Review of Rita's at Folly Beach

While we were down in the Charleston low country back in the later part of June, we had decided to spend a day at Folly Beach. As we have traveled to the Carolina coast for the past twelve years, this was our first time making it out to Folly. As you pull into town, there is a sense of fishing meets surfer meets college spring break atmosphere. We parked in a pay lot close to the pier of which I recall being approximately eight bucks for the afternoon. The downtown shopping district is pretty small and the retailers consist primarily of t-shirt & surf shops, bars and restaurants. It only takes about an hour or so to stroll downtown and cover most stores. I am not a big shopper so after one or two shops of seeing the same thing (t-shirts, shells, sharks teeth, beach toys and towels), I waited outside the stores with my kids while the wife looked at the merchandise.

The highlight to the day was a stroll down the grand pier, checking out Morris Island lighthouse and finally stopping for lunch. As newcomers to Folly, we did not know one restaurant from another thus we chose Rita's (2 Center Street) as it was closest to our car in the nearby lot. Rita's is a very open airy restaurant that has a wall of open doors/windows that can easily open in times of cooperative weather. The day we visited it was pretty hot thus the large doors were down so we appreciated the a/c environment to escape the Carolina heat. We were easily able to find a table as we were only the second group of customers for a later lunch. The menu was to our liking as the main features included burgers, sandwiches and salads. Appetizers had a couple seafood options which include peel and eat shrimp, crab and artichoke dip and several other decent finger food selections. The deep fried pickles caught my eye but I didn’t find any other takers in the group willing to go along and order with me. Overall the menu was pretty small and basic, but I was okay with that as I was looking for a sandwich and a cold drink.

   

The orders from our table included the likes of burgers, sandwiches, salads and kids meals. My choice was the flounder BLT which was a mile high assembly of tasty flounder, bacon, juicy tomatoes, and lettuce on thick “French toast” style bread covered with a pimento mayo. The addition of bacon to this fish themed sandwich was a huge bonus. I didn’t expect it but I never shy away if someone wants to add throw some bacon on my plate. This alternative to a “BLT” was amazing and cured my desire for a quick seafood fix. The other bonus to the meal was the homemade seasoned fries. Delicious. I can’t form an opinion on the others meals, though they looked pretty decent.

RITAS – THE SERVICE -

The young woman that waited our table seemed efficient and prompt with the iced tea refills, though I would have been shocked had she been slow; given there were only two tables occupied at the time. Not sure why there weren’t more patrons, unless they were all at the beach. I would expect the big rush to be during evening hours up through close. This joint appears to have live music and I was even amused to see a cigarette machine next to the restrooms. I can’t remember the last time I had seen one of those!

All in all, in my next stop in Folly, I will most likely pay another visit to Rita's again for a flounder BLT or a pimento burger, delicious fries, and perhaps a frozen cocktail to beat the heat.

Importance of Knowing Tide Schedules

When spending time on the coast one cannot ignore the daily effects of the tides that roll in and out a few times throughout the day. In fact, the low country tides hit their “highs” and “lows” twice a day.  Science tells us the ebb and flow of the tidal water levels is nothing more than gravitational influences of the sun and moon. It can be really important to know the approximate times during a twenty four span as to when tides are peaking or at the lowest point. Let’s put the science of gravitational pull aside for a minute and understand how the tide can impact our day at beach and having fun on the water.

Going to the Beach at low tide

Be alert to daily tide schedules and plan your trip accordingly. If you are looking for lots of beach space to play bocce ball, volleyball or build a sand castle, then you may want to consider going out to the beach when tide is low. The downside to going to the beach at low tide is that you will have to walk a lot further to the water’s edge to get your feet wet! You may also have to swim out quite a ways to get to get into the deeper water to body surf or use a wave board.  On the flipside, another beach benefit to low tide can be those leftover tide pools that often leave behind sea treasures and occasional critters such as a horseshoe crabs, fish, and plenty of shells. These small pools also can be ideal places for young little swimmers to cool off without fear of getting knocked over by waves in the ocean.

Going to the Beach at high tide

Going to the beach at high tide can also be eventful, but exercise caution. High tide may bring the water’s edge all the way up the entrance to the beach or sand dunes. That doesn’t leave much room for spreading out a spot on the beach and planting your chair and umbrella. The high tide can also bring about more turbulent waves with potential for dangerous rip currents.

Dolphins Behavior and Tides

Tides can also influence dolphin and fish movement between the ocean and inter coastal tributaries. In Kiawah, the tidal schedule does not necessary mean more or less dolphin sightings in the Kiawah River.  However, a low tide may increase potential to see dolphins pursuing smaller bait fish by beaching themselves on river banks and strand feeding.  While I have witnessed dolphins escorting kayaks and canoes on the river, I have not had the luxury of witnessing a dolphin feeding on the banks.

Boating and Tides

Fisherman and pleasure boaters departing inter coastal docks in the direction of the ocean should also be familiar with the tide schedule.  Not being familiar with tide levels during the day and evening can be challenging when navigating under bridges, over sand bars, and through narrow channels. 

For future reference, I added a link on this site to monitor daily tides whether in Kiawah or anywhere  in U.S.

Is a Cockroach also a Palmetto Bug?

Working in restaurants a good portion of my younger days, I recall a few kitchen visits by cock roaches here and there that came in with produce deliveries and by other wayward means. These critters can disarm you when you see them scaling a wall showing off their giant antennas. Their ability to breed quickly and spread germs is the worry of most restaurateurs and property managers. The image created by these critters is an environment created by uncleanliness coupled with bad sanitation practices. While dirty conditions can encourage roaches to thrive; there is often a misconception that these pests are the automatic creation of uncleanliness. Take a warm climate such as the southeastern U.S, and you will likely see a large amount of these roaches in the wild whether in fields, lawns, parking lots, just about anywhere. Though in Dixie, they are referred to as Palmetto bugs. I have seen plenty of them in Florida up through the Carolinas. These critters definitely keep the exterminators busy and profitable. My trips to the south have really changed my opinion on the stereotyping of their presence as being “unclean”. While on vacation on Kiawah, I will take my dog for a night time walk and see plenty of them scurrying across the sidewalks. Stay at a hotel, rent a villa or home in the south, and you may one or you may not see one scurrying across the floor. If you do see one, please do not indict the property owner or manager as running a dirty “house”. Tourists leaving doors and windows slightly ajar will likely provide an opportunity for these critters to take up residency at which point the presence of the bug is not the landlords fault, though it becomes his or her problem. So are they Palmetto bugs or Cock roaches? Well, up here in the north, I still refer to them as Cock Roaches since we do not have palms. Down in the low country or Florida, I call them Palmetto bugs. Regardless of the label, just remember to keep an open mind that these critters are prevalent down south. Their ambition is to get inside your lodging looking for a wayward crumb or two. Keep your place clean and keep doors and windows shut.

Sun Protection Tips: From a Carolina Beach Traveler

Every visit to Kiawah Island usually involves a painful lesson in sunburn. These “ouch” moments always return to rear their ugly head despite bringing adequate supplies and varieties of sun block and sunscreens. While lotions are most common, I will pause and give kudos to the sunscreen manufacturers for coming out with canned “sprays” that make application a slam dunk time saver.  These easy spray-on applications go on evenly and oily messes are avoided. The process is great for families as kids can be lined up and sprayed in a matter of a minute. The spray on style of sunscreen also makes it easier to spray one’s own back when there is no assistance available. That being said, we still packed our thick 50 spf lotion as “back up”. The lotion is much cheaper, but I will still gladly spend the extra money to get the spray on stuff. Stores will usually carry these items on sale early spring (right before spring break). I was able to get two cans of spray on SPF50 for about eleven bucks back in March.

The painful lesson learned on our beach trip last year was getting a sun burned back. On my first trip to the beach that year I was under the false pretense I was adequately coated  with block all afternoon. The return to the umbrella was met with gasps from others stating how red my back was. It was evident the salty and sandy surf had washed away the lotion off my back leaving it exposed for a few hours. Sleep was a challenge for two nights during that trip. This year, I went into our vacation prepared with a u/v protected swim shirt.  The shirt set me back a measly nine dollars and did the job. Trying to find a swim shirt for kids is a snap at large retailers such as Target, Kohl’s, or Wal-Mart. Trying to find swim shirts for adults is not as easy.  Search engine pursuits under adult swim shirts had me directed to upscale beach attire e-stores that were pretty pricey, though a little over the top. I resorted to purchasing a black u/v protected workout shirt at Meijer for a paltry nine bucks. It did the job all week!

This June 2013 trip to South Carolina did not disappoint. I got burned again but in a different spot, my head and feet. The feet and head seem to be the last places I would have considered “covering up”, but they were exposed. My head was exposed as I had worn a visor to the beach. My feet were never sprayed so they were lobsters at the end of the day. Taking away a few burns from the past few years I have managed to highlight key reminders to myself to stay burn free at the beach:

Keys to staying burn free on the beach:

1.       Umbrella – Spend adequate time under the umbrella.  Bring one or rent one if you have to. It is money well spent and you will return home burn free. It is also a great way to catch up on your reading and keep your snacks and beverages cool.

2.       Sun block Sprays – This is a great way to quickly and frequently stay protected from solar rays. Perspiration and frequent trips in and out of the water will remove the initial application of block. Spray on screens or blocks will make this step a breeze. Many people get burned because they avoid re-applying protection when it involves creams or lotions because it is such a hassle.

3.       Sun block on Hands and Feet – The two most forgotten areas must be protected. Remember to apply block on tops of feet. Sandals and water socks are not enough protection as they still allow small holes to expose feet. Keep the head protected by wearing a light breathable hat. Leave the visor at home. Also spending adequate time under the umbrella will protect the head.

4.       Use Water Resistant Sun Screens and Blocks – Opt for the lotions and sprays that hold up to water. Some of these products will resist water for up to eighty or ninety minutes. In the Carolina sun and surf, I would reapply every hour. Reapplication is also mandatory when salt and sand remove the protective screens.

5.       Swim Shirt – This extra protection from the sun will be a lifesaver for the shoulders, back and chest. Go with a swim shirt or workout shirt that has u/v protection label. Light t-shirts or undershirts will not work as they allow harmful rays to penetrate the skin, especially if the top gets wet.