Daufuskie Island is a residential sea island between Savannah, Georgia and Hilton Head Island, South Carolina. It has a full-time population of around 429 and is home to two resorts.

The island's recorded history traces back to pre-Revolutionary War times. It was the site of a skirmish called the "Daufuskie Fight" during the Yamasee War of 1715-1717. The island was home to a sizable population of Gullah inhabitants from the end of the Civil War until very recently. Gullah are the descendants of freed slaves.

Today, the island consists of five distinct parts. To the northeast is the Haig Point Club, a private, member owned residential club with a small number of year round residents and a fair number of members who maintain vacation homes there. To the south is the Daufuskie Resort and Breathe Spa - formerly a private vacation club with an emphasis on golf and tennis, the area is now a publicly accessible resort. Further south on the eastern side of the island is Oak Ridge, a small oceanfront community followed by Bloody Point, a private residential community with amenities that are an accessible part of the Daufuskie Island Resort and Breathe Spa. The western part of the island, often referred to as the Historic District, is unincorporated land, with several dozen residents living in a variety of accommodations, from trailers to beautiful multi-million dollar waterfront homes with private docks. Area residents and their guests frequently tour this historic portion of the island, with boat transportation available from nearby Hilton Head Island, Bluffton or Savannah on the mainland.

The Daufuskie Island Club runs its own ferry service, which is also contracted by the county to provide public ferry services between Hilton Head (Salty Fare Embarkation Center) and the Melrose Landing on Daufuskie. Residents of the clubs, as well as some of the other residents on the island, use golf carts and bicycles to travel around the island, although there are a handful of cars and trucks on the island.

There are two historic lighthouses on Daufuskie Island. The Bloody Point Lighthouse built in 1883 and the Haig Point Lighthouse built in 1873.

The island has three golf courses, the Bloody Point Course designed by Tom Weiskopf and Jay Morrish, the Melrose Golf Course designed by Jack Nicklaus and the 20 hole Haig Point Signature Course plus the 9 hole Haig Point Osprey Course designed by Rees Jones. The twenty hole Haig Point Golf Course is designed to be played as two separate 18 hole courses, one easy, one difficult with two extra "easy" par threes and many holes have two sets of tees. It is a unique and ingenious design that allows every level of player to enjoy the Signature Course. Ten of the twenty holes have spectacular marsh, sound and ocean views. Daufuskie Island is also the home of the International Junior Golf Academy since 2004.

The Lowcountry Region, including Beaufort County, offers so much to see and do, from a variety of recreational pursuits (fishing, sailing, hunting, bird watching, paddling, surfing, golf, and tennis, to name a few) to enjoying the many historic and artistic venues scattered through the region (lighthouses, historic buildings, museums, art galleries, concerts, movie locations, the Penn Center Historic District, etc).

Local plantation homeowners and their guests love to re-experience the Lowcountry often by taking advantage of the many local tours through the area. Whether being pulled by horse-drawn carriage, riding an air-conditioned bus, enjoying the thrills of boating or kayaking or even joining one of the frequent walking tours, Beaufort County residents - full or part-time - know to relax around the island. Shopping on Hilton Head Island can include one-of-a-kind treasures from the South Carolina Artisans Center, to clever, little, eclectic shops, to mega, bargain hunting at factory outlets.

If you love the outdoors, a beautiful day's walk or easy drive and a little invigorating competition, don't miss an opportunity to tee off in the Lowcountry, one of the world's premier golf destinations. Dozens of courses to delight players of every skill level stretch across Beaufort County. Lowcountry fairways are respected for their spectacular lagoons, envied for the scenic marshes and maritime forests and long remembered for their abundant wildlife experiences. And the golfing is great, as well. With its temperate climate and year-round sunshine, Beaufort County, South Carolina is the perfect place to enjoy a satisfying round of golf.

And, the island itself is a true paradise. Hilton Head Island in coastal South Carolina is often referred to as the second largest barrier island on the eastern seaboard after Long Island (which is not actually a barrier island but two glacial moraines). Technically, Hilton Head Island is only half barrier island. The north end of the island is a sea island dating to the Pleistocene epoch, and the south end is a barrier island that appeared as recently as the Holocene epoch. Broad Creek, which is actually a land-locked tidal marsh, separates the two halves of the island.

For many years, Hilton Head Island in South Carolina has been renowned as a world class destination for golf, tennis and for family vacations. With over 14 miles of beach, terrific shopping, nature preserves, water sports, biking and so much more, it's no wonder why Hilton Head Island has become a permanent home for so many vacationers.

But vacationers are not the only people who love this ideal locale on the Atlantic. Island real estate is immensely popular and coveted. Million dollar estates, plush executive plantations, luxurious homes, condos, gated community properties and waterside manors are abundant throughout the island. It is as common as sunshine to find yachts standing as if in permanent salute along elegant marinas at docking spots up and down Hilton Head's coastline.

Despite extensive development, however, much of the Island remains as it was when sighted from William Hilton's ship more than 300 years ago. Hilton Head Island's natural beauty, spectacular seascapes and exceptional ecology now beckon a new generation of explorers.

For more information on activities in and around Daufuskie Island, South Carolina, visit:

• Beaufort County, SC
• Hilton Head Island - Bluffton Chamber of Commerce
• Daufuskie Island, SC Google Earth Map
• View Daufuskie Island, SC Area Jobs on Career Builder
• View Daufuskie Island, SC Area Jobs on Yahoo HotJobs
• Daufuskie Island, South Carolina on Wikipedia.com
• Daufuskie Island, SC on AskJeeves.com
• Port Royal Plantation
• Sea Pines Plantation
• Shelter Cove Harbour Marina and Villas
• South Shore Commons Villas
• Spanish Wells Plantation
• Wexford Plantation
• Greater Beaufort / Hilton Head Economic Partnership
• Arts Center of Coastal Carolina
• Arts Council of Beaufort County
• Beaufort County / Hilton Head Island Airport
• Beaufort County School District
• South Carolina Low Country Tourism
• Main Street Beaufort, USA
• Beaufort.com
• Hilton Head Island.com