Annexation of Andell heading to Seabrook Town Council
BY THERESA STRATFORD For The Island Connection
Annexing about 18 acres of land adjacent to Bohicket Marina into the Town of Seabrook Island has advanced to the “next round” when the Town’s Planning Commission approved a recommendation to annex the site and zone it for mixed use at their July 12 meeting.
The recommendation will now go to Seabrook Island Town Council for review on August 22.
Although the planning commission’s decision was just short of unanimous – the vote was 4 to 1 – the motion passed after nearly a two-hour meeting which included a presentation from the developer, Bohicket Creek Investors LLC of Charleston, and comments from many residents, most of which opposed the development.
The property, referred to as Andell, would be home to a private yacht club with a boat dock and private clubhouse, boathouse and pool house. There are also plans for other outdoor amenities and 10 rental cottages for members and the public. The entire developed portion would take up about four acres of the total 18 acres. The rest of the property would be open space with some vegetation buffers, pathways and
a community crabbing dock.
The address is 4484 Betsy Kerrison Parkway, located across the street from the Kiawah Island Town Hall and next door to Bohicket Marina. This property would be connected to Bohicket Marina by a pedestrian boardwalk and road.
Bohicket Marina is annexed into the Town of Seabrook Island, which means it is connected to the Town’s utilities like sewage and water. Proponents for the Town of Seabrook Island approving the annexation say that doing so would give the Town more control of the site.
Currently, the property is zoned in unincorporated Charleston County for agricultural and residential use. According to Seabrook Island’s planning staff, this designation would actually allow for a variety of agricultural and light industrial uses, which they say would have a greater impact on the existing natural assets than the proposed development from Bohicket Creek Investors. The planning staff for Seabrook Island supports the planning commission’s recommendation for annexation.
It's important
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Flights of Fancy UNIQUE GROUP OF MONARCHS FOUND IN COASTAL SC
BY ERIN WEEKS
For The Island Connection
In our part of the world, monarch butterflies are best known for a few key traits: they depend entirely on milkweed plants to survive; they migrate each fall to Mexico; and their population is in trouble.
Now, the findings of a five-year study by South Carolina Department of Natural Resources biologists suggest that coastal South Carolina is home to a unique group of monarchs that takes exception to some of these assumptions.
The recently published research indicates that monarch butterflies live year-round in South Carolina, relying on swamps in spring, summer and fall and sea islands in the winter. While these monarchs rely heavily on aquatic
milkweed (Asclepias perennis) as a host plant for their eggs and caterpillars, they were also found to use swallow-wort (Pattalias palustre) – a viney relative of milkweed that grows near salt marshes and was previously unrecognized as an important host plant for monarchs.
“This research adds another layer of nuance to the fascinating story of the monarch butterfly,” said SCDNR associate marine scientist and first author Dr. Michael Kendrick.
The peer-reviewed paper, published recently in Scientific Reports, has its roots in the decades-long fascination one man has had for South Carolina’s butterflies. Longtime SCDNR biologist John “Billy”
(continued on page 4)
Feathering Their Nests ISLAND VOLUNTEER PROGRAM ENSURES A HOME FOR EVERY BLUEBIRD
BY ERIN POMRENKE For The Island Connection
Blase Keegel has served as a volunteer for the Bluebird Nest Box Program at Turtle Point for 20 years. Nicknamed “Mr. Bluebird Jr.,” Blase enjoys working alongside the tight-knit bluebird monitoring team.
When asked how his involvement in the program began, Blase said, “Someone started telling me about bluebirds and then drafted and coached me into [the nesting program]. I worked with the team for a year, and then it was turned over to me.”
The fascinating characteristics of the
bluebird piqued Blase’s interest. A few unique qualities about bluebirds includes that they are family-oriented, with the male and female taking turns finding food and feeding hatchlings. Unlike many other birds, bluebirds primarily eat insects and berries and won’t eat birdseed. Bluebirds are selective about where they nest; they are a “nesting cavity bird” and prefer to nest in boxes, but will also nest in natural cavities of trees, like woodpecker holes. The removal of old nests helps ensure that potential parasites and diseases are not transferred
(continued on page 3)
Blase Keegel.
PHOTOS COURTESY OF BLUEBIRD NEST BOX PROGRAM
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CONTRIBUTORS
Erin Weeks
Erin Pomrenke
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Susan Coomer
Lynn Baker
Amy Armstrong
Andell on Seabrook
to note that since this property is located outside of the Seabrook Island gate, it would not be a part of the Seabrook Island Property Association or Seabrook Island Club.
Members of the community who showed up to express their opposition did so with concerns about how the environment would be impacted and how this development would increase boat traffic.
“We have concerns about the impact this will have on Bohicket Creek,” said Robby Maynor, the Coastal Conservation League’s communities and transportation program director. “Bohicket Creek is designated as an outstanding resource water by DHEC.” That means that Bohicket Creek is a body of water that provides an outstanding “national recreational or ecological resource.”
He went on to say that the development would destroy some of the natural habitat and increase boat traffic in that area.
“Marinas are a notorious source of pollution, including oil, gas and sewage spill,” Susan McLaughlin, a resident of Seabrook Island, said. “Chemicals to clean the boats go directly into the waterway. There is no mention of these environmental effects in the developer’s application.”
John Reock, a resident of Seabrook Island, spoke in favor of the annexation because he said the Town “needs to have control of the property.” He also said, “Mike and his team have lived up to their word with issues that have risen over the years with Bohicket Marina.”
Reock noted, “The property is currently zoned agriculture/residential, and that covers a great deal including single family dwellings, manufacturing dwellings, workforce housing, group homes, short-term rentals, etc.”
Mike Shuler, who is the principal and managing partner of Bohicket Creek Investors, LLC, as well as the owner of Bohicket Marina, appealed to the residents in attendance, as well as to the planning commission members, by assuring them of his deep personal connection to the area.
“I’m local to Charleston for many generations. I’ve been fortunate to have spent a substantial amount of my childhood and my life in this Sea Islands area from Camp St. Christopher, Bohicket and everything in between. And I think that matters because I have a true appreciation for this area. It means a lot to me, and it means a lot to keep this place special. My vision for this Bohicket track is inspired by my overall vision for the future of Bohicket Marina. In the 40 years that it was built, I planned to invest substantially and make
Bohicket the sustainable and world class marina that it deserves to be for the next 40 years. The integration of the Andell property is a vital part of making this vision a true reality,” said Shuler, who bought the Andell property in 2021.
This is not the first time this property has come up for development. State environmental authorities got involved in a plan 30 years ago for a development called
The August 22 meeting in front of the Town Council provides a chance to review the proposal. To approve the annexation, the Town must hold a public hearing and have two majority votes in separate meetings.
Civic Calen dar
Work Session
Tuesday, Aug. 8 at 1 p.m.
Seabrook Island Town Hall
Planning Commission
Wednesday, Aug. 9 at 1:30 p.m.
Seabrook Island Town Hall
Environment and Wildlife Committee
Thursday, Aug. 10 at 1 p.m.
Seabrook Island Town Hall
Andell Harbor that would have required a man-made channel connecting to a large marina. The State eventually opposed the plan.
from the old nest to the new one. This is where the bluebird monitoring team lends an important helping hand.
On early Wednesday mornings, you might see the team looking through the bluebird boxes with a clipboard in hand.
The team monitors the 55 bluebird nesting boxes at Turtle Point for eggs and chicks and notes these changes each week from early April to the end of July. Once the bluebird chicks have moved out the nest, the team removes the nest to make room for the next nest.
The core group of the team includes Carmen Cawart, Dot Brookshire, Barbara Sanders, Elaine Verma and Dawn Hawley.
The group expressed that it’s their love of nature that is at the heart of their passion for this program.
The team would love to grow and welcome anyone who would be dedicated and interested in volunteering for the next bluebird season, once a week from early April to the end of July. In addition to Blase’s team at Turtle Point, there are volunteers on the grounds of all five Kiawah golf courses, Night Heron Park and The Sanctuary.
To learn more about the Bluebird Nest Box Program or to volunteer, email our wildlife biologist, Aaron Given, at agiven@ kiawahisland.org.
A trusted source in the Charleston area for almost two decades with Island Eye News, The Island Connection, “Where To” Map & SiP Magazine
McCord — who retired from the Department as a fisheries biologist in 2010, only to return to focus on monarchs — first began capturing and marking monarch butterflies along the coast in 1996, which is when he began to take note of an intriguing pattern.
“I noticed butterflies at Folly Beach, South Carolina, in November and December when I thought they should be overwintering in Mexico,” McCord said. “Once I started tagging some of these butterflies, it became clear they were staying here throughout the winter.”
Researchers commonly study butterfly migrations using a capture-mark-recapture method. In this system, biologists or volunteers catch a butterfly using a net and apply a small sticker with an identifying number to its outer wing. If that individual is later recaptured, researchers can use its identifying sticker to determine how long the butterfly has been ‘at large’ since first being tagged and how far the butterfly has traveled.
the ocean) in winter but were widely dispersed across coastal plain swamps in spring, summer and fall.
Capturing Lowcountry Essence
AUGUST ARTIST OF THE MONTH BY BONNIE YOUNGINER
TFor this study, McCord began tagging monarchs across both inland swamp and sea island habitats in January 2018. Over the next several years, McCord tagged 18,375 monarchs and documented aquatic milkweed as a host plant in swamps ranging from the Pee Dee watershed south to the Savannah River border with Georgia. At the same time, he worked to recapture tagged butterflies to determine how long they stayed in South Carolina and when they moved each season.
The results showed strong seasonal patterns. McCord captured monarch butterflies in every month of the study period, establishing that many monarchs are overwintering in South Carolina rather than migrating to the well-known sites in Mexico. Monarchs in this study were more concentrated in maritime habitats (i.e. barrier islands directly on
McCord found aquatic milkweed and monarchs (either eggs, caterpillars, pupae or adults) in 18 different watersheds in the coastal plain. These shallow, swampy systems can be hot, buggy and challenging to sample, which may partly explain why their use by monarchs has gone relatively unnoticed. Nonetheless, this new research shows just how important South Carolina’s swamps are to monarch butterflies, a finding that could inform land conservation in coastal South Carolina.
“The extensive use of inland swamps and maritime habitats by monarchs suggests that protections of these habitats may be critical to protecting monarchs in this region,” the authors wrote in the paper.
“Many questions remain to be answered, however,” added Dr. Kendrick.
“More information on population trends and the full extent of the migration patterns of these monarchs will be important to developing effective conservation strategies.”
Family Owned & Operated
For The Island Connection
ina Mayland is a native Charlestonian for whom the Lowcountry of South Carolina is as close to paradise as any place on earth. Returning home after 30 years of a high-tech career that took her to Atlanta, Washington D.C. and New Jersey as vice president of marketing for AT&T, she “rewired” from her all-consuming corporate life and began her encore career as a full-time artist.
She explains her motivation to become a painter: "My grandparents owned a farm on Wadmalaw Island, just outside of Charleston. As a child, I built tree forts in live oak trees, played in the pluff mud of the marshes and galloped my horse through Lowcountry forests. Capturing the essence of that landscape in my art is a way of recapturing the joys of my youth."
Mayland served on the Board of Directors of the Charleston Artist Guild for four years and is a member of the Seabrook Island Artist Guild. She's also active in the community, serving on the Board of Trustees of the Middleton Place Foundation and on the National Board of Directors of the Archeological Institute of America. Once a workaholic, she is reveling in her "rewired" life. "I'm testament to the fact that you can go home again, and that the post-career stage can be the most fulfilling,” she said.
An artist’s reception will be held Aug. 1 from 4:30 until 6:30 p.m. at The Lake House on Seabrook Island. Mayland’s work is represented by the Wells Gallery at The Sanctuary on Kiawah Island and by the Lowcountry Artists Gallery on East Bay Street in downtown Charleston. Or visit her website at TinaMaylandArt.com.
Dr. John "Billy" McCord holds a tagged monarch butterfly he recaptured in a swamp near Charleston.
PHOTO COURTESY OF E. WEEKS/SCDNR
Wild Times Guaranteed
TICKETS TO 14TH ANNUAL WILD SIDE ON SALE NOW
BY AMY ARMSTRONG
For The Island Connection
Tickets are now on sale for the 14th Annual Wild Side, the South Carolina Environmental Law Project's sparkling annual fundraiser at the historic Kaminski House in Georgetown. This year's event is set for Oct. 7 and promises to be another wonderful evening of delicious food, festive live music and great conversation.
This year's featured speaker will be Michelle Mapp, the ACLU of South Carolina’s Equal Justice Works Law Fellow. Guests will be able to enjoy fantastic, locally sourced cuisine from Root along with a selection of wine, beer and cocktails, music by Prettier Than Matt and waterfront views from the lawn of this historic home. We invite you to join us and support Wild Side in one or more of these ways:
• Purchase a friends and family table or individual tickets.
• Become a business sponsor. Varying levels of sponsorship are still available.
• Donate to the online auction. We are looking for unique experiences, vacation rentals, artwork and more.
• Sign up to volunteer. There are opportunities to help with set up, bartending, serving and cleaning up.
Funds from Wild Side help advance our environmental protection and justice work across our beautiful state. SCELP knows and understands the issues that impact the land, water and communities we all care about so deeply. Visit scelp.org.
Bird’s Eye
LEARN THE TRADITIONAL CHINESE GAME MAHJONG ON SEABROOK
BY SUSAN COOMER
For The Island Connection
Mahjong was created in China in the mid-1880s by a servant of the emperor who combined the rules of a popular card game with interesting tiles. In every mahjong set, there is one tile that has a bird on it — the name mahjong means sparrow.
In Chinese mahjong, hands remain constant, whereas American mahjong has hands listed on a card that changes annually.
requires using strategy to keep other players from making mahjong before you do.
Interestingly, in American mahjong, there is something called a “Charleston,” which is an exchange of tiles between the players at the beginning of the game.
After the Charleston, it is a pick and throw game, keeping the tiles you need to complete your chosen hand found on the mahjong card. The game consists of usually four players competing to form distinct sets or pairs of tiles, similar to gin rummy. It is a betting game and
American Mahjong is becoming more and more popular on Seabrook — probably because it is a fairly easy game to play and offers opportunities for people to socialize. I am a game player as well as a teacher. I love being able to teach others and watch their expressions when they catch on to the game. And where else can you spend an enjoyable afternoon for a mere $5? Most of the groups playing on Seabrook play for this amount or less. Some groups do not play for money but for the pleasure of being with friends. Mahjong games are the fall fundraiser for Seabrook Island Village Neighbors Helping Neighbors, a nonprofit organization. Our goal is to help senior residents live independently on Seabrook. The monies collected help us fulfill this goal. To learn more visit seabrookislandvillage.org.
The lawn of the Kaminski House in Georgetown.
PHOTO COURTESY OF SCELP
There’s a new boat club at Bohicket Marina COME CHECK US OUT
BOAT CLUB
• Offers the ultimate boating experience without the hassles of ownership
• Experience the charm of the Lowcountry waterways, where boating dreams come to life
• Take advantage of exclusive perks as a member of our Boat Club
• Hassle-free boating lifestyle where we do all the work for you
• Access reservations through our Custom App for easy bookings
• Unlimited access with future reservation options as well as day-of opportunities
• Access to the four sister locations throughout the Charleston area
• A one-stop shop for all your boating needs
BOAT RENTALS
• Bohicket Marina offers the freedom of boating to all with our new Boat Rental fleet
• Wide range of boats tailored to your needs and preferences, pontoons & center consoles
• Perfect for both experienced boaters and beginners discovering a new hobby
• Convenient online booking system for quick and easy reservations
• Benefit from our professional staff’s expertise and personalized recommendations
190 High Hammock Road, Seabrook Island
Lockwood Drive 1-J, Downtown Charleston
2571 High Hammock Road, Seabrook Island
BRING THE ISLAND
around the islands...
ONGOING
WHAT: Farmers Market
: Mondays from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.
WHERE : Freshfields Village
MORE INFO : Join the island communities for the weekly farmers market at Freshfields. The market offers organic fresh produce, local food products and unique Lowcountry Crafts all summer.
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: Sea Island Farmers Market
WHEN: Saturdays, 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
WHERE : Charleston Collegiate School
MORE INFO: The market offers locally-grown summer produce and ready-to-eat meals. Make sure you check out the website for the weekly recipe feature from one of the local vendors.
: Music on the Green
: Wednesdays from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.
WHERE : Freshfields Village
MORE INFO : Join the community of Seabrook and Kiawah for a family-friendly concert featuring regional bands. All are invited; this is a great way to meet those in your community.
WHAT: Jazz Night
WHEN : Thursdays from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
WHERE : The Porch Bar at Andell Inn
MORE INFO : Enjoy handcrafted cocktails overlooking Andell Lake and a saltwater pool. Each week features a local jazz group.
SATURDAY, JULY 29
WHAT: Cake Decorating Class
WHEN : July 29 and Aug. 8, 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
WHERE : Ben & Jerry’s at Freshfields
MORE INFO : This limited time class provides participants with the opportunity to decorate a small ice cream cake and a Ben & Jerry’s t-shirt. The cost is $60 per cake. Reservations are required and can be made online.
WHAT: Three Cheese in 3 Hours
WHEN : 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
WHERE : Jeremiah Farm & Goat Dairy, 3853 Platt Rd, Johns Island
MORE INFO: This class will allow guests to learn how to make feta, mozzarella, and whole milk ricotta. Upon arrival guests will be given a tour of the goat farm and garden, gathering fresh, local ingredients to use in the cheese making process. The cost is $60 per person.
WHAT: STAR Therapy Dogs
WHEN : 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
WHERE : Johns Island Library
MORE INFO: Work on building confidence in reading by practicing reading to a certified therapy dog. Studies have shown that reading skills can be improved by reading to a therapy dog.
WEDNESDAY, AUG. 9
WHAT: Chow Town Food Truck Rodeo
WHEN : 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.
CONNECTING TO
WHERE : Seabrook Island Town Hall
MORE INFO : Join the community of Seabrook Island for the second annual Chow Town Food Truck Festival. Bring your friends or family, or venture solo for an evening of live music, food truck vendors and relaxing. The event features musical artists Molly Durning, Don Colton, David Tabaka and The Time Pirates. Bring your own beach chair.
SATURDAY, AUG. 19
WHAT: Cars & Coffee
WHEN : 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.
WHERE : The Village Green
MORE INFO: This event will feature current automobile models, classic cars and other unique automobiles. All are invited to bring their unique car to this event to share with the community. Coffee and breakfast are available for purchase at Java Java.
Sunday Service Times: 9:00am & 10:30am 4416 Betsy Kerrison Parkway, Johns Island, SC 29455 oursavioursc com 843 768 2046
Center for Health and Rehab opened in 2022 to restore strength and spirit, providing a healing experience unlike any other in the Southeast. The award-winning Gadsden Glen, now welcomes the Charleston community With costs in-line with the area, Medicare and insurance coverage allows you to select Gadsden Glen for your short-term post-acute rehabilitation, setting you on a course of improved health and wellness
Gadsden Glen
BY LYNN BAKER
For The Island Connection
Backpack Buddies
Seabrook Island wants to thank you for your support last year. The children at the three schools that we support in Charleston County thank you as well. Now, we are back once again with more friends than ever before for the 2023 Challenge. Mike Gorski has done a wonderful job over the last seven years with the “Mike Gorski and Friends Challenge,” and he has retired from fundraising and turned it over to the specific organizations to run. This challenge directly benefits the Backpack Buddies Seabrook Island. Our goal, with the help of our friends, is to raise $90,000 or more for this great and worthy cause.
Gorski launched this program seven years ago and has helped raise additional funds for the Backpack Buddies programs since. Each year, the Challenge has proven to be more successful than the prior year. Last year, he raised $87,000 for Backpack Buddies Seabrook Island.
Backpack Buddies Seabrook Island is a nonprofit with a mission to feed
local hungry school children on the weekends. These children receive breakfast and lunch at school but often are being left to fend for themselves on the weekends. Backpack Buddies Seabrook Island is currently feeding close to 385 local children each week. We support Mt. Zion Elementary, Lambs Elementary and St Johns High School. To support one child for the entire school year with these bags of food, it is only $235. $0.94 cents of every dollar go directly to buying food.
To help raise additional funds for Backpack Buddies Seabrook Island, we have received commitments from local business and friends to donate $1,000 or more to collectively secure $45,000 of funds, which will then match the donations made by residents of Seabrook Island. And all donations are tax deductible, as permitted by law.
To make a donation, go to the Backpack Buddies Seabrook Island website at backpackbuddiesseabrookisland.com.
The Challenge will run from Aug. 7 through Sept. 29. Total donations will be announced Oct. 2.
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We list and sell more real estate on Seabrook Island than all other companies combined. If you are looking to purchase a new home, cottage, villa, or homesite — or list your property — contact one of our expert REALTORS ® today!
