The thing about hurricane preparations on the island, is that preparation begins VERY early.  If we wait until landfall on the island is a certainty, it is too late to complete preparations in time.  Owners are responsible for securing their own properties, so they may need to travel to the island from their homes.  AND, then they need/want to get back out of town before an evacuation occurs.  If you are in their home, they will either need you to help (this may include golf cart transportation to and from the ferry, bringing porch furniture inside, turning off water, gas, and power, and installing shutters), or they need you to get out of Dodge.  Quickly.  We’ve just had a pretty big storm: Irene was 1400 miles across by the time she passed off our shore, and we learned some things about preparing.  Sure, you can look at the cloud offshore and imagine eeking every tiny bit of time on the island before the storm comes.  But you need to remember that YOU don’t want to get caught in an evacuation nightmare either.  (During preparations for Floyd, the greatest peacetime evacuation in history, it 19 hours by car to get to Columbia.  Yes, Columbia, South Carolina.)

If the island manager recommends an evacuation, YOU ARE REQUIRED to go right away, but the OWNER can also require you to evacuate when it is most prudent for them to get to the island. We will be happy to verify to any insurance company that has insured your trip that you were asked to leave. Please understand– we don’t want to ruin your vacation, but hurricanes are not to be trifled with.

Dewees Island will evacuate BEFORE the Isle of Palms or Mount Pleasant, as soon as a voluntary evacuation is ordered. If an evacuation is ordered, you will be asked to leave the island on the next ferry.  There is generally not an a evacuation order for a tropical storm or severe thunderstorm.  You are responsible for your safety– stay away from windows and doors, pay attention to the weather forecasts, be aware of rip tide dangers, have an evacuation plan.  We would appreciate it if you have a chance to being outdoor furniture in and close shutters, if you are able.

We like both the  National Hurricane Center and Wunderground for weather forecasts.  The zip code for Dewees Island and the Isle of Palms is 29451.  You can learn more about hurricanes at SCHurricane.com.

The thing about hurricane preparations on the island, is that preparation begins VERY early.  If we wait until landfall on the island is a certainty, it is too late to complete preparations in time.  Owners are responsible for securing their own properties, so they may need to travel to the island from their homes.  AND, then they need/want to get back out of town before an evacuation occurs.  If you are in their home, they will either need you to help (this may include golf cart transportation to and from the ferry, bringing porch furniture inside, turning off water, gas, and power, and installing shutters), or they need you to get out of Dodge.  Quickly.  We’ve just had a pretty big storm: Irene was 1400 miles across by the time she passed off our shore, and we learned some things about preparing.  Sure, you can look at the cloud offshore and imagine eeking every tiny bit of time on the island before the storm comes.  But you need to remember that YOU don’t want to get caught in an evacuation nightmare either.  (During preparations for Floyd, the greatest peacetime evacuation in history, it 19 hours by car to get to Columbia.  Yes, Columbia, South Carolina.)

If the island manager recommends an evacuation, YOU ARE REQUIRED to go right away, but the OWNER can also require you to evacuate when it is most prudent for them to get to the island. We will be happy to verify to any insurance company that has insured your trip that you were asked to leave. Please understand– we don’t want to ruin your vacation, but hurricanes are not to be trifled with.

Dewees Island will evacuate BEFORE the Isle of Palms or Mount Pleasant, as soon as a voluntary evacuation is ordered. If an evacuation is ordered, you will be asked to leave the island on the next ferry.  There is generally not an a evacuation order for a tropical storm or severe thunderstorm.  You are responsible for your safety– stay away from windows and doors, pay attention to the weather forecasts, be aware of rip tide dangers, have an evacuation plan.  We would appreciate it if you have a chance to being outdoor furniture in and close shutters, if you are able.

We like both the  National Hurricane Center and Wunderground for weather forecasts.  The zip code for Dewees Island and the Isle of Palms is 29451.  You can learn more about hurricanes at SCHurricane.com.

learning to crab

As longtime island summer residents, our kids are occasionally willing to help you and your kids learn to crab or fish.  There are a few disclaimers here… first of all, they are kids and not fishing experts.  That said, I can send them out to bring me dinner and they can do that… without setting foot off the island.

Here’s the fun part:  they’ll supply the bait.  And if you are crabbing, they’ll bring the nets, the lines, the bucket and the bait, and you can hang onto it for the rest of the week, and they’ll come fetch it from under your house when you leave.  They’ll also rent you bait buckets and minnow keepers and show you how to get minnows, fiddlers, and mullet for fishing bait.  If you are coming in shellfish season, they’ll show you how to get clams, too.

Then, they’ll take you on a tour of the island and show you what to do with that gear.  They don’t guarantee any caught fish, because that would be insane.  They charge $20 for 45 minutes for five people, and it’s not really appropriate for really small kids, because people under 5 get bored easily.

To set up a time to get together, text Emily, Kate, or Ted at 843-801-2444.  It is really best if you leave their parents out of it, because they hate when we make plans for them.

Well, NOW YOU CAN!!!

Call Becky at 843-628-9755

Introducing Becky’s grocery delivery. Becky, a long-time member of our island community, is willing to stock your kitchen with some basics for you. The prices include delivery, and you can arrange for things you don’t see listed– just ask her!

Dewees Island Food Delivery for Weekly Rentals -

Package A: Conventional Option: $80 Organic Option: $90

1 dozen Eggland’s Best eggs

1 loaf Pepperidge Farm bread*

12 oz HT Traders Ground Coffee

Land O Lakes Butter – Spreadable w/ Canola Oil**

1 qt Land O Lakes Half & Half

16 oz container Assorted Precut Fruit (Add $3 for 32oz container) ***

½ Gallon Milk (add $1.50 for 1 gal and 2.50 for 1 gal Organic)

½ Gallon Simply Orange Original, Pulp Free Orange Juice****

Package B: Conventional Option: $140

Same as above with the addition of:

6 ct Lender’s Pre-sliced “Bagel Shop” Bagels: Plain or Blueberry

Philadelphia Plain or Garden Vegetable Cream Cheese Spread (Reduced Fat Options Available)

1 lb Boars Head Deli Sliced choice of Honey Maple Turkey, Black Forest Ham or Roast Beef (add $3)

½ lb Boars Head Deli Sliced choice of Vermont Yellow Cheddar, Baby Swiss or White American

16 oz pkg Cape Cod Potato Chips of Choice or Rold Gold Tiny Twists Pretzels

10oz Sabra Classic or Roasted Red Pepper Hummus and Stacy’s Multigrain or Simply Naked Pita Chips

Peter Pan Peanut Butter

5 lb bag Red Delicious or Gala Apples

Smucker’s Grape or Strawberry Jelly

12 pack Coke or Diet Coke

Package B: Natural / Organic Option: $150

Same as Package A “Organic Option” with the addition of:

Harris Teeter Naturals Organic Plain or Ancient Grain Bagels

Organic Valley Plain Cream Cheese

7 oz Applegate Farms Pre-sliced Organic Roasted Turkey Breast or Organic Uncured Ham (add $7 per addl pkg)

14 oz pkg Harris Teeter Organic Blue or White Tortilla Chips

5 lb Organic Red Delicious or Gala Apples

Harris Teeter Naturals Organic Peanut Butter

Harris Teeter Naturals Organic Grape or Strawberry Jelly

The following items are all natural but not organic:

Mrs. Renfro’s All Natural Mango Habanero Med. Salsa or Wholly Guacamole All Natural Guacamole

12 Pack La Croix Natural Lime, Cran-Raspberry or Original

Package C: $195

Same as Conventional Package “B” with the addition of:

Small Vegetable Tray (Large Tray add $7)

6 oz can Planters Mixed Nuts

1 DiGiorno Rising Crust Four Cheese or Pepperoni Pizza

2 Bottles Rayun (Rapel Valley, Chile) Choice of Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Syrah, Cabernet or Merlot

12 pack Bud Light, Michelob Ultra, Heineken or Yeungling Bottled Beer

*Sourdough, Whole Wheat or Multigrain. Organic Option: 20oz La Brea Organic Wheat Loaf or 16oz Harris Teeter Naturals Organic Wholegrain Bread.

**Organic Option: 16 oz Harris Teeter Naturals Organic Salted or Unsalted

** *Pre-sliced organic fruit not available. Organic whole fruit options vary in price and by season. Please inquire.

*** *Organic orange juice not available.

Special Requests / Additional Items priced accordingly.

You will come across some other bugs. Spiders hang out where the mosquitoes can get caught in their webs, Palmetto bugs scurry across porches, mud daubers build interesting structures under the eaves. If you rethink bugs as wildlife, you will be thrilled with the diversity they offer. Swallows and flycatchers swoop around and grab bugs over the ponds on the island and are spectacular to watch. Please use bug spray judiciously (don’t spray where it might harm beneficial insects like butterflies). I usually carry a container of benedryl to treat bugbites with.

The porch of the Landings building is a great place to check your email while you are waiting for a ferry, or just looking for a breezy spot in the shade with beautiful views. The internet signal is strong and wireless. So if you HAVE to get some work done on vacation, you can’t find a better office!

Another place to hook into the wireless network is at Huyler House, the community building. Even if there is a meeting going on inside, the screened porch has pretty fast connections and nice views of the canal to the impoundment or the tennis courts. You can watch the barn swallows feed their babies and listen to the calls of the herons and great crested flycatchers. There are great repurposed tables made from old windows that you can rest your laptop on.

We are sitting on an island with elevated houses because Hurricane Hugo washed over the island in 1989 with a 15 foot wall of water. (In fact, there are no squirrels, possums, or skunks on the island, because they all washed off too, and they can’t swim. But that’s besides the point.) YOU NEED TO PAY ATTENTION to the weather. We suggest you get trip insurance (and we recommend insuremytrip.com, because we used to sail with the guy who started that company, and it is what we use when we travel.) Occasionally, severe thunderstorms roll across the island and provide us with fabulous rainbows, and recently, remarkable hail. You are responsible for seeking shelter in a storm.

In the event of a hurricane, Dewees Island will evacuate EARLY. As soon as a voluntary evacuation order is issued for Charleston’s barrier islands, Dewees will issue a MANDATORY evacuation order. That means, you will need to back up and go asap… the owner may need to do some storm preparation, and, as a renter, you will need to get off the island with your things almost immediately. You will want to know the evacuation routes… from Dewees, take the IOP connector North and follow signs… you will either be directed to 526 to I95, or Route 41.

When the water gets warm and there is a hint of fall (on the calendar at least!) all eyes turn to the tropics.  We HIGHLY recommend you get vacation insurance to protect your vacation– we are partial to the guys atinsuremytrip.com, where you can shop plans till you find one that meets your needs.  We’ll try to work with you to reschedule your vacation in the event that weather forces you to reschedule, but vacation insurance is the only way you can be sure of a reimbursement for money already spent.

Dewees Island will evacuate BEFORE the Isle of Palms or Mount Pleasant, as soon as a voluntary evacuation is ordered. If an evacuation is ordered, you will be asked to leave the island on the first possible ferry.  There is generally not an a evacuation order for a tropical storm or severe thunderstorm.  You are responsible for your safety– stay away from windows and doors, pay attention to the weather forecasts, be aware of rip tide dangers, have an evacuation plan.  We would appreciate it if you have a chance to being outdoor furniture in and close shutters, if you are able.

We like both the  National Hurricane Center and Wunderground for weather forecasts.  The zip code for Dewees Island and the Isle of Palms is 29451.  You can learn more about hurricanes at SCHurricane.com.