The Lake House Requests Fiction Books

Cindy Willis, our venerable and dedicated librarian at The Lake House, is asking Seabrookers to donate current fiction books in good condition. They can be either hardcover or paperback.

Her goal is to continue to create a diverse and engaging fiction section that caters to the varied tastes of our community. Whether you enjoy thrilling mysteries, heartwarming romances, gripping historical sagas, or thought-provoking literary fiction, she wants your books when you finish reading them.

Please drop them off at the library and Cindy will organize them and put them on the shelves.

Thank you for being avid readers, and we look forward to providing a fantastic library with your help.

Happy Reading!

–Tidelines Editors

(Image credit: Pinterest)

Reminder: Nominations for Angel Oak Award Due Feb 16

The Kiawah-Seabrook Exchange Club is soliciting nominations for its 12th Angel Oak Award. The annual award was first presented in 2012 and recognizes a person who performs volunteer services that contribute significantly to the people and/or quality of life of Wadmalaw, Johns, Kiawah, and/or Seabrook Island. 

The Exchange Club is seeking nominations from the public. Nomination information and forms can be found on the Kiawah-Seabrook Exchange Club website. The deadline for submissions is February 16, 2024. Please contact Alan Armstrong at alan9631@comcast.net or 410-274-7545 if you have any questions.

-Submitted by Alan Armstrong

SIGC Hosts Sea Island Savory Herbs

The January 2024 meeting of the Seabrook Island Garden Club featured presenters Ella Cowan and Danielle Spies, co-owners of Sea Island Savory Herbs plant nursery on Johns Island. They began their presentation by providing some history about the property. The herb farm has been in existence since the 1970’s and is located along Church Creek. The original owner and his wife had a special interest in growing herbs, and the wife was known locally as the “Herb Lady.” Prior to taking over the business about ten years ago, both Ella and Danielle worked on the farm and came to view it as a unique place.

Danielle Spies and Ella Cowan

As the name implies, Sea Island Savory Herbs specializes in selling herbs, with a focus on culinary herbs. Additionally they sell succulents, perennials, and seasonal vegetables. They are looking to add medicinal herbs to their current offerings. Most of what they sell is grown on the property from cuttings taken from existing plants. Unlike large nursery centers, they specialize in plants that thrive in our local climate. As an example of this, they sell an herb called culantro. It is similar in taste to cilantro but is easier to grow in this area.

Debbie Daskaloff, Debbie Wiehn and Charlotte Moran

Danielle spent a portion of her presentation explaining how to propagate herbs through cuttings. At their farm, almost all their plants are propagated this way as it is much more cost effective than purchasing seeds, plugs, or live plants. She encouraged home gardeners to do the same as propagation is relatively simple—take cuttings, strip off the bottom leaves, use a root hormone to stimulate growth, plant the cuttings in soil, and water daily. Once the cuttings take root, they can then be transplanted to larger pots.

Amelie Geiger, Charlene Barker and Gina Goad

Both Ella and Danielle encourage people to visit the farm. They are more than happy to answer questions about the plants they sell. They want gardeners of all ages to be successful with whatever they grow. Although their farm is relatively “deer proof,” they can offer advice on plants that can be grown in areas with large deer populations. In particular, they have had success with salvias and offer a wide selection of salvias in the spring.

The farm welcomes visitors of all ages. Even if you are not interested in growing plants, the farm has 15 acres of camellias for viewing. Sea Island Savory Herbs is located at 5920 Chisolm Road, Johns Island, SC 29455. Their hours of operation vary seasonally and are posted on their website: http://www.seaislandsavoryherbs.net.

The Garden Club’s next event is the island-wide annual Open House which will be held on Sunday, February 4 from 5:00 – 7:00 pm at the Lake House. All Seabrookers are invited to attend this event to enjoy food, drinks, and fellowship with neighbors.

The 2023-24 Seabrook Island Garden Club: Let’s Talk Some Dirt!

-Submitted by Susan McLaughlin, Publicity

(Image Credit: Susan McLaughlin)

Photographing Birds, Feb 7 Meeting  

Beyond the Bird – Photographing Birds in the Lowcountry
Led by  Kelley Luikey

Date: Wednesday February 7

Location: Oyster Catcher Community Center
Refreshments at 5:30 pm
Presentation begins at 6:00 pm

Admission is free to Seabrook Photography Club members. Membership to the Seabrook Island Photo Club is $30/ year. To learn more about membership click here. For guests and non-members, a $10 donation is requested (payable at the door).

Kelley Luikey is a South Carolina based award-winning photographer, who specializes in fine art bird images. Her photos consistently rank in the Top 100 Images for national and international competitions such as the National Audubon Society, North American Nature Photographers Association and others. They have also appeared in numerous publications including the National Audubon Society magazine and on the cover of Garden and Gun magazine.

While the majority of her time is spent photographing the local species of birds that she loves, she also travels for her bird photography and enjoys the challenge and excitement of photographing birds in different locations.
Kelley’s talk will focus on how to photograph birds with more intention and creativity. She will discuss how she uses her camera, how she composes shots and where she goes to find her subjects.

Kelley shows her photography at Pluff Mudd Art Gallery in Old Town Bluffton. She also donates 2% of sales to Audubon South Carolina. She hopes to inspire others to love and protect the beauty of the birds we have here in South Carolina.

-Submitted by Maureen Healy, Seabrook Island Photography Club

(Image credit: Kelley Luikey )

Pennsylvania Connection February 18

If you’re from Pennsylvania, worked or went to school in Pennsylvania, traveled through Pennsylvania, or even thought about Pennsylvania, then mark your calendar. Sunday, February 18, 2024 is the date of Seabrook’s 2024 Pennsylvania Connection get-together and will take place in the Oyster Catcher Community Center from 5:30 pm to 8:30 pm.

The all-island event is an opportunity to meet other Seabrookers who have a link to the Keystone State. In recent years, the Connection has drawn 70 to 90 residents for conversation, snacks, and discussion of such topics as PA’s world-class roads and idyllic weather. 

The get-together is BYOB. Please bring a food item to share and $5 per person to cover costs. Summerville’s Peter Valencia (formerly from Berks County) will provide music.

To sign up, please contact Kathy Kunkelman at kkunkelman@comcast.net, or text 484-400-4390.

-Submitted by Kathy Kunkleman

(Image credit: penndot.pa.gov)

Online Access to Immunization Records

People who receive immunizations from South Carolina providers can access their personal immunization record through the SIMON public portal. SIMON (Statewide Immunization Online Network) is an online immunization information system. It was set up by the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) in 2017 with the support of a private grant and funding from the Centers for Disease Prevention and Control.

To start the process for accessing your immunization record click here. Complete this form with your first and last name, gender, and date of birth, along with a cell phone number or email address that has already been entered into SIMON by your provider. A verification code will be sent immediately to that cell phone number or email address. Enter the verification number, click verify and a screen with your immunization record will appear.

If the information you provide on the form does not exactly match the information given to SIMON by your providers, you will get a message to that effect. If this happens, you can then submit the SIMON Vaccination Record Request form.

As of January 1, 2017, all immunization providers have 10 business days to report all administered doses of vaccines to the state immunization registry (SIMON).  If you have questions regarding your immunizations, please reach out to your primary health care provider or the provider that administered the vaccines.

For FAQ about SIMON, click here.

–Tidelines Editor

Keep Up with The Lake House Jan 24

The Lake House Activities & Events

  • BYOB Bingo – Tuesday, February 6, from 4:30 – 6:00 pm at The Lake House. RSVP to dhull@sipoa.org
  • SIPOA Super Bowl Party – Sunday, February 11 at The Lake House starting at 6:30 pm. RSVP by Saturday, February 10 to jmogus@sipoa.org
  • Singles Bingo – Wednesday, February 14, from 4:30 – 6:30 pm. RSVP to dhull@sipoa.org
  • SIPOA Arts & Crafts Show – Saturday, February 17 from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm at The Lake House.

Fitness Classes

Monthly Schedule
The January fitness calendar can viewed by clicking here. This schedule does not include Semi-Private classes.


New Classes – click here for more information

  • Heated Stretch – Tuesdays at 7:30 am beginning Tuesday, February 6. Due to the start time, this class is open to Property Owners and Club Members with afterhours access to the Lake House.
  • Hot Pilates – Tuesdays at 11:00 am beginning Tuesday, January 30.


Semi-Private Series
Sign up now for the following Semi-Private classes. For more information about the Semi-Private series as well as detailed descriptions of the individual classes, click here.

  • Yoga Nidra Workshop – Monday, February 26 at 6:00 pm
  • Yoga for Bone Health - January Session: Wednesdays, January 24 & 31,
    at 12:15 pm. February Session: Wednesdays, February 7 – 28, at 12:15 pm.
  • Warm Vinyasa Yoga – Sundays at 12:00 pm and Mondays at 5:30 pm, January 3-31.
  • Mind & Body Chair -Mondays & Fridays, February 2 – 26 at 4:00 pm. No class on February 16.
  • Yin Yoga – Tuesdays, February 6 – 27, at 5:15 pm.
  • Chair Yoga – Wednesdays, February 7 – 28, at 2:30 pm.
  • Sit & Be Fit – Mondays & Fridays, February 2 – 26 at 3:00 pm. No class on February 16.
  • Social Fit Hybid – Wednesdays, February 7 – 28 at 4:00 pm.

The Lake House Wellness Services

For information about the Wellness Services as well as their cancellation/no show policy, click here.

Indoor/Outdoor Pools

The regular outdoor pool hours:
– Monday through Friday opens at 9:15 am following the conclusion of the water classes and closes 9:00 pm.
– Saturday and Sunday open from 8:00 am to 9:00 pm.

Information about the indoor pool, as well as the rules for both indoor and outdoor pools, can be viewed by clicking here.

Please bring a towel with you. Pool towels are not provided. Amenity Cards are required to access The Lake House.

-Submitted by Jamie Mogus Mixson, The Lake House Manager

Nathaniel Russell House to Stay Open

In December, Historic Charleston Foundation (HCF) announced a new strategic plan adopted by their Board of Trustees. A component of the plan involved a proposal to offer for sale the Nathaniel Russell House, a grand historic house museum on Meeting Street in Charleston..

In response to the many who advocated for the site’s continued operation as a publicly accessible, historic asset for Charleston’s residents and visitors, the HCF Board of Directors voted on January 10, 2024, to reverse its decision. Instead, they plan to collaborate with a panel of experts dedicated to reimagining the museum’s operations and its collection. In the meantime, the Nathaniel Russell House will continue to welcome visitors. 

–Tidelines Editors

Full Moon Bonfire January 25

Full Moon Bonfire
Thursday, January 25, 2024
Location: On the beach between BW 1 and 2
Sunset – 5:45 pm
Moonrise – 5:44 pm
High Tide – 8:10 pm
Full Wolf Moon

After the busy holiday season and the cold weekend, it will be good to gather again for a bonfire on the beach. 

To keep things simple, each person brings what you want: food, drinks, chairs and a stick of firewood for a big bonfire. Nothing will be provided but a beautiful beach, a bonfire and, hopefully, a full moon.

Hopefully, the weather remains accommodating. People ask if the bonfire will be held if it’s rainy…. the bonfire will be cancelled if it is raining or rain is threatening as few would be comfortable attending.

By terms of the permit, the fire needs to be out no later than 10:00 pm. The earlier sunset and moonrise times give us time to enjoy the evening.

Other night sky observation opportunities:

The International Space Station is not scheduled to be visible this evening.

According to spacetourismguide.com, there are no spectacular night sky activities at the end of January. It also mentions February will be “one of the quietest months of the year for astronomical events.”

There are no scheduled SpaceX launches scheduled for this week. Starlink is a chain of satellites that reside in low-Earth orbit in outer space. The satellite constellation was launched into orbit in 2019 by SpaceX and provides worldwide broadband internet services. It appears brighter than the space station and looks like a stream of lights running across the sky. Findstarlink.com provides the dates and times it would be visible in the next five days. At the time of this writing, no good visibilities are shown for the date of the bonfire.

Put these dates for the Full Moon Bonfires on your calendar:

Saturday, February 24
Monday, March 25 – This is the Monday before Easter and the day of the full moon but a bonfire will be held only if someone else volunteers to host. 
Tuesday, April 23

There’s always plenty of room on the beach for everyone, so invite a friend or bring your houseguests. 

How the full moon got its name: 

Per The Old Farmer’s Almanac: January – Full Wolf Moon

The howling of wolves was often heard at this time of year. Many sources state that wolves howled due to hunger. Rather, wolves use howls to define territory, locate pack members, reinforce social bonds, and gather for hunting. 

Other names: The names of the moon are most often related to natural signs of the season or to activities that were done at this time of year. Some of our favorites include:

• Canada Goose Moon (Tlingit)
• Center Moon (Assiniboine)
• Cold Moon (Cree)
• Freeze Up Moon (Algonquin)
• Frost Exploding Moon (Cree)
• Great Moon (Cree)
• Greetings Moon (Western Abenaki)
• Hard Moon (Dakota)
• Severe Moon (Dakota)
• Spirit Moon (Ojibwe)

I found another website that says the Cherokee Indians called it the Cold Moon and the English Medieval name was the Wolf Moon. Another website says the Chinese call it Holiday Moon.

-Submitted by Judy Morr

February Activities at Kiawah

Another month of exciting activities at Kiawah!

Sean Kennard, Pianist

Thursday, February 1, 2024
7:30 pm
Church of Our Saviour
Cost: No Charge

Pianist Sean Kennard performed at the Arts Council’s inaugural event in 2004, when he was an undergraduate piano student at the College of Charleston. After furthering his studies at Julliard and Yale, releasing a debut album, joining the faculty of Stetson University, and being named a Steinway artist, Sean is delighted to make a return appearance.

Chamber Trio Featuring Yuriy Bekker, Julian Schwartz, & Marika Bournaki

Saturday, February 3, 2024
7:30 pm
Church of Our Saviour
Cost: No Charge

Experience the harmonious synergy of these three remarkable musicians as they explore a dynamic repertoire. Spanning well-loved classics and intriguing modern pieces, selections include Beethoven, Brahms, and Piazzolla. 

The Linda Ronstadt Experience

Wednesday, February 7, 2024
7:30 pm
West Beach Conference Center
Cost: $25 Click here for tickets

American Idol Star Tristan McIntosh creates a stunning portrayal of Linda Ronstadt in the prime of her career. Supported by a superb backing band, Tristan’s formidable vocal talent and stage presence will transport you to a time when Linda Ronstadt ruled the airwaves as one of the most popular female vocalists in music history.

Quentin E. Baxter Presents Dan Wilson Quartet

Sunday, February 11, 2024
4:00 pm
The Seabrook Island Club
Tickets: via baxtermusic.org

The second concert of the “Quentin E. Baxter Presents” series will feature Benedetto Guitarist Dan Wilson. Accompanying Wilson for the concert will be pianist Glenn Zaleski, bassist Brandon Rose, and drummer Quentin E. Baxter.

Piano Bar with the Joy Project

Wednesday, Februrary 21, 2024
5:00 – 7:00 pm
The Sandcastle 
No Tickets Required 

Not meant to be concerts, Piano Bars are to enjoy with friends and offer an opportunity to meet neighbors outside your circle for some island socializing. Bring your beverage of choice and a snack to tide you over.

Click here for more information and details about other upcoming events

–Tidelines Editors

(Image Credit: Kiawah Arts Council )

Lowcountry Oyster Festival Feb 4

40th Annual Lowcountry Oyster Festival Announces Musical Acts, Children’s Events, and Beneficiaries Details

The Charleston Restaurant Foundation (CRF) is pleased to announce the musical acts for the 40th annual Lowcountry Oyster Festival, happening February 4, 2024, at Boone Hall Plantation. Radio Bomb, including some members of the Blue Dogs, Uncle Mingo, and the East Coast Party Band, will headline the event after Solid Country Gold takes the stage.

“For 40 years we’ve had the honor of celebrating one of our region’s most beloved culinary traditions with thousands of our friends, family, and visitors, creating one of the most popular culinary events in the country,” shares Charleston Restaurant Foundation President, Jonathan Kish. “The Charleston Restaurant Foundation is honored to continue to use this essential Charleston event filled with music, food, and fun to give back to the community.”

Featuring over 50,000 pounds of oysters, highlights of this event include the legendary oyster shucking and oyster eating contests, beer, wine and cocktails, and a variety of food options from local restaurants and food trucks. Kids can enjoy the elevated Pluff-a-Pallooza Children’s Area, offering activities such as bubble therapy, a climbing wall, a “noisy oyster percussion” play area, cookie decorating with “pluff-mudd” frosting, sweetgrass basket weaving, egg toss, juggling with Deena-Jungleena, stilt performers and much more. The schedule of events will take place between 10 am and 5 pm.

The Lowcountry Oyster Festival is a charity fundraiser and donated over $124,000 to local causes at the 2023 festival. The 2024 beneficiaries include the Coastal Conservation Association, Pay It Forward, Hollings Cancer Center, Shriners’ Hospitals for Children, Ronald McDonald House, College of Charleston, and The Culinary Institute of Charleston.

The festival is a rain-or-shine event. No pets, coolers, or outside food and beverages will be allowed. Oyster knives and gloves will be available for purchase. Boone Hall Plantation is located at 1235 Long Point Road, Mount Pleasant, SC, 29464. There are two entrances to the event: the main Boone Hall entrance off Long Point Road and the entrance off Highway 17.

For more information or to purchase tickets, click here.

–Tidelines Editors