Letter: Do not develop Bay Point Island
I was just 12 years old when I got my first real boat, a 12-foot MFG with a 6-horsepower Evinrude. Before that, we would use just about anything that would float to get in the river.
We lived on Battery Creek and I promised my mother, God rest her soul, that I would not go past the old Parris Island bridge. Well, that promise didn’t take long to break and my friends and I were off and running. Bay Point was a favorite destination. Yes, in a 12-foot boat!
Many of us old Beaufort folks have fond memories of that island. Camping on the beach or at Gale Break and staying at the old fish camps.
There are numerous reasons why the Town of Hilton Head Island should not annex or develop Bay Point Island. Here are two that come to mind.
One, while we love our Hilton Head friends, Bay Point is in northern Beaufort County. Stay on your side of the river.
Two, Bay Point is a pristine home for nature’s sea life, birds, and wildlife. Bay Point is a gift to all of us to enjoy. Do not develop this beautiful gift.
Richard Neill
St. Helena Island
This story was originally published January 23, 2017 at 4:06 PM with the headline "Letter: Do not develop Bay Point Island."