You know you're from Beaufort if...

You know you're from Beaufort if...

youre from beaufort

By Ty Snowden | If there’s one thing that’s for sure, there’s just no place like Beaufort. We have a unique little town that is unmatched in its beauty, charm and its friendly residents. In a previous article, we told you how to speak like a local with some Beaufort slang so you would fit into your new town better. Now, this time around, this one is for the locals. If you know these things….you’re from Beaufort.

Here are a few random things that true Beaufortonians will totally get.

“You know you’re from Beaufort when…”

1. One does not simply indulge in unsweetened tea. It is an unwritten law. We only drink sweet tea.

2. You know the difference between all types of crawlers like mosquitos, gnats, no-see- ums, and chiggers. You also have stopped investing in bug spray; we locals don’t taste as good as the tourists! Praise ‘em!

3. Since Hurricane Matthew made its way through town and closed the beach at Hunting Island, you were counting down the ays until its reopening.

4. It seems logical to avoid Boundary Street and take Parris Island Gateway to avoid the orange cones. You may even plan how to navigate through the no-left- turn issue ahead of time, to make sure you hit up all of your Boundary street stops in sequential order, making as little turn-arounds as possible.

5. Your countdown is for the annual Beaufort Water Festival—not for Christmas. Mark your calendars, this year it runs July 13-22, but we’re sure you already knew that.

6. During this season, whether the forecast calls for a 20% or 90% chance of rain, we just muster up our best guess from taking a feel outside. Our Beaufort intuition handles the rest.

7. You must constantly remind people that when a school bus stops on a four lane roadway, if you are on the opposite side you are not required to stop. You must only come to a halt on a road with less than four lanes.

youre from beaufort

8. The Woods Memorial Bridge opens and traffic starts building up, you bust a quick turn and take the short cut (also known as Meridian Road to the McTeer, then a right on Ribault Road). Then, you sit in so much short cut traffic, you question if it would have been quicker to have put the car in park and enjoyed the breeze blowing through the windows.

9. Seafood is essential. Local shrimp, crabs, oysters, clams, conch, and fish are must-haves.

10. A Candice Glover bumper sticker (or two) is tucked away somewhere in your things as memorabilia. Possibly, you called and voted for her as many times as humanly possible when she was on American Idol in 2013.

11. You know Dukes BBQ’s schedule by heart—Thursday and Friday’s from 11:00am to 9:00pm. If you miss those days, you’ll be waiting a whole week to get your hands on their tasty grub!

12. It is still a shock that we will have two WalMart stores. (and still no Target!)

13. Instead of waiting in the car wash line, you embrace the pollen. Besides, you save money because you know it’ll all be back on the car by morning, anyways.

pollenoncar

14. It’s reasonable to sit in the new KFC drive thru line. Car wash line for pollen? No. New KFC? Yes.

15. You miss Nathaniel Bennett. You miss giving him a few of your spare dollars or ride somewhere. You miss seeing him around the area and you know Beaufort lost something when he passed.  (Bless his heart.)

16. Eat Sleep Play Beaufort is your one stop-shop for everything a local should know and a visitor should never miss.

17. You secretly try to run errands on Sunday, while the rest of town is attending church. Also, you definitely avoid Walmart after services let out—it’s like Black Friday in there on a late Sunday morning.

18. You understand there is a new bridge and an old bridge. The McTeer Bridge (connecting Port Royal to Lady’s Island) was built in the 1980’s, hence new. Our Woods Memorial Bridge (the one Downtown Beaufort, that swings open) made its debut in 1959; taking the title of old. What will the new Harbor River Bridge come to be called by locals when its replaced after this year?

19. The Beaufort Sandbar is your favorite place to be. Enough said.

sandbaruse