CHART YOUR COURSE
• OUTDOORS
LIFE o n t h e M AY T h e r i v e r d e f i n e s t h e d a i l y rh y t h m o f B l u f f t o n
By Linda Lanier
W
hen Blufftonians talk about spending the day in “the rivah,” they’re referring to the May River in Lowcountry speak. For almost three centuries, the river has provided sustenance, livelihood, and recreation for residents and visitors. If Bluffton is the Heart of the Lowcountry™, the May is its life-giving force. Tidal shifts from the sound and Atlantic Ocean feed the May, creating an unusual saltwater river. It flows for 15 miles from Calibogue Sound to the causeway at Palmetto Bluff.
20 • 20 22 OFFI CI A L VACAT IO N P L A N N ER
This unique saltwater blend abounds with fish and shellfish. Shrimp, oysters, and blue crabs bring people together for Lowcountry boils and oyster roasts on the river’s banks. Sandbars create natural meeting spaces for boaters enjoying a day of fun on the water. The river remains timeless and its beauty ageless. Its waters entice visitors today just as it did decades ago — meandering through moss-draped Bluffton, defining the geography and lifestyle of this coastal place.
