.
Ahh -- tranquillity.
Hunting Island's public beach is its most secluded and most natural.
The beaches for cabin and campground guests are a smidge busier, but that's because the cabins and campgrounds are such wonderful places to stay.
Each of the park's 14 cabins has central air and heat, a microwave, a screened porch, a grill, a color TV and cooking and eating utensils.
Four cabins have fireplaces.
Some cabins overlook the ocean, while others are nestled on the shores of a quiet lagoon.
The park's campgrounds have hot-water showers and a convenience store, and the 200 campsites have water and electric hook-ups.
Wildlife
But although Hunting Island offers visitors the comforts of home, the park's atmosphere remains untouched -- a place where humans and wildlife can coexist peacefully.
And wildlife has always been prominent on Hunting Island.
The island earned its name because it was once a favorite place to hunt deer, waterfowl and raccoons.
Of course, in the old days, a different type of wildlife roamed the island's shores: salty sailors and murderous pirates.
Hunting Island was once a popular layover for all types of seafaring fellows, and even the legendary Blackbeard found his land legs here.
Although the island has since been domesticated, it still possesses a wild and unfettered flavor.
Maybe it's the Jurassic Park-like fauna that greets visitors at the park's entrance gate or the toppled palm trees that litter parts of the park's public beach due to extreme coastal erosion.
Whatever it is, park visitors will feel closer to nature and a they'll fly a little bit freer during their stay.
Lighthouse
The best place to really let your spirit soar is at the top of Hunting Island's historical lighthouse.
Constructed in 1859 and rebuilt in 1875 after it was destroyed during the Civil War, the Hunting Island Lighthouse is located in the center of the park and is the only South Carolina lighthouse that's open to the public.
Park visitors who are daring enough to climb its steep spiral staircase of 167 steps will enjoy a breathtaking view of the Atlantic and surrounding marshes from a lookout platform about 130 feet above the ground.
The lighthouse was made of cast iron plates that were designed for easy dismantling in case the lighthouse had to be moved.
This was a good thing since in 1889, the lighthouse had to be relocated about one mile inland from its original spot due to severe coastline erosion.
Erosion is still a big problem on Hunting Island, but although the coastline changes shape every year, one thing that has not changed is Hunting Island's preferred status as a nesting ground for loggerhead turtles.
During mid-May, loggerheads emerge from the water and drag themselves onto the beach to lay their eggs. Each turtle lays about 100 to 160 eggs.
At night, Hunting Island staff and volunteers search for the nests and then take the eggs to park hatching facilities where baby turtles can come into the world without being swallowed up by numerous hungry predators.
After hatching, the turtles are released into the sea and swim away with greater chances of survival.
The Hunting Island boardwalk is another place to get a glimpse of different species of wildlife.
The boardwalk spans several acres of lush marsh before connecting to a small island.
The marsh's junglelike atmosphere earned it a spot in the movie "Forrest Gump." (A few of the movie's Vietnam War scenes were shot here.)
Bird watchers flock to the boardwalk along with amateur photographers who want to capture a colorful Carolina sunset on film.
XFor more information about Hunting Island State Park, visit www.huntingisland.com on the Web.