Although many large lakes surround Athens, oceanfront beaches are about 4 hours drive. Of many nice ones, we prefer the well manicured appearance of Hilton Head Island and its varied restaurant and entertainment features. We live there. We bike there. We sail there.Here is a chart which reveals that Hilton Head is subtropical. The ocean becomes swimmable in April, and the swimming season extends into October. Although millions will visit each year, only 32,000 live on Hilton Head the entire year. Some Hilton Head HistoryYou probably think that Hilton Head Island is named for the hotel chain of the same name. Not so. Real story:In 1562 some French Huguenots arrived and in following years the island was disputed by Spain and France until a treaty sponsored by the Pope settled it in Spain's favor. In 1663 the English, then a world sea power, got involved. On the ship "Adventure", Captain William Hilton identified the entrance to Port Royal, calling the identifying adjacent land mass "Hilton Head" . Fertile soil and ideal growing conditions made it attractive for colonization and establishing plantations. Indigo, a source of a brilliant purple color, was a major crop. The folks that run the Hilton Hotel chain saw a natural advantage: a popular resort island already carrying their name. Well, we can't blame them for making that fuzzy, but now you know the real story. |