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Cherimie Crane, www.Marine1Realty.com

Its Raining Men Hallelujah Its Raining Men!!!!!!!!

OORAH!!

What more could a woman ask for! Besides the beautiful coastal views, the amazing weather, our ability to wear flip flops just about all year long, and down right fantastic food, we have Marines!!! Ok...I have to honor those fearless, distinctive, physically phenomenal female marines also! So we have it all:)

The military in Beaufort, SC, contributes both to the economy and the welfare of the Beaufort area. "Tri-command" refers to the Marine Corps Air Station north of Beaufort City, the Naval Hospital in Port Royal and the Marine Corps Recruit Depot on Parris Island. These three units contribute more than $375 million annually to the Beaufort, SC, economy and employ some 1,800 civilians, not too mention the bringing in 6,500 active duty personnel to the Beaufort, SC, area.

It is a wonderfully complimentary relationship! Beaufortonians are extremely proud of our Marines and it is an honor to walk the streets with such brave men and women everyday.

So while you are visiting our town, make sure to say hello to those brave young men and women who help make Beaufort, and the world...a safer place.

Beaufort South Carolina Quick Facts!!!!

BEAUFORT QUICK FACTS

Top Employers (in alpha order)

Beaufort County School District

Beaufort Memorial Hospital

Callaswassie Island Co. LP

Columbia Sussex Corp.

Beaufort County

Cypress Club, Inc.

Department of Defense

Hargray Communications Group, Inc.

Lowes Home Centers, Inc.

Marine Corps Community Services

Marriott Resorts Hospitality Corp.

National Health Corp.

OS Restaurant Services, Inc.

Publix Supermarkets

Sea Pines Resort, LLC

Starwood Hotels and Resorts

Technical College of the Lowcountry

Tenet Health System, Hilton Head, Inc.

The Greenery, Inc.

Wal-Mart Associates, Inc.

Median Household Income

Beaufort County $50,522

South Carolina $41,100

Per Capita Income

Beaufort County $32,987

South Carolina $21,875

(source: U.S. Census, 2006 estimates)

Population

Beaufort County (including munis)

142,045

City of Beaufort

12209

Town of Bluffton

3,505

Town of Hilton Head

33,838

Town of Port Royal

9.848

Yemassee (Beaufort County portion)

167

Beaufort County, unincorporated

82,658

Notable population facts

•· Males outnumber females 50.3% to 49.7%.

•· The largest age group is 25-44 years.

•· The white population is the majority with 66.7%.

•· The Hispanic population in this area has increased 55.1% from 2000 to 2006.

•· The population is expected to increase by 73,630 from 2010 to 2030.

(source: U.S. Census, 2006 estimates)

2006 Military Installations Economic Impact

Officer and enlisted personnel

Civilian personnel

Payroll

(total)

Additional interesting economic impacts

Marine Corps Air Station - Beaufort

4,000

900

$215 m

$33 million in procurement, construction & utilities

Marine Corps Recruit Depot - Parris Island

2,000

600

$64 m

Annually, 20,000 graduates have, on average, 4 people visiting for graduation.

Naval Hospital Beaufort

512

230

$55 m

Contracts with Beaufort Memorial for services not provided

Source: MCAS - Beaufort, MCRD - Beaufort, Naval Hospital - Beaufort

I hope this information is helpful. If I can assist you with your move to Beaufort South Carolina...Just let me know!

Getting A bit Crabby!!!!!

The Beaufort waterways are heavily populated with the Atlantic Blue Crab. These are some of the tastiest crabs out there, and when cooked fresh, well, your taste buds will be screaming for more. Fortunately, crabs are very easy to catch and require very inexpensive gear. Crabbing is an activity the entire family can participate in, and can be a lot of fun. Unlike fishing, crabs are always "biting", (or shall we say clawing ).

Stuff Ya Gonna Need
All you need to crab is a piece of string, most people use either nylon or cotton, as the crab really doesn't care much. A weight (an old spark plug could even work), a long handle net, a cheap one will do just fine, your bait, (chicken necks work the best),
and a bucket to put all the crabs you catch. And... most important...
your good luck fishin' hat and your best friend!
What to do
Take the string and tie the weight to one end. Then take your bait, (again a chicken neck... because they are tough, and the crabs don't eat it quickly), and tie it next to the weight. Nothing fancy, just wrap the string around the bait tightly and tie a knot around it. Tie a stick to the other end and you are ready.
Where and When!!
The best places to go are boat landings, little tidal creeks, or really anywhere there is an open space around salt water. Piers and docks are fine too. You don't need a boat, just stand on the bank. The best times are near low tide, or what the crabbers call ebb tide, day or night. The crabs are close to the shoreline and actively feeding.
Just throw out your bait and wait until you feel a little tug or pulling on the string.

Then... slowly pull the bait in, in a steady motion, the crab will hang on until it is almost on shore. When you can begin see it, scoop the crab up into the net. The best way to net a crab is to bring the net in from behind the crab. He can't see it coming that way. It may take a few lost crabs to get the hang of it.
Once netted, just dump the crab into the bucket, and get ready for the next one.
Pretty soon... you've got a bucket of crabs.
If you are only going to be out a few hours,
no water is required in the bucket.

crabbing in beaufort south carolina

Time to Cook em up!
To cook, you need a big pot. Fill it about 1/2 to 3/4 full of water. Bring to a full boil.
You can season the water with whatever you like, crab boil season works good, or just some lemon pepper is fine. After the water boils, just place the crabs into the pot, now here's the bad part. They are still alive, but rest assured, they feel no pain. Leave them in the pot until they turn red. That's it. They are now done.
( It does not take long, so don't over cook )

EMS117 : Beaufort Medical Warning

Be very careful handling the crab. The claws are it's main defense and he definitely is an expert at using them. A long pair of pliers or a barbecue or salad tongs work the safest. Also be careful of the spines on the sides of it's shell, they are pin sharp. They can be very painful!
Time to Eat em up!!

Once the crab turns red, take it out and put it on a large plate. Here's the messy part, getting to the meat. This is definitely an outside or big sink job. Break the shell in half, then separate the top shell. The meat will be white and is found towards the sides,
near the legs. Get the meat out and put in a bowl or plate, being careful not to get any of the black or gray stuff mixed in with the white meat. The black stuff is the lung, and can not be safely eaten. Then break open the claws, and get all the meat within, everything in the claw is good. Once the meat is out, the rest will come natural... Enjoy... it will definitely be worth all that mess!!

This is just one of the many joys of Lowcountry living in Beaufort South Carolina. If you have any questions just let me know!

It would be my honor to assist you and your family with your Beaufort SC Real Estate needs!

Beaufort SC Market Report

It truly seems as though 2008 is off to a tremendous start. I am excited about the activity that my listings have enjoyed already. Take a look below at the South Carolina Market Data!

Statewide growth will boost SC home sales in 2008

According to SCR market data, 2007 was one of the best years on record for South Carolina home sales. With over 61,000 total sales last year, the year-end totals represent a 55% increase in sales and a 32% increase in median price since 2000.
Year End Comparison Chart 1999-2007

We are already seeing increased activity on the coast, that's a good sign for the next quarter. Pending sales activity shows that home sales will hold fairly steady over the next few months. Total sales are expected to rise later in the year and continue to improve in 2009, according to the latest forecast by the NAR.

The market's biggest challenge? - A lack of consumer confidence. Too many consumers are focused on the national numbers. Like the weather, all real estate markets are local. Home shoppers can count on local REALTORS® for the facts about local markets.

For information on the local Beaufort County Real Estate Market call today!

Cherimie Crane

www.BeaufortTime.com

When the Fish don't bite.....Grab an Oyster!!

It was a bit cloudy, a little windy, and cold, well cold for Beaufort that is, a breezy 56 degrees. I was persuaded out into this chilly venture by the promise of a great school of Bass. The offer was so tempting, a so beautifully described in vivid detail that any woman with a passion for the thrill of the catch would certainly rearrange her entire day!

We had to leave at dead low tide. Which meant no motor...which meant someone was going to have to pole us to this new found treasure....

As you can see....that someone was not me:). The captain and I feel our talents are more of a supervisory nature. So as we were poled out into the Morgan River, Captain Jack and I watched the clouds pass, the pelicans swoop, the egrets play, and the dolphins splash around close to the edge of the marsh for feeding time.

Reed Weatherford preparing for a school of Bass

So he finds a suitable place to begin our invasion of this rumored school of Bass. He chose to use Mullet, I chose shrimp. The Bass chose to swim right passed us. It was an amazing sight though. Their golden bodies gracefully swam in circles. There must have been two hundred of them. None of which were even the slightest bit hungry.

We tried everything short of swimming along with them. We were quiet, we were still, we cast out in front, we cast out beside and behind. They just weren't interested.

Fising in Beaufort SC

Bored at our in ability to catch anything other than the glimpse of the magnificent creatures, Captain decides to watch the pelicans instead. Pelicans are actually extremely focused birds. They knew where to find the fish much better than we did.

Captain enjoys bird watching almost as much as he enjoys the sight of the crab traps. To be such a small individual he has quite an effect on the boat each time we pass one by.

Oyster Time

It became somewhat obnoxiously evident that we were not eating Bass. So, in Beaufort when the fish don't bite....well..just go grab a few oysters. So we did. I must say, the best oysters I have eaten in years!

If being outside is your thing...You really should find your way to Beaufort South Carolina. Whether it is for the fish, the oysters, the salty air, or the slow pace of the lowcountry, you really should come on by.

I am a Beaufort Real Estate agent and I love my job. More than that, I love Beaufort. Everything about Beaufort fits me just fine.