October 31, 2009
The Grand Strand is fun 24 hours a day but I prefer visiting the beaches and marshes either at sunset or early in the morning. I recommend two places in particular on the Grand Strand for early morning visits. I love going to both the Pawleys Island Hammock Shops and Murrells Inlet fishing marina in the very early morning and walking along with a cup of coffee to take in the sights. Murrells Inlet is the fishing capitol of the Grand Strand if not the world. Come here early in the morning to see the shrimp boats leave the docks as well as the folks with yachts, sailboats and motor boats preparing to journey thru the marsh to see all the wildlife in the water and in the air.
Murrells Inlet is protected on three sides so it historically has always attracted waterman looking for a safe place to dock. Supposedly pirates from the Caribbean used to use Murrells Inlet and Blackbeard, the most famous pirate, came into this inlet. Oh, if this marsh could talk it would have great stories to tell. Now notice all the birds sunning themselves on the poles in the early morning light.
I took these pics on the Murrells Inlet Veterans Pier that was just built in 2005 for all U.S. Veterans. As you walk along the pier you can read memorial placks dedicated to the memory of veterans that used to come to enjoy this inlet. Many of the memorial placks that I read were for World War II, Korean and Vietnam vets. The sidewalk leading to the pier has seashells embedded in the cement which makes for some interesting walking, especially when you are leading a two year old down the sidewalk.
Here is the memorial on the pier.
Now check out this large shore bird. He was standing like this when we started down the long pier and when we came back twenty minutes later he was still standing like this. Jack thinks that he was drying off his wings.
Have you heard of the Pawleys Islands Hammocks? They are made right here at the Pawleys Islands Hammock Shops. You can watch a demonstration here of how they are made and you can lie down in a Pawleys Island Hammock to see if you like lying in a hammock. We have watched the demos and we have tried out the hammocks but haven't bought a hammock yet. (Probably need to get approval from our Piedmont Homeowners Assoc. to hang it on two trees in our backyard.) The red store above is the Little Mouse Christmas Shop and we all enjoyed window shopping there, especially little Jack. Lot to see and grab! But what I like best about these shops is that they are in a nature preserve with tall trees that protect you from the sun, especially in the summertime. Soon as we got out of our car we could hear hundreds of birds chirping. What a delightful sound.
When you have finished enjoying the nature preserve and all the shops you can then stop at Island Dogs for a quick bite. There is also a couple of fancy sit down restaurants that feature low country seafood if that is your preference. But since we had little Jack with us we thought island dogs would be our choice for the day.
And the little island dogs were so good! Yum, yum. Of course, the two Jacks had to share their meal while my daughters watched and I snapped a memory pic of our morning outing.
Hotdog all gone, Grandma!
But here comes dessert Big Jack and Little Jack.
As our week at Myrtle Beach progressed each day got warmer and warmer. Each day we wore less and less to the beach. Finally little Jack went sans clothes for a brief wild moment but I'm not sharing that pic with you all.
Aunt Gigi had fun making mini sand castles with the beach bucket and little Jack had fun knocking them down with his tiny feet while Momma Jenn watched.
Jeanine and I found time to enjoy the golf club bar to have drinks and sit in the sun. This is the good life.
Jeanine got in some reading and I did too.
This was our view when we pulled our noses out of the book: the golf course putting green.
Skywatch Friday = Huntington State Park in S.C.
This is an empty castle. No furnishing remain and each room is stripped down to the white painted brick walls and wood rafters. The grounds surrounding the castle have lots of palms and vegetation.
I like this Carolina jasmine climbing the old walls.
This is what all the rooms of the castle look like---just bare brick.
And here is the beach at Huntington Beach State Park.
The weather was in the mid '80s so my daughters and grandson had fun playing in the sand.
Blue skies and blue ocean makes for a photo opt.
Little Jack Aidan is learning that South Carolina beaches are fun.
Aunt Jeanine had her camera and was ready to snap pics of little Jack at the beach.
Surfside Beach With Fishing Pier
In the Disney Store Grandpa and Mommy put me in a pirate costume to see if I would make a good little pirate for Halloween. I threw a fit! No! No! No! I threw such a fit that they never did get the black pirate pants on me to go with my red velvet coat and white ruffly shirt. Get me out of this outfit! I don't want to be Johnny Depp. I want to go home.
I want to go home. I want my Daddy. I know he wouldn't make me become a pirate. After all he has already made me a Red Sox fan.
Jack Aidan's True Story About Broadway at the Beach and Barefoot Landing
There are lots of wooden bridges to cross. These made my stroller that Grandpa is pushing go bump a dee bump.
Guess what? The Christmas Tree was up at Broadway at the Beach and decorated but not lit yet.
Aunt Gigi wanted to be Miss Liberty.
I checked out that torch Miss Liberty is holding.
Grandpa and I had fun putting quarters into the little jukebox in the booth at Johnny Rockets.
I got to ride the merry go round with Mommy and Aunt Gigi at Barefoot Landing.
Grandma said smile for the camera but I was too busy holding on to the pole.
I didn't know Harry Potter shops at Broadway at the Beach.
I caught Grandma sitting and rocking in one of these chairs.
Wow! There's a pirate in a ship on top of this restaurant! 
This was my favorite place at Broadway at the Beach. 
Now look at this.
There was a big green frog on top of this building.
I got to feed the ducks and the fish from the bridges at both Broadway at the Beach and Barefoot Landing.
The ducks and fish were fighting over my food.
South Carolina and Georgia is known for its southern cooking and seafood. Paula Dean is down in Savannah, GA across the border from SC. Pat Conroy, the author, has a restauran by Hilton Head Island, SC. Myrtle Beach has dozens of all you can eat seafood buffets. We went to Crabby Mikes for some really great seafood. But for the most part I will remember this trip as the Chick-filet Vacation. Why? Because this is a clean and bright restaurant chain that has an attached indoor playground for kids to use and let off steam. I think we hit every one of these from Virginia to S.C. on this trip so that little Jack Aidan could stretch his legs.
While Jack Aidan played Grandma captured some of the fresh fall flowers that were on all the tables of this restaurant.
Here's another snap. I think those are spider mums.
Here's the sign by the entrance to the play area.
Here's big Jack keeping an eye on little Jack who is around the corner.
Here's our little guy pushing buttons and listening to the animals. You must remove your shoes when you enter the play area. Each play area has a slide. Our little Jack can go up and down by himself on the slide. 
