Bull Island, SC 5 ' 09

Bull Island  is  part of the 62,000-acre CAPE ROMAIN NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE.  The refuge in turn is adjoined on the west to the quarter million acre Frances Marion National forest which is also a premier federally wildlife protection zone. Together the two form one of the largest top tier wildlife protection areas in the United States. 
 And it is a true wilderness island.

Most visitors get to the island by meeting the passenger ferry at Garris Landing (between Awendaw and McClellanville) in the morning. 

Garris Landing with docked ferry

 During the thirty minute ride to the island, visitors are given a environmental overview of the island and the surrounding wetlands.    

Environmental Interpretor

On our ride over, we also got to watch birds

Brown Pelican

 and see a pod of dolphin playing in the inter-coastal waterway.

Bottle Nose Dolphin

When you arrive on Bull Island, one can follow several dirt roads which go off in different directions.   Unfortunately, much of the interior is mosquito infested during the warmer months, so most visitors, including us, head straight to the beach during the summer months. 

Main Road through the center of Bull Island

The main road leads directly from the ferry dock 

through the center of the island

 to the Atlantic Ocean and  Boneyard Beach

BJ at Boneyard Beach

Boneyard Beach is the most photographed location on Bulls Island

CC at Boneyard Beach

This is a three mile stretch of beach on the northeast corner of the island. Here, hundreds of oaks, cedars and pines can be found strewn along the beach; all the result of an ever-changing beach which is in constant battle with the in-coming surf. 

Boneyard Beach gets its name from all the downed trees which have been bleached by the sun and salt water ultimately resembling a graveyard of bones.  

 It is a photographers’ dream

 Another popular activity is collecting shells. (Bull Island is definitely the place for serious shell hunters)  Sand dollars are the most popular finds on Bull Island, however there are many seashells, starfish and seahorses also waiting to be picked up and carried home.  

BJ spent awhile shelling

The northern end the Boneyard near the marsh is an excellent location to find sand-dollars.  We saw literally hundreds of Atlantic whelk shell in this section that had been washed up after last week’s off-shore storm.

There is a lot more to see and do on Bull Island than just shelling.  It has an interesting history.  The Island was discovered on March 15, 1670 when early European explorers first landed on it.  Later it was a well-known hideout for pirates waiting to raid ships along the coast. The ruins of the Old Fort on Bull Island are believed to be what is left of a Martello tower that was built in the early 1700s, to help defend the area against these pirates.  During the Revolutionary War, British warships used the island as a restocking station. Union troops later destroyed the fort during the Civil War to prevent its use by the Confederates. During the Revolutionary War, British warships used the island as a restocking station.  And the scenery is spectacular.   We wished there were fewer mosquitoes so that we could have explored the interior more thoroughly.

 But the bird life is what Bulls Island is known for throughout the world. Over 275 species of birds have been recorded on the refuge with most being found on or near Bulls. Black ducks, pintails, mallards, canvasback and teal can be found in the many impoundments. 
Warblers, sparrows, woodpeckers and raptors abound in the lush forest of Bulls Island.  

American Avocet

 This photo  of an avocet 

American Woodstork

andthe photo above of a  pair of Woodstork were taken from the main road leading across the island.  
  

Oyster Catchers

 And these pictures of oyster  catchers 

Eastern peep

and  an Eastern Peep were taken on the Atlantic facing beach.

Pine, palm and magnolias are the dominant trees found on the island, while deer, alligators, otters, raccoons, black fox squirrels, reptiles and amphibians call Bulls Island home.

Visitors can look also look for trails created by the rare red wolf, which is bred on the island.  We saw dear track and fresh dog like paw prints on the main beach trail.  Dogs are not allowed on the island, so guess what we were probably seeing.  We will undoubtedly return again in the winter when we can explore the interior of the island more fully.   

BJ on ferry ride back to the mainland

The afternoon ferry brings visitors back refreshed from a true wilderness experience.