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| The Canal |
Someone who has never been to Goose Creek Island is riding around the Island. Maybe they're looking for someone's house or out sight-seeing.
They're lost because they have no cell phone signal to look at their GPS.
Scene One: You're feeding the ducks at Pate Boatyard (pretend you are Lucille Sadler) and they stop by and ask, "I'm trying to get to the Community Center."
As a true Goose Creek Islander, how would you steer them in the right direction?
Answer: "Well, the Community Center is over there where the old school used to be, across from the Funny Farm. Just go down this road a ways and turn left at Alcock's corner. Once you turn at Alcock's Corner, the community center is over on the left, right there where the old baseball field used to be. If you go too far, watch out for Nelvin, he's the Island police officer. He might wave you down and stop you. If you're lucky you may get by with a warning ticket."
Scene Two: You're hanging net in your yard (let's pretend it's Mitchie Ray and Scooter at Scooter's house) and a car pulls up, lost. They're looking for the place to buy some of those I & M Oysters.
Answer: "Well, you're close. Just go back 'out the road' and make a left to go 'Round the Horn'. Go 'round the road' till you see Oyster Creek Road. Turn right, you will go around a couple of sharp turns. The last sharp turn is there at Brown's, but go on to the end. I & M Oysters is there at the landing. Watch out for the water, we've got a moderate North East breeze."
Our sense of direction is a real Island developed language. Those that are unknowing to our ways of Island directions really can't understand if they're coming or going. Here is some Island navigational words and locations that true Islanders understand.
Out The Road - direction depends on if you are coming or going
Down the Road - again, direction depends on if you are coming or going
'Round the Road - you're going around the loop
Around the Loop - you're going 'Round the Road
"Round the Horn - you're going around the loop road depending on location
Up The Prong - one always goes Up the Prong, never Down the Prong
At The Landing - well, that depends, whose Landing you're trying to get to?
Going to the Store - again, that depended on whose store you where going to (none exist now)
The Canal - that's an easy one, the small section of canal that was dug for the Intracoastal Waterway. The Coast Guard Station is located on 'The Canal'.
Springs Creek - that little section of homes between Hobucken and Lowland
Potter Ditch - the main lead ditch you cross as you come into Lowland.
The Marshes - former settlement in the area in the marshes beyond where the pavement runs out in Hobucken
Drum Creek - just down past where the pavement runs out in Hobucken
Out to Middle Bay - the end of the dirt road once you pass the Marshes and Drum Creek
Jimmy's Hole - an old boat basin at the end of Doll's Creek Rd.
Foot The Road - the end of the road in Lowland, overlooking Goose Creek.
Alcock's Corner - at the intersection of Hobucken Rd. and Schoolhouse Rd.
Clark's Corner - at the intersection of Lowland Rd. and Middle Prong Rd., where you turn to go Up the Prong.
There's really no way you can get lost on Goose Creek Island. It's pretty much one way in and one way out.
Maybe I need to compile a Goose Creek Island Map showing those place names and features for newcomers and visitors. Some once prominent places have since disappeared but the names are still very much used, such as the school house, Miss Lela's, or the Honky Tonk. Nevertheless, the local names for many geographical areas on the Island persist in our language, especially among us native born Islanders.
I am so thankful that we still use these names and phrases today. Now, how many of you know where Sally's or Browns is at?
