South Carolina, naturally

Southern Living, Aug 2001

When you spot an unusual bird at Huntington Beach State Park, don't forget to leave a note in the mailbox.

The mailboxes rest inside what look like wooden birdhouses scattered throughout the South Carolina park. Notebooks tucked inside encourage visitors to share information about when and where they spotted particular birds. These notations are a boon to birders who come in search of the more than 280 species in the area.

Bird watching is just one of many activities at the coastal park. The 3mile-long beach is broad and flat, a popular place to look for shells or swim. Keep an eye out for sharks' teeth. A short distance inland from the beach, a causeway separates a freshwater lagoon from a saltwater marsh, offering a look at two different habitats at the same time.

From February through December, the menu of planned activities includes such programs as beachcombing, cast netting, crabbing, salt marsh seining, and surf-fishing. You can learn about snakes, dolphins, and the plants that grow in the maritime forest and along the dunes. "We do more than 900 educational programs a year," says Keith Windham, park superintendent.

One of the most fascinating aspects of the park is Malaya, the former winter home of sculptress Anna Hyatt Huntington and her husband, Archer. In 1930 the couple purchased four old rice plantations, which included what is today's Brookgreen Gardens and Huntington Beach State Park. Between 1931 and 1933 they built their Moorish-style winter home behind the dunes and named it Malaya, a Spanish term for "watchtower."

The couple last stayed at Malaya in 1947. The home, along with 2,500 acres, was leased to the state in 1960. Bare of furnishings, it now stands open to the ocean breezes, a lovely reminder of the couple who left their mark, and their name, on this stretch of the South Carolina coast.

Huntington Beach State Park: 16148 Ocean Highway, Murrells Inlet, SC 29576; (843) 237-4440. Admission: $4 ages 13 and older, $2 ages 612. Campsites: $22 a day without a reservation, $23 with a reservation.