From an aerial viewpoint, Hilton Head is a foot-shaped, or ankle-boot shaped, island albeit without any visible toes. It lies roughly 95 miles south of Charleston and 31miles north of Savannah and is one of over 100 Sea islands on the Atlantic Ocean, along the coasts of South Carolina, Georgia and North Florida.
The Sea islands form a chain of tidal and barrier islands along the coasts of South Carolina, Georgia and North Florida. It is sometimes referred to as a barrier island. A tidal island is a piece of land connected to the mainland by a natural or man-made causeway exposed at low tide and submerged at high tide. The terrain of a barrier island includes a dynamic beach system with offshore sandbars, a pounding surf and shifting beaches, as well as grassy dunes behind the beach, maritime forests with wetlands in the interiors, and salt or sand marshes facing the mainland. Using those defining characteristics, the north end of Hilton Head would be classified as a tidal island and the south end a barrier island. The barrier and tidal halves of Hilton Head Island are separated by Broad Creek, a land-locked tidal marsh.
Hilton Head is roughly twelve miles long and 5 miles across at its widest point. It is surrounded by the Intra-Coastal Waterway on the mainland side and 13 miles of beachfront on the Atlantic. Those 13 miles include ten prominent beaches with public access (although some are tucked away inside gated communities with limited access). The beaches are what draw many visitors to the island. But those who deem to explore a little beyond the sandy shores are rewarded with at least 22 public parks and nature preserves, as well as, 64 miles of leisure trails (shared by foot traffic, bicycles, and the occasional Segway) spread across its 42 square miles of land.
Hilton Head Island is also known for its rich history that dates back thousands of years to the seasonal occupation by Native Americans. The historical accounts of the island continue with its sighting by William Hilton in 1663, the arrival of English planters who grew indigo and rice, followed by the introduction of cotton after the American Revolution. Hilton Head became an important base of operations for the Union blockade of Southern ports during the Civil War.
One of the things I most enjoy doing on the island is to pack up my camera and set out by foot, bicycle or car for a few hours of exploring along the beaches or inland areas. Those times have garnered me a large collection of photographs, some of which I have included in this book. This book is not intended to be a travelogue or tourist guide. I don't have photos of all of the various species of wildlife, or the top spots to visit. Instead, I consider this book the testimony of a love affair between a girl and an island, much like what I wrote about in books 3 and 4 of my Georgia Ayres novel series. In this case, I'm the girl, although I have long passed the age where that description could be used accurately!
Within this book, I have tried to present a sample of what I find to be the heart and soul of Hilton Head Island: the sunrises and sunsets that start and end each day, and the various interior contributors to the total beauty and charm of the island. I hope you enjoy the visual journey!
