Different Trails

BOARDWALK (Day 2)

In the morning we took a lovely stroll along the Intracoastal Waterway.

The Intracoastal Waterway is a 3,000-mile inland water route that flows through 19 states in three separate sections through 19 states: from Texas to Florida (along the Gulf of Mexico); within Florida; and from Florida up to Massachusetts (along the Atlantic). It runs 237 miles through South Carolina.

In the early days, merchant ships transported their cargo in the open seas along the Atlantic Coast. Unfortunately, shifting underwater sandbars led to numerous shipwrecks. A safer route was needed. Plans were drawn up for an inland navigation route as early as 1802. New canals could be dug in order to connect the series of existing rivers, sounds, estuaries and bays. In certain sections, ocean travel could be protected by a series of barrier islands.

But progress was slow because railroad transportation became popular after the Civil War (1861-1865), and larger vessels couldn't fit. It wasn't until World War I (1914 - 1918) when bulk cargo transportation was needed that safer waterways were again discussed. Construction of waterways began in Louisiana and Texas. Then came World War II (1939 - 1945) and many merchant ships carrying supplies were sunk off the East Coast by German submarines. The Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway (AIWW) was completed in 1940.

In South Carolina, the Intracoastal averages 12-feet deep and 90-feet-wide. It is a mixture of both freshwater and saltwater (the closer to the ocean, the saltier it is). It can be strongly affected by the tide.

Fiddler crabs are often found in large groups along muddy banks when the tide is out. They live in burrows up to 23 inches deep and feed on organic material in the mud. They serve as an important food source for many birds, larger crabs and other animals.

Males have one oversized claw. While highly impractical, at least the lady crabs are impressed.

A boat storage building

It was now time to reward our hard work with some beer at New South Brewing! The small microbrewery was founded in 1998.

A yummy porter

We then wandered along the boardwalk. The 1.2 mile-long Oceanfront Boardwalk and Promenade runs along the beach and is lined with numerous shops, restaurants, attractions and sculptures.

The earliest beach pavilion was built here in 1908. Several more followed it.

The Grand Strand is the name given to the 60-mile long coastal stretch of uninterrupted sandy beaches along the Myrtle Beach area. The term was coined in 1949, with the word "strand" being an old English word meaning the edge of the sea.

Recently, the old boardwalk was replaced with recycled plastic boards in nine colors.

The Gay Dolphin has been around since 1946. It's Myrtle Beach's oldest and largest gift shop. The massive shop had several stories and was divided into numerous small sections. It was an amazingly fun place to explore!