Well Spring is here and the Summer is on the horizon. The Carolina Jasmine growing all around the garage door is in full bloom and the fragrance is fantastic. Our Magnolia Tree in the Front Yard has flowers, the grass is looking good and we had a large turtle, a large Blue Heron (we call him Harry) and several white egrets in our back yard. Across the lagoon there was our resident Alligator sunning himself.

Speaking of Alligators we have a great Page on hiltonheadisland.com and hiltonheadislandbluffton.com about them. Many of our Visitors like to see the Alligators. However, most of our Visitors are not aware to be watching out for Alligators on the roads while driving. Unfortunately on May 8, 2009, we had a tradegy here involving an Alligator. That evening a Sea Pines Plantation Security Guard (he had worked at Sea Pines for 21 years) was driving to work from his home in Savannah and was on Rt 170 in Jasper County about to enter Beaufort County. He always worked the midnight shift. Suddenly he saw an Alligator ahead of him on the highway and was unable to avoid hitting it. After hitting the Alligator his car swerved into the oncoming lane and he crashed head-on into a Greyhound Bus and he was killed instantly. No-one on the Bus was injured. The Alligator was also killed during the accident.

Again, while visiting, always be watching for Alligators on the roads. They are not always in the water or lying on the banks sunn ing themselves.

Till the next time ........ Islander Rick

The biggest event of the year on Hilton Head Island is now over. The annual Verizon Heritage PGA Golf Tournament was played last week on the Harbourtown Golf Links in Sea Pines Plantation. You may not know this was the 41st consecutive Tournament since Harbourtown opened in 1969. The winner of the very 1st Tournament in 1969 was Arnold Palmer. The weather was great all week and if you weren’t here I hope you saw the many beautiful scenes of Hilton Head Island shown on both the Golf Channel on Thursday and Friday and on CBS TV on Saturday and Sunday.

The big winner this year was Brian Gay. He was -20 (setting a new Heritage Record), he won by 10 strokes (setting a new Heritage Record) and had only 2 bogies in 72 holes of golf (another Heritage record). Boo Weekley, the winner of the 2007 and 2008 Heritage, finished -5.

Spring seems to finally be here. For the 1st time this year the 7 day forecast has the daily temperature in the 70’s all 7 days.

Welcome to the HH-Islander Blog

Dear HiltonHeadIsland.com and HiltonHeadIslandBluffton.com Visitor,
Welcome to to our new Hilton Head Island and greater Bluffton area blog. Let me introduce myself. I'm Islander Rick, a 17 year Island resident. You're probably wondering what it's like here today. Here's the low down on our low country paradise:

Temp: almost 73 degrees. Not a cloud in the sky, sunny. Last night we had a huge, well-needed rain storm. About 3 - 4 inches. It filled the pool and also washed off all of the yellow pine pollen that covered all of the porch furniture. My wife, Islander Jane, is outside right now wiping off the chairs so that we can have drinks outside when friends stop over before dinner tonight. We're not sure where to go: our old favorite, Reilleys, for oyster shooters and fried scallops, or somewhere else.

I am also looking forward to watching basketball!

Hope you visit soon,

Islander Rick

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