Linda and Woody King are a couple who love adventure. They live on
Clarks Hill Lake in South Carolina where they enjoy the peace of the water and fish regularly. A former welder at nuclear power plants, Woody is very handy, and Linda loves all arts, crafts, and Do-It-Yourself (DIY) projects. Together they built a house boat with a
Casita Travel Trailer on top of it, as their hideaway from sun and a place to sleep. They are the talk of the lake when they travel in their house boat camper!
However, what was missing from their lake adventures were shells! Linda’s Uncle left her a collection of exotic shells that he and his cousin collected daily while working and living in the Middle East. Her Uncle collected 1,000s of shells along the
Red Sea, and his cousin dived for exquisite treasures! Boxes of them were left in a storage unit, and Linda was given them upon her Uncle’s death.
She put many of the shells in glass cases in her home and used others in jewelry she made for family members to remember their Uncle. The shell collection fanned Linda and Woody’s desire to go shelling themselves. For that passion, Linda and Woody bought an RV, so they could head south, to
Edisto Island State Campground—a favorite spot for beach shell combers.
For the past five years, Linda and Woody collect shells several times a year, while camping on Edisto Island. They know the tide cycles by heart and are not afraid of fog or bad weather. They drive a golf cart to the portion of the beach nicknamed “Shell Island” and patiently search through the mounds of shells washed out and in by the tides.
After they learned about the town of
Edingsville Beach that was on an island beyond Edisto, Linda and Woody were not content merely collecting shells. They began collecting Edingsville Beach artifacts as well. Built in 1825, Edingsville Beach had 60 houses, but by 1866, there were only “41 houses, two church buildings, and a billiard saloon remaining.” In 1885, a hurricane and storm surge decimated most of the homes, with few remaining.
The remaining homes were in disrepair and also, slowly, went out to sea. Once Linda and Woody learned about the tragedy of Edingsville Beach, they, like many locals, began to collect pottery, bricks, and polished glass that continue to wash ashore from the vanished town. They share their finds with local people, and all the artifacts are honored.
Another use Linda has made of her shells is for pavers! She collects white shells, arranges them in clusters in her yard, packs them in with white pea gravel and voila: A shell path! Woody lovingly pointed out that Linda is on a grass killing mission! She and Woody also enjoy collecting pieces of turtle shells and fossilized bone. Linda and Woody are always on the lookout!
This adventurous couple’s hobbies don’t end there. They also have a passion for the air. Linda and Woody are both pilots and fly an Ultralight Paraglider for Two! There’s never a dull moment for this couple. Linda says, “We’ve been on an adventurous marriage together for twenty-one years! We’re ready for the next one!” Everyone is waiting to find out what the next Linda and Woody King adventure will be. They may have to take up scuba diving or mountain climbing to cover all of their bases!
