Gullies and Dunes on Morris Island 16 X 20 "

Morris Island once was a large barrier island just south of our harbor's entrance. The island has been home to three different lighthouses as the channel into the inlet was actually south of our inlet and boats had to make their way below the inlet . "cross the bar" and head up towards Sullivan's Island before reaching deeper water in the harbor. The lighthouses were destroyed in the Revolutionary War and the Civil War so as to make navigation more difficult for invading naval enemies. The present lighthouse was built after the Civil War but before the Charleston Jetties were built in the 1870's and 1880's. Rapid erosion of Morris Island resulted as the sand no longer was able to move north to south and the island virtually disappeared. The lighthouse remained but the island and the lighthouse keeper structures disappeared. What is left is just a wisp of this once noble barrier island.

Nevertheless, this island and its beach have much to offer and dunes and gullies remain. This late summer scene reveals the late summer colors of the Sea Oats and the scupting of the dunes which looks more contrasted by the afternoon shadows.

This is a 16 X 20" acrylic on stretched canvas and weighs about 9 oz.