Exploring Daufuskie Island
I was originally the Lambert Family vacation planner. I took the bull by the horns in 2013 and started making things happen! First conquer NYC—then the world! Haha! But as Katie had Ruth and the vacation needs started shifting, she pitched a new location. A beach trip where you could be active and explore (not just sit on the beach), combined with history—and all in America, so it’s easy to get to!
Introducing—Daufuskie Island! We went with the family over Thanksgiving 2022 and couldn’t recommend it more! Daufuskie was abandoned by the slave-owning southerners after the Civil War, who left the formerly enslaved men and women to create their own food and culture, farming and fishing practices, art and architecture…the list goes on! The influence of these creative and strong pioneers is still felt in every aspect of the island’s culture, and it is one of the purest experiences of West African culture you can find in America! African culture, as a whole, is much more focused on community and relationships than we are here in America. On Daufuskie, it was refreshing to get a glimpse of what their community is like, from the moment we arrived! When we got off the boat the day before Thanksgiving, we were immediately invited to the community-wide Thanksgiving Potluck and Pig-Roast Feast the next day!
And if you couldn’t guess, OF COURSE, we went! We were welcomed in like members of the community, razzed people about how beans don’t go in chili, and played card games at the picnic tables with the locals! We were surprised to find out, that on Daufuskie, most people just travel by golf cart. Fun right?? The family still laughs about how my golf cart was faster than everyone else’s…we even had races! Haha! There is a beautiful beach, a wild horse breed called the Marsh Tacky, great food, and an amazing history tour hosted by Ms. Sallie Ann that dives into the history of the original black families who were left to survive.
Another part we absolutely loved was driving through the forests of dogwoods, magnolias, and giant live oak trees draped in Spanish moss. We saw deer in the forests and even spotted some magical sunset fireflies! One afternoon, as we were toodling around on our carts, we stopped in the old schoolhouse where two indigo artisans were selling their handmade art! Daufuskie Blues is the company name, and we loved getting the history of the craft. The influence of indigo on the culture of the island was fascinating, and the slave trade helped shape the island as it is now. I also bought oyster shells painted in an indigo-blue fabric pattern on the interior as my souvenir of the trip!
The Lamberts love to explore—To learn about people and places, to make new friends and try new foods, and to head home with a broader scope of where we fit in the world! You can absolutely do that in NYC or Paris, more traveled-to spots, but isn’t it more exciting to feel like you’re discovering things for yourself?! We love to go with an open itinerary—what might happen if we went slower and stayed open to the new direction? What amazing, inspiring sights would we see? What history could we learn? What new friends might we meet along the way? Every trip we go on, we learn more about ourselves and each other, and end up having the best time while doing so.
I hope this blog has inspired you to explore and venture out to discover hidden gems and embrace everyday happiness. This summer, let’s get off the beaten path together and see what we experience! Explore new hobbies, new places, new people, and discover more about who we are.
In the midst of your exploring, feel free to follow along on our journey here at Lambert Home. We are constantly bringing new, exciting stuff to the table, and would love for you to be apart of it. Stay tuned for future fun!
