POST 480 - DAY 274 / 17: MYRTLE BEACH AREA - GRAND STRAND - SO. CAROLINA.

A couple days ago I found this brand new hat lying along side the road. Always wanted one, but at $30.00, out of my league. Someday I might reveal what else I have found on America's Highways and Byways. By the way, that "Pen" in my pocket is MACE. So far, have not used it.

Up at dawn and on the road North towards MYRTLE BEACH, SOUTH CAROLINA, one comes upon many retail stores such as the above one...hawking beach wear. Great end-of-season sales going on right now. Notice the "Nothing Over $5.99" sign. Big competition among business with that slogan...one at Nothing Over $3.99.

A competitor having a Whale of a Sale. These are "chain" stores; sometimes a number of the same chain within a couple miles.

One that note, I wish to make note that South Carolina does not appear to suffer as many other States have; i.e., many small villages in other States have half of the town stores closed or empty. Not so South Carolina...do not recall seeing ANY empty stores in this State.

Veterans Memorial in the Village of SURFSIDE BEACH, SOUTH CAROLINA.

Walked 6 miles North on US 17, then took a street over to the Beach and walked South back to yesterday's Hot Dog store. As mentioned yesterday, ALL of the homes along the beach are built upon stilts. The stilts are approximately 12 feet off the ground. A great number of "track homes", such as the above identical homes, have been constructed directly on the Atlantic Ocean Beach and across the roadway...named WACCAMAH after another local Indian Tribe.

PORTOBELLO III is one of a number of sections. I also walked past PORTOBELLO I AND II.

Each section consists of 20 or more identical homes. Nearly all had Realtor signs posted FOR RENT or FOR SALE.

Quite a few homes did have automobiles parked in the garages between the stilts...perhaps permanent homes...or possibly late-in-the-season vacationers.

Nights are 2-blanket nights. Days are reaching low 80s.

One of many large hi-rise Condos.

SURFSIDE BEACH, SOUTH CAROLINA, looking South.

Another fishing pier. This one was accessed through a convenience store...after paying the $1.00 entry fee.

Looking back from the Pier down the ramp and into the parking lot. Parking is charged from 7:00 am to 7:00 pm, seven days a week. Otherwise, there is NO place for outsiders to park.

Beach view from another beach access path.

A close-up of the stilt construction on one of the "row" houses.

This large private home was FOR SALE.

A large condo on stilts. This building sits directly on the Ocean Beach.

It rained rather hard most of last night and early this morning. Water covered much of the roadway and limited sidewalks...not to mention under the stilted buildings, where some paved areas were like small swimming pools.

What most come to the Seaside to do...a stroll on the Beach.

So often I have observed: the most beautiful place on Earth is, without someone to share it with, is just a place.

Actually, tho, since I do not anticipate anyone soon to come stand beside me, I am beginning to truly appreciate and enjoy the privilege of being here and all the other exquisite places opened to me.

One of a dozen or so hi-rise condos - resorts - fronting the Atlantic Ocean.

and, yes, even the hi-rise has flo-thru basements.

and now, for a study in the construction of the "stilts" of a new home.

I was particularly interested in how the connections were made between the stilts and the house sitting above.

Was pleased to see "slots and cut-outs" to receive the floor joists.

I was NOT pleased, however, to see "fabricated" floor joist beams using PLYWOOD.

Also, I saw NO evidence of "waterproofing" to seal the joints.

If this were MY home, I would insist on extensive waterproofing AND use of roofing-type tar paper between ALL wood surfaces.

It does appear that the posts themselves have been treated to some degree. I have been previously told that Cypress Tree is nearly impervious to rot...something akin to using CEDAR fenceposts on my old 10-acre farm...oh, how I miss my farm. These appear to be Pine, not Cypress.

Was comforted to see the adequate thru bolts...they did look to be galvanized. What I am NOT pleased to see is the sloppy horizontal cut on the post slot. This severely weakens the entire connection and allows rot and critters (carpenter ants / termites) to set up housekeeping.

Please say HELLO to Enrico - RICK, construction foreman.

Rick told me he has built other such homes nearby...I did NOT mention any of my thoughts expressed above.

When asked about the individual posts, Rick says they are pounded into the sandy soil to 25 - 35 feet deep, depending on the soil conditions and nearness to the Beach.
Rick's project from a distance.

Home prices in this part of South Carolina seem to be doing quite well...that is a lot of $$, but then, much of it is for the land.

WACCAMAH Street, which runs North - South paralleling the Atlantic Ocean Beaches.

This is the same walkway I forgot to upload in yesterday's post.

Birds hereabouts are quite tame and allow one to approach quite close.

A net full of "bait". I tried many times to catch a pic of the net flying through the air, but so far have failed. This catch was from the Walkway into the water flowing through the marsh.

Please say HELLO to Trev...Trevor???

Trev is surveying work being done for the City to install pipes along Atlantic Avenue.

After two morning walks, we drove to another WALMART - there are four WALMARTs along US 17 as it travels along the Grand Strand (Grand Beach) of MYRTLE BEACH, SOUTH CAROLINA. Here, between MYRTLE BEACH proper and NORTH MYRTLE BEACH, SPIA is again parked for the night.

This flock of birds was 10 feet from SPIA. I walked over to them - a piece of Bagel in my hand - and sat on the low curb. They all - including the Canadian Honkers - crowded around me begging for a handout.

Difficult for me to imagine I spent a good part of my younger life hunting these guys. One night, I rode my bicycle over 50 miles in the dark out to the Snake River where Dad was sleeping in a "Hunting Blind" dug into a Rancher's Wheat Field. I arrived around 2 am and was summarily driven back to KENNEWICK, WASHINGTON with a reprimand. I was allowed to accompany Dad & his buddies the next night. Yes, we always came home with some trophy honkers.

This little fellow was very brave. He walked right up to me and took Bagel out of my fingers.

SPIA parked at WALMART.

I simply cannot express enough gratitude to WALMART for allowing RVs to park overnight. It has made my walk so much more pleasant.

A map of the Grand Strand...the Island of Myrtle Beach...yes, it is on an island. The Intercoastal Waterway runs in the waterway at the top of the map, creating the island.

Late in the afternoon, I took a third walk North on US 17 to NORTH MYRTLE BEACH.

To my great surprise, there was a near perfect constructed sidewalk all the way from MYRTLE BEACH proper to NORTH MYRTLE BEACH, a distance of about 10 miles.

One of the many Shore-Side Resorts bordering US 17 as I walked to NORTH MYRTLE BEACH and back to SPIA.

Even here, the marshes continue. The hi-rise buildings are lining the Atlantic Ocean Beach.

The above weather front moved in on MYRTLE BEACH area as I returned to SPIA. The wind kicked up pretty strong and I was concerned I would not get back before the sky opened up.

The entire front, however, slid by just West of US 17.

It is now quite dark and 8:30 pm. The wind is still howling, so we have storm clouds in the area. Read on the news that KEY WEST, FLORIDA area had a Tornado this afternoon. I believe "our" storm front is the same storm that hit KEY WEST.

This is the season for Hurricanes and Tornado activity in this part of the country.

Speaking this afternoon with the NORTH MYRTLE BEACH Visitors Bureau, it was suggested I consider walking back into MYRTLE BEACH proper. In the morning, I will make that decision.

We are about 20 miles from the SOUTH - NORTH CAROLINA Border. Since I have already walked into NORTH MYRTLE BEACH and back, we will be in NORTH CAROLINA tomorrow.