There’s a place just off the coast of Edisto Island in the ACE Basin that most people have never seen, let alone heard of.

This place is Morgan Island or, if you’re a local, “Monkey Island.”

Back in the late 1970s, the Caribbean Primate Research Center’s rhesus monkey breeding colony was shipped to Morgan Island. Studies were done to see if a free range monkey colony could be collected and shipped to a new location with minimal effect on the monkeys and it was successful. The monkeys thrived on the remote island and continue to do so. To date, there are approximately 4,000 monkeys on the island and each year they breed and produce 750 additional monkeys.

So why are the monkeys on an island off the coast of South Carolina? The simple answer to that is this: research.

Every year 500 monkeys are taken from the island and sent to laboratories were they are used for testing. Throughout the 30+ years the monkeys have been on the island they’ve been used for vaccine research for things like polio, AIDS, and bio-terrorism.

Animal testing doesn’t sit well with many people, but animal researchers are quick to point out that a handful of animals make it possible to save millions of humans by creating new medications and vaccines that save lives.

Regardless of how you feel about animal testing, none of the testing is done on the island itself, so anyone with fears of mutant monkeys swimming through the ACE Basin and winding up on Edisto’s shore needn’t worry.

Most people will never get a chance to see one of these monkeys since not only is Morgan Island incredibly difficult to find, it is protected by the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources. No one is allowed on the island other than the monkeys’ caretakers. Should anyone wind up on the shores of Monkey Island for whatever reason, it is strongly recommended that those people turn around and get back on their boat as the monkeys will attack strangers.

Over the years, some people have made their way to the island only to be greeted by shrieking angry monkeys that did not at all hesitate to pelt the trespassers with steaming piles of monkey dung.

There are signs everywhere on the island warning trespassers that the island is the site of a government project and that they will be prosecuted for venturing onto the island. But if you do stumble upon the island someday while out on the boat, keep an eye out for monkeys swinging in the branches of the cypress trees or taking in a sunset from the canopy of the trees – and stay on your boat.

Forget elves and reindeers, nothing says Christmas better than snakes and gators.

Beginning Nov. 11 to Dec. 17, the Serpentarium, an establishment long known for its giant alligators, venomous snakes, and all things creepy crawly will be open for everyone to come out and enjoy a winter light fest.

From 6 to 9 pm Friday and Saturday nights there will be marshmallow roasts, hot chocolate, and plenty of Christmas decorations for people of all ages to enjoy.

In addition to the Christmas-themed merriment, the gift shop, atrium, and outdoor exhibits will be open for the public to take a look at whatever creatures decide to stick around during Edisto’s colder months.

This winter light fest is the perfect activity for anyone looking to get away during the holiday season and visit the beach. With average daily highs in the 60s and lows in the 40s throughout November and December, Edisto Island provides visitors from the country’s colder climates a chance to get away from the snow and ice and stroll along the beach.

Check out the vacation rentals available on EdistoIsland.com here and spend your holidays at the beach.

There are few side dishes as southern as a steaming plate of collard greens.

So what are collard greens? They’re a member of the cabbage family and chock-full of vitamins and minerals. In the vegetarian community, collard greens are hailed for being a super-vegetable so full of nutrients that every bite packs a healthy punch.

Like most vegetables, collard greens have been around forever or at least 2000 years. They’ve been a part of the dietary customs for everybody from the ancient Greeks and Romans to King Henry VIII. But they didn’t become an element in the diet of Americans until West Africans were brought over during the Atlantic Slave Trade.

These enslaved people were permitted to grow collard greens for themselves, which proved to be beneficial because collards can take the heat and the cold and they thrive in even the worst of soils. The slave owners would sometimes give their slaves the scraps from whatever meat they’d had during mealtimes, and these scraps would be cooked along with the collards. While this was not necessarily done as a form of kindness to the slaves, it was actually providing these enslaved people with a way to make their already nutritious collards into a complete meal.

Even after slavery was abolished, collard greens remained a staple in the diets of many people in the south because of its availability, affordability, and health benefits.

As the years went on, it became the type of dish associated with good home cooking and soul food because many people like to toss in ham hocks and bacon for flavor. However, there are many ways to cook up collard greens so that people with every kind of palate can enjoy them.

Here is a recipe for some sweet and tangy collard greens that go great with some baby back ribs, grilled chicken, or just about anything else. Experiment with collards all you want to find your favorite style.

Sweet and Tangy Collards:

1.5 lbs of collard greens (frozen)

3 tbsp. of balsamic vinegar

2 tbsp of honey

1 tsp of grated ginger root

Bring the collards to a boil and drain well. Try pressing the collard greens with paper towels to get the excess moisture off. Place the drained greens in a saucepan on low heat just to keep them warm. Whisk together the three other ingredients and then pour over the collards. Stir and serve.

*Some people like to drink the juice made by collards when they cook because of its nutrients and it can also be used to add to soups.

Visitors to Edisto Island and the snakes in the area have one thing in common: They both love the warm weather.

While there is no reason to fear the venomous snakes in the area, it is important to know about them to avoid any unnecessary fear. In this two-part series on snakes, find out everything you would ever want to know about Edisto’s most slithery residents.

We’ll begin with the venomous snakes of South Carolina: The Copperhead, Cottonmouth, and Rattlesnake.

The Copperhead

The copperhead snake, which is also known as the highland or water moccasin, is the most common venomous snake in the eastern United States and South Carolina.

Copperheads are a patterned and colorful snake that can be more than three feet long. They have copper coloring on their heads and pinkish underbellies. Another identifying characteristic is the dark bands or hourglass patterns on the backsides of the snake. Infant copperheads are distinguishable by the bright yellow coloration on their tails.

Like humans, copperheads enjoy living by the water, so they are most commonly found by bodies of water like streams, swamps, and rivers, but not on the beach. They also live on the land, but prefer to be in undeveloped areas like the dense forests all over the lowcountry. That said, these snakes are not just hanging out waiting to scare a human that might be passing by. They do not like to be around possible threats, so areas where there is heavy human foot traffic are typically devoid of snakes. After all, humans are much bigger than snakes and we actually scare them.

All copperheads actually care about is eating the abundant rodents, birds, lizards, smaller snakes, and various critters in the area. They don’t want anything to do with humans or our pets, but they will defend themselves if provoked. That is why it is important to never touch a copperhead or harass it in any way. They will bite as a final line of defense in a battle against a human or other threat.

The venom of a copperhead is the least venomous of the snakes in the area, but they are responsible for the most bites in all of the eastern United States. If you or your pet is bitten by a copperhead, seek medical attention immediately, but try to remain calm.

It’s important to realize that the venom in a copperhead snake is actually beneficial to humans. A protein in the venom is known to prevent cancer cells from spreading and is particularly beneficial in the treatment of ovarian and breast cancers.

The Cottonmouth

The cottonmouth snake is one of the scariest snakes in the area because of their dramatic presentation when provoked. A threatened cottonmouth opens its mouth to show its fangs and white lining, which resembles cotton. This is a last warning before it strikes, so it is important to get away from a cottonmouth when it is striking this pose.

When the cottonmouth is not in attack-mode, it can be identified by dark black or brown body with slightly lighter bands. They can be four feet long and have a thick body. Cottonmouths stick to the wetlands and hide out in the murky swamps and rivers of the lowcountry. They are most active at night, but can be found in the daytime.

Cottonmouths are often thought of as highly aggressive, but in actuality, they are more docile than other venomous snakes. However, while not generally a threat to humans, especially not in the Edisto area, a bite from a cottonmouth is serious. Thankfully, antivenins are available to treat anyone who is bitten by a cottonmouth.

The Rattlesnake

The Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake is the largest species of rattlesnake in the area. These snakes can be up to 10 lbs and over five feet long. They have a distinct white diamond pattern covering their bodies which range in color from brown, tan, or yellow. In addition, they have the unmistakable rattle on their tail ends.

Unlike the copperhead and cottonmouth snakes, these snakes prefer to live in dry areas. They make their homes in dry sandy areas, pinewoods, hardwood hammocks, and sometimes on the banks of a river or creek even though they do not like to get wet. That said, these snakes will swim in order to get from one barrier island to the next while on a search for food.

These snakes also differ from the copperhead and cottonmouth in that they are slow moving and spend much of their time coiled and lying in scrub bush, in pine needles in the forest, or in palm fronds in sandy areas (undisturbed areas, not the heavily traveled beach). They eat rats, mice, squirrels, and other small rodents.

Diamondbacks do not typically bother a human unless a human bothers it. They have the ability to rise up a third of its own body length to strike. A strike from a rattlesnake is very painful and causes intense tissue damage. Their venom is highly toxic, but antivenin is readily available in all areas where these snakes are plentiful. It’s also of note that the venom from diamondbacks is used medicinally as a treatment for strokes and blood clots.

While each of these snakes does make the lowcountry its home, they should not be feared. It is a safe bet that most people who visit Edisto or live here will never see any of these snakes let alone have to worry about them. It’s also important to remember that all snakes are important to the ecosystem of Edisto Island.

Look for another blog to read all about the other, non-venomous snakes in the area that help keep these so-called bad guys in check.

It’s hard to believe that it’s already October. By now, memories of summer vacation are just that -memories. The tans have faded, the jackets have come on, and every day the sun goes down earlier and earlier. Fall has settled over Edisto Island.

This is the time of year when the skies are the bluest, the days are warm without being bogged down by the humidity of summer, and the empty beach beckons anyone walking by to take a dip. It’s one of the best times to visit Edisto Island.

Staying on the island gives visitors a chance to change a beach vacation into more of a well-rounded outdoorsy vacation that the heat of summer doesn’t comfortably allow for. Now is the time to book a reservation for a house on the island to really get a taste of all that Edisto has to offer.

The Scanawah Guest House, located just 12 miles from the beach on Meggett Point Road, backs up to the Intracoastal Waterway and provides scenic views of the marsh, woodlands, and wildlife in the area.

The house offers two bedrooms and sleeps five. Its simple interior provides guests with everything they need without taking away from the simplicity of an island getaway. It has a screened in porch where visitors can sit back and relax on one of the many rocking chairs and watch as the tides change in the creeks and deer come out of the forest.

Check out the Scanawah Guest House here.

If staying too far off the beaten path isn’t your style, try a place a little closer to the beach.

Maggie Brown is nestled just off of Botany Bay Road and is fully secluded, but only about five miles from Edisto Beach and about one mile from the beach located at Botany Bay. This home offers a dock on Frampton Inlet that is perfect for anyone who wants to be able to wake up, walk out of their house, and get out on the water within minutes. It’s also a prime location for fishing and crabbing as the area is so remote that the wildlife and marine life in the area are undisturbed.

This house sleeps 4, two bedrooms, and maintains a cottage-feel without requiring visitors to sacrifice any modern conveniences.

Check out Maggie Brown here to book your reservation and be that much closer to relaxing the days away on Edisto Island.

“Educational” doesn’t have to be a dirty word while on vacation.

Edisto Island’s unique history, landscape, and environment are all worthy of being explored. One of the best places to learn about the island’s environment is the Environmental Learning Center, which is a part of the Edisto Beach State Park.

The ELC is nestled in the woods right off of Palmetto Road, about five miles from the beach and on the left if you’re leaving the island. The unique design of the building allows for visitors to learn all about the area’s maritime forests, marshland, waterways, marine life, forest animals, and history all while enjoying 360 degree views of the trees surrounding the center.

The center itself is small, but contains a wealth of artifacts, marine life, and information for visitors. All of the artifacts on site were found either on the island or in the water. Whale bones, Loggerhead turtle bones, massive sharks’ teeth, ancient pottery, and all sorts of other glimpses of the past. Outdoors, there is an old survey marker that was laid by Benjamin Franklin’s grandson.

Everything in the ELC is self-paced so visitors are free to meander throughout the center while reading informational plaques on display cases. In addition, a short video runs all throughout the day about the ACE Basin, which is the name of the area where the Ashepoo, Combahee, and Edisto rivers comes together. This is an important area that not only sustains much of the marine life in the area, but also contributes to the overall health of the salt marshes and waterways.

Every day at noon at the center, the animals in the touch tanks are fed. These tanks include a broad range of sea creatures from horseshoe crabs to turtles to fish. In the summer, there are additional programs throughout the week to educate the public about a variety of topics including the nesting habits of the Loggerhead turtles.

For anyone interested in an even more hands-on approach to the area’s nature, take a walk on the trails at the center. One of these trails leads to the ancient shell midden and the other leads to the Live Oak Campground. Both offer views of all the nature abundant in the maritime forests, especially in the fall when the leaves change and the temperatures are cooler.

Currently, volunteers at the ELC are rehabilitating a baby squirrel and young raccoons, all of which were abandoned and too young to fend for themselves. Visitors should not touch these animals, but they are free to watch them scamper throughout the grounds as they learn to be wild animals.

To visit the ELC, go anytime between 9 and 4 Tuesday through Saturday. Its address is 8377 State Cabin Road and is right off of Palmetto Road on the island.

Some people think the bond between a mother and her child only exists between humans, but tell that to the dolphins.

It’s hard to believe that a creature so seemingly different from the rest of us mammals is actually very similar. According to scientists, dolphins outrank even the chimpanzee when it comes to intelligence, which means they’re only second to humans when it comes to smarts. It’s also mindboggling that these sea creatures are actually mammals and must breathe air even though they live in the water.

Dolphins are very social creatures, just like people. From the moment a baby dolphin, known as a calf, is born, it is surrounded by other dolphins within their pods. Dolphins within a pod are helpful with one another and protect each other. They are also necessary when it comes to the birthing process of one of their own.

After a 12 month gestational period, a mother dolphin gives birth. This process is dangerous in that the blood and other fluids released while the dolphin gives birth can attract predators. Other female dolphins gather around so that they may assist in the process. Once the baby is born, one of the other dolphins guides it to the surface so that it may take its first breath. They do this so that the mother can recover briefly before she takes on the responsibilities of child rearing.

Within minutes after giving birth, the mother dolphin is able to take her calf and guide it through its early years. Like other mammals, dolphin mothers actually breastfeed their calves for up to three years, but sometimes even longer. In order to remain streamlined to swim, the dolphin’s nipples hide within the folds of her stomach so the calf has to search for them to feed. To prevent the young calf from having to deal with too much too soon, the mother often times feeds near the surface of the water so that her calf can suckle and swim up for air.

When they’re not feeding, the mother dolphin will also carry her calf around until it is grown. While the mother dolphin does not actually hold her calf, they swim so closely together that the force created by the mother’s strong swimming acts as a vacuum and pulls the calf into her. She does this to protect the calf and because of the bond between them.

Baby dolphins are often times seen as nothing more than food by other sea creatures, so it is important that they are protected by their mothers. In addition, other female dolphins attempt to pull the baby away from the mother for unknown reasons, so this gives the mother another reason to keep her young close. If a baby is separated from its mother, it must learn and be able to follow the sounds its mother makes so that the pair can be reunited.

If a baby is taken from the mother or killed, the dolphins go through a long period of grieving. Just recently, several witnesses on Edisto reported seeing a female dolphin carrying around the lifeless body of her calf. It is not known how it died, but the dolphin was unable to let go. It is possible that the calf was stillborn or sickly at birth and died shortly thereafter. Whatever the reason, the mother’s grief proved that humans are not the only mammals in this world to feel sadness.

But, for the calves that continue to mature, they gain more independence. They learn to play with other dolphins and the female dolphins within the pod will make a circle around their young so that they may play freely while under the watchful eyes of their mothers.

As time goes on, the young dolphins gain more and more independence and reach sexual maturity around age 12. From there, the dolphins begin to flirt and eventually mate with the opposite sex so that they can continue their familiar pods.

It’s hard to predict when visitors will get the best chance to witness the bond between a mother dolphin and her calf, but the summer months are a safe bet as most dolphins give birth in early to late spring. Areas that are generally the best for dolphin-viewing altogether include the dock off of Steamboat Landing Road, directly off of front beach on the Atlantic Ocean and St. Helena Sound side, and anywhere in Big Bay Creek.

There’s an old saying that home is where the heart is. For the thousands of people who love Edisto Island, that couldn’t be more true. But, not everyone who loves the island is fortunate enough to list her name as their true home address, so she remains a home-away-from-home to be visited as often as time and schedules allow.

There was a time when I was one of those people who could only make it to the island a handful of times a year. My life still revolves around the first two weeks of July when I vacation here with my family. Some people don’t understand how you can vacation in the same town you live in, but those people have never experienced Edisto.

Granted, I am not a true local. The locals were born and raised with the Atlantic Ocean as their swimming pool and maritime forests as their playgrounds. They are as much a part of Edisto as the sand is a part of the beach. For the rest of us – the ones who weren’t born and raised here – we’re just finally living in a place our soul calls home.

Before I lived here, I knew what it was like to travel with my family to Edisto through the farmland of Ohio to the hills of Kentucky through the mountains of Tennessee and North Carolina to the final stretches of highway through South Carolina until we finally reached the twisty lanes that guide everyone to the beach.

The 12 hour trip from Ohio to Edisto Beach was always an eternity, but the part of the drive that sticks with me the most is the final jaunt down Highway 174. That’s when the air changes. It becomes sweet and sticky, beckoning drivers to the beach that’s just 17 long miles away. I’ve got that road etched into my mind so detailed I could do it with my eyes closed.

The natural beauty and landmarks that always let me know that I was getting closer and closer to the beach are what’s given Highway 174 the status of National Scenic Byway.

No matter how fatigued the drive had left me, I always had energy to sit up and take notice of the Spanish moss canopied road as it snaked past sprawling oak trees. My face would always be glued to the window waiting to see the snowy white egrets standing in the marsh waiting to spear fish. I can remember loving how my dad would defy the laws of gravity by speeding our full size conversion van through the s-curves of the road that was just barely higher than the water during high tide.

My excitement would reach a fever pitch when we’d pass the Old Post Office and neighboring Store Creek. It meant the beach was even closer and vacation was about to begin. By the time the shelled façade of the Atwood Agency came into view we’d slow down to begin the nice roll into Edisto.

To this day, the best part of the drive to Edisto will always be the causeway. That last little half-mile stretch of road with the marshland on both sides and the Pavilion up ahead provides the natural grand entrance that a place like Edisto gently commands. Then Highway 174 ends as it makes a sweeping turn into Palmetto Boulevard.

I’m not the only one who thought Highway 174 was something special. In 2009, the Edisto Island Preservation Alliance, a 501 (c) 3 non-profit organization dedicated to preserving the natural beauty of the island got the roadway into Edisto designated as a National Scenic Byway. This designation recognizes the importance of the roadway as a pathway through a scenic, historical, and recreational area.

Official points of interest were selected to be designation points that illustrate the island’s cultural and historical background. Some of the locations listed include roadside sweetgrass basket stand, Presbyterian Church and cemetery, Bailey’s Store Building, Store Creek Bridge, King’s Market, Mystery Tree, and many, many others. There are 31 locations listed on the tour of the Highway 174. The EIPA can provide those interested with a map of the official locations, which is a must-have for anyone who’s not well-seasoned in all that Edisto has to offer.

But if you’re like me, regardless of whether you live here or not, you don’t need a map to tell you what to look out for to make your visit to the island special. Its beauty and peace can’t really even be put into words; it’s just something that has to be felt. And if you’re like me you still get excited every time you coast onto the island and know that you’re home.

Keeping the abundant water that surrounds Edisto Island clean is the only way to ensure that the Edisto way of life can continue for years to come. That is why Edisto Watersports and Tackle is asking boaters, kayakers, and overall lovers of the water and marsh to help with the fall creek clean up on September 17.

Big Bay Creek and nearby Mud and Scott creeks are on the agenda to be cleaned. This means volunteers will collect any trash floating in the water or easily accessible in the marsh. Now that the season is over, it is the best time to get in the water and start picking up any stray cups, plastic bags, foam coolers, or anything else that flew out of a speeding boat or ended up in the water for whatever reason.

Many items in the water can be mistaken for food and cause health hazards and even death for Edisto’s marine life, so it is imperative that these items get properly disposed of.

EWT will offer kayaks and equipment at no charge for the first 25 people to request to be signed up for the creek clean up. Anyone with a kayak of their own is welcome to join in on the clean up as well. Motorized watercraft is also needed, so if you’ve got a boat and want to help then consider putting around any of the creeks and start picking up trash.

Boaters and kayakers can also adopt a portion of a creek to ensure that it gets cleaned. To do so, contact Robin at EWT by calling (843) 869-0663 or emailing edistowatersports@earthlink.net.

In addition to the creek clean up, the semi-annual beach sweep will also take place on the 17^th. This effort brings community members and vacationers together to pick up trash on the beach. Thankfully, Edisto Beach remains fairly clean even during the busy season, but it’s because of the good stewardship of its visitors who always take it upon themselves to pick up anything that’s been left behind.

If you want to assist in the beach cleanup meet at public access 1 at 9 am and make a day out of walking the beach and keeping it beautiful.

Fall is one of the most beautiful times of the year especially here on Edisto Island. But for allergy sufferers, fall can be a little bit on the miserable side. Thankfully, Edisto has a natural remedy at its disposal: Honey.

Ragweed, chenopods, and nettles are the most common aggravators for outdoor allergy sufferers and right now on Edisto the pollen from each of those plants is in the air. While there is nothing anyone can do to get the pollen out of the air, there is something to be done about your reaction to it.

Most people with chronic allergies have probably tried or currently use everything from antihistamine pills and sprays to allergy injections to improve the body’s immunity to allergens. But sometimes even that doesn’t help, so sufferers turn to natural remedies.

It’s thought that local honey can help build the body’s immunity by introducing small amounts of allergens into the system so that the immune system can gradually get used to the allergens and stop reacting to their presence. (It’s the same thought process that goes into allergy shots, but isn’t full of medical research to back it up).

So how does this have anything to do with allergies? It all has to do with bees. When bees fly from flower to flower and plant to plant they get pollen on their feet and into their stomachs while searching for nectar. Once the bees go back to their hives, they regurgitate the nectar and pollen spores in their stomachs and it collects in the honeycomb of the nest.

When someone comes along and takes the honeycomb from the nest it is full of fresh honey that also has pollen spores in it in some capacity. When allergy sufferers eat the honey, they are introducing allergens into their system. Daily consumption of local honey therefore can assist in lowering an allergy sufferer’s reaction to allergens.

The reason the honey has to be local is because it has the pollen spores of local plants in it and the local plants are what cause allergic reactions. For example, it wouldn’t do a tourist from Ohio any good to purchase local honey on Edisto and try to thwart the Ohioan allergens because that honey isn’t made from local Ohioan bees.

To get the best results, try getting your honey a year in advance. For instance, if you buy spring honey and want to use to help your allergies then begin taking it the following January all the way through the spring season, that way your body has time to get used to the pollen before the heavy pollen season starts.

For fall allergy sufferers, begin taking fall honey all throughout the summer to prepare for the upcoming fall season.

Generally a tablespoon a day is enough to get the full benefits of the honey method.

Visit King’s Market or George and Pink’s market to get some fresh Edisto honey; after all, even if it doesn’t cure your allergies it still makes for a nice sweet treat.