A place to avoid on Hilton Head

what about alternatives
maybe you could stay on hhi but not at sea pines. maybe there are places outside sea pines where you could keep your boat. i live in beaufort so i might be able to help you hook up with an alternative to anal sea pines

thanks but
that gets seriously complicated with getting into “the compound” to give my talks, having only one car for my family, etc, etc.



the paying for a boat slip thing will ultimately work out pretty well, since south beach is well situated to get out into the ocean quickly.



and then i’ll never go back…



af

Oh Yeah
It’s pretty common knowledge around here that Hilton Head don’t allow no riff raff. It’s more of a status symbol than a place to have fun.

considering …
all in all - have a good conference/ vacation and enjoy your your week at a posh snob resort. sounds like you personally found a good solution to an absurd problem. your slip will look pretty interesting compared to what else will be moored there. Take pictures!

considering …
all in all - have a good conference/ vacation and enjoy your your week at a posh snob resort. sounds like you personally found a good solution to an absurd problem. your slip will look pretty interesting compared to what else will be moored there. Take pictures!

and i bet the food will be good!

Try this
Call the local outfitter on the island. Nicely ask if you can store your ski there for a few days and are willing to pay a fee. These people are often very accomodating and hate the “rules” as much as you do.



Best of Luck

NJP17

right you are
outside hilton head very nicely offered to let me store my boat there, and i may take them up on the offer. the problem is that getting it each day will entail a fair amount of driving, whereas renting the boat slip will allow me to bike to get the boat, and be in the ocean in minutes. all things being equal, i’ll probably pay the money for the boat slip, since i’m being compensated for this little jaunt anyway.



andrew

Good Deal
Be sure to bring extra cord to tie off the ski in such a way that it doesn’t whack on anything.



Have Fun,

NJP17

glad we didn’t go…
…while in Charleston area recently. Wife said “it’s too snobby there.” I guess she hit it right. I think you can get a taste for this type of place on Isle of Palms (especially the north end) and parts of the Outer Banks (Duck, etc.) They make it nearly impossible to park, let alone access the beach, without trespassing.



I know there are pnetters who cannot leave their boats on the racks IN THEIR OWN DRIVEWAYS! Stupid, intrusive HOA’s! What’s so ugly about canoes & kayaks? Discrimination!! Write your congressmen!!



Well folks, necessity is the mother of invention: I propose a square-topped carcover that will fit over your vehicle, boats & all, with the likeness of a Lexus SUV, authentic-looking from all angles. Oversized vehicles can opt for the Hummer H-2 or Lincoln stretch-limo covers.

change of plans
the more i thought about leaving my ski in the water the less comfortable i was. now i’m renting rack space at outside hilton head. $15/day- very reasonable. 5 minutes to a public beach, where i’m sure i will meet other pariahs.



andrew

call the resort
Try this. Call the resort where the convention is being held. Ask to speak with the Convention Sales Dept. and speak with the sales rep handling your medical convention. Tell them the problem. If your convention has 100 people and last 5 day , that is 500 rooms/day they are getting paid for, plus meal, plus items bought on property. You have a lot of pull and they will be happy to help you out.



The company I worked for held these types of conventions and I saw how they would bend over backwards to help.

Hey doc!!
I’m glad you finally found a place to put your boat.If ya’ll doctors ever have a conference up in the upstate of S.C. you are welcome to leave your boat here free of charge.Plus I’ll let you put it anywhere you decide no matter what my neighbors say.When you get ready to put her in the water the river or lake is just down the road.My house is the one with two red canoes, outside next to my garage, so everybody can see, on stationary home made racks, and proud of it house on the hill.Enjoy your trip buddy.



Wayne


Not likely at HH.
That tactic might work at most places, but I assure you that it won’t at HH. I’m in there several times a year. Not only do they not allow kayaks in certain places such as on your vehicle, but they have rules about dresscode, (not that most kayakers were dresses anyway lol) many rules regarding animals, etc…And btw, do not take the other posters advice by taking that loud beater pu. It is doubtful that you’ll be allowed to go in even with a brand new one. And take a good word of advice before you go and check just before you leave to make sure you’ll be able to paddle when you get there. If a certain high ranking official/group of officials which frequent there are in town you may not be allowed in the water at all within a certain radius. I found that out the hard way. Don’t get me wrong here. I would never really want to go to HH in a million years. It’s simply part of my job. There are many places with rules just like these all over the East Coast now, and especially in Florida. You’d be surprised how strict. HH doesn’t hold a candle to some with their rules. Also, these rules get more strict by the month so make sure they haven’t changed, or been ammended before you go. Hey! Maybe if you wear a Tilley Hat they’ll treat you like royalty? NOT BLOODY LIKELY! LOL Wish you a great trip, and that you have a good time.



Paddle exclusively on~ “Splash”

I think
I think we should all call up acting like we want to book reservations. Right before it’s finalized, mention that you’re an avid paddler and will be bringing your boat. When they explain they can’t, scratch that, WON’T accomodate, say, “nevermind, cancel the reservation.” Maybe they’d get the point. Or better eyt, someone should call pretending to be a kayak symposium coordinator…

Oh yes…
Oh yes, and I absolutely agree that both Edisto, and Tybee are great places to paddle.

The way that HH got the island
from the locals and then starting building condos on the old graveyard is sick old history. when a project is started out on such a wrong pretext it just shows what’s to come. The people who used to live there are now only allowed there as the “help”. Sutle racism and bigotry prevail.

It is still Horsesh*t
I came across a similar situation here at the city beach in Key Biscayne. The life guards don’t want you launching kayaks that are not rented by the local concession. They don’t even want you paddling around off shore. They don’t have alegal leg to stand on.



My understanding is that one cannot OWN any part of the ocean. If it is safe to operate kayaks in a given area, then I would like to see property law which permits regulating who can and cannot operate a kayak there.

Plead Ignorance
My family has been vacation on HH and Sea Pines Plantation for years. Every year I show up in some sticker laden rattle trap paddlers vehicle with no less than 4-6 boats on top. Every year they pull me aside and read me the riot act, and let me go on about my way. My opinion is that their bark is much worse than their bite. Years ago my father instilled a civil dissobedience trick of listening to the speach with a blank stare…and then do it anyway.



I usually use the bayside “Toe” launch of Outside HH. I always touch base with them first, but they have never asked, nor have I offered, money.



If all else fails use Mike McCreas famous line “Your interfering with my right to worship”. No place, no matter how upity, wants to mess with a anti-religion catastrophe.



I’ve always thought that the funny thing about HH was that they try to portray this old money southern thing, but in reality over 50% of the permanent residents are from Ohio. In fact the prime season is based on the summer break schedule from Ohio schools. Its kind of like a snobby Disney World for Nouvau Riche upper management folks who are trying to cover up the fact that everything they know of old money they got from Midnight In The Garden of Good and Evil.

This Is Happening Everywhere
We all (me, my wife and daughter) went to Wimberly, Texas on the San Marcos river. What a great part of Texas this is, except for the “rules.” Not only can you not get access to the river, you can not park within a mile of it, or even look at it without being in violation of some city ordinance. I tag named Wimberly “The town of a thousand rules” after my visit there. I’ll go elsewhere, and spend my money in other places in Texas. It really is a shame that we are letting this happen.

caution tides
Be careful of the tides especially if you launch on the back side of the island. While tides aren’t generally all that large in that part of the world, the few channels between the islands run very strong as the tides change. All that water built up behind the island comes out quickly. If you get caught in a channel you can find yourself a long way “out to sea”.



Also, because of the tides, most of the water on the ocean side is silt brown not the pretty blue shown in pictures.



It is also interesting to note that most of the people who live on HH can’t afford to play golf there or go out to eat. They still want to protect it, from what or whom I’m not sure.