Imagine an island with pristine beaches and vast forests, less than a mile from one of the largest resort destinations on the East Coast. For decades, developers have eyed Daufuskie Island with plans to capitalize on its incredible beauty, yet they've mostly failed. Some blame it on access — the island is only accessible by boat — while others chalk it up to voodoo.
The views and random finds on Daufuskie Island
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Daufuskie is a place where very little happens. When it does, word travels fast down the dusty roads that connect the fledgling resort communities with the 400-or-so year-round locals who have persisted here for generations, relying on farming, fishing, and ferries for subsistence. Look closely as you walk, pedal, or golf cart past the cabins in the woods, and you'll see eyes painted on the trees and windowsills painted indigo blue. These measures are taken by the local Gullah-Geechee inhabitants — descendants of the enslaved people and freedmen who have farmed the island for two centuries — to ward off the "hag," an evil spirit believed to slip into bed with slumbering locals.