♪ serene music ♪ <Ned> When you look down on the state of South Carolina, it's hard not to admire its grandeur, diverse ecosystems and natural beauty.

♪ There are countless fascinating places across the Palmetto State.

Each one unique, each one with its own story to tell.

♪ Now, it's time to see these extraordinary locations in an entirely new way.

This is the story of South Carolina told from the sky.

♪ opening music ♪ Hello.

My name is Ned Garnier, and I'll be your guide in seeing the great state of South Carolina, from the sky.

For this episode, we'll be taking a look at the state's breathtaking water landscapes.

And what better place to start than the Midlands, where one lake's appeal goes just as deep as its history.

♪ calming music ♪ Known as the "Jewel" of South Carolina, Lake Murray is a 50,000 acre reservoir with roughly 650 miles of sparkling shoreline.

Fed by the Saluda River, the lake isn't just a recreational attraction for locals, but also serves as an essential power station providing 245 million kilowatts of hydroelectricity to the entire Midlands region each year.

The enchanting sunsets, curious islands, and rich history offer a one of a kind experience like nowhere else.

(soaring opening music) The beginning of Lake Murray's story starts with the creation of the Dreher Shoals Dam.

In 1927, the Lexington Water Power Company was granted a license to build the dam in the Saluda River Valley for the purpose of harnessing the river's hydroelectric potential.

After a successful endeavor of securing the land necessary, the building of the dam commenced.

One problem however, at the time there were approximately 5000 people living across the Saluda River Valley.

Settlements that included three churches, six schools, and 193 graveyards were relocated in order to make room for development.

There are still pieces of the past that lie at the bottom of the lake today, such as the Wyse's Ferry Bridge, a 19th century stone house, railroad cars and graves that were respectfully not disturbed.

At the completion of the dam in 1930, the Saluda Dam was the largest earthen dam in the world at 208 feet high, 375 feet thick, and one and a half miles long.

At the same time, the lake was the largest man-made reservoir in the world, and was named after William S. Murray, the dam's chief engineer.

The dam's emergency spillway system is controlled by six steel Tainter gates that feed back into the Saluda River.

Water is delivered to the power station via five water intake towers that travel through penstocks to the plant.

These intake towers may not look so grand at the surface, but each stand at 223 feet tall.

Several additions to the dam have been made over the years.

The biggest change came in 2005 when the backup dam was completed.

The purpose of the backup dam was to meet current earthquake safety standards.

In fact, it was projected that nearly 135,000 people living downstream in the Columbia metropolitan area could have been affected by flooding if the dam was ever to break.

During the 1940s, Lake Murray made its own place in US history.

After the attack of Pearl Harbor, Columbia Army Air Base, presently the Columbia Metropolitan Airport, became the nation's largest B-25 Bomber training facility.

Renowned World War II pilot General James H. Doolittle led Air Force volunteers on an extremely secret and dangerous mission in retaliation to the Japanese surprise attack, known as the Doolittle Raid.

Lake Murray, being only 10 miles away, served as a perfect area to conduct these exercises.

Seven of the lake's islands were used for target practice.

On April 4, 1943, during one of the exercises, a left engine of one of the bombers lost power, resulting in the plane being ditched into the lake.

Being 150 feet below the water and unsalvageable, it was written off as a loss.

62 years later, the plane was recovered by a team of divers and aviation historians and is currently exhibited in the Birmingham, Alabama's Southern Museum of Flight.

Today, a very different type of flight takes place over Lake Murray.

Every summer, upwards of 500,000 Purple Martins use one little island in the lake to rest their wings after a long migration.

During the winter, these birds travel as far as 5000 miles to the Amazon basin in search of food and nesting.

When the colony makes its way back to Lake Murray for breeding, the flock's population is so vast, it can even show up on weather radar systems.

It's not known exactly why the birds come back to Bomb Island each year, but it remains one of the largest nesting sites for Purple Martins in the nation.

From its marvel of engineering to its extensive history and natural phenomenon, Lake Murray is a breathtaking part of South Carolina.

You know, not even water is immune from getting a bad rap from time to time.

Our next stop is South Carolina's coastal plain to see how one of these misunderstood ecosystems plays a major role in the environment.

When you think of a swamp, few pleasant words come to mind.

Despite the negative associations, there are few other habitats in South Carolina that are as vital and abundant as the wetlands.

With a total of 4.6 million acres, the wetlands cover approximately 24% of the surface area of the state.

One of the most valuable ecosystems belonging to this group are swamps.

It's here where a multitude of plant and animal species thrive and where some of the state's most thrilling historical events have taken place.

♪ soaring music ♪ ♪ Most swamps in South Carolina are found on the Coastal Plain, a region covering 20,000 square miles between the Atlantic Ocean and the Sandhills.

A common type of swamp in this area are known as Cypress Tupelo or Blackwater swamps.

As their name suggests, Black Water swamps are flooded in a dark colored tea-like water.

This is caused by vegetation decay, typically from one of the common trees here, the Tupelo.

When Tupelo leaves fall into the water, bio molecules known as tannins are released giving the swamp its murky appearance.

Tannic water also serves as a natural pesticide against mosquitoes because of its acidic properties.

However, not all insects are affected this same way.

Honey bees in the swamp lands produce a very special kind of honey only found here.

Also known as Swamp Honey, Tupelo Honey is made exclusively from the nectar producing blossoms of Tupelo flowers.

Because of his distinct fruity floral taste, smooth texture and high fructose to glucose content, Tupelo Honey is considered to be a delicacy and is famous around the world.

♪ The other predominant tree species found in the Blackwater swamps is the Bald Cypress.

Able to survive for centuries, these trees are amongst the oldest living organisms on Earth.

Highly adaptable, cypress trees have few disease problems and can grow in a variety of soil types.

One unusual characteristic about this tree is that it is both coniferous and deciduous.

Typically coniferous or "cone-bearing" trees are evergreen trees whose needle-like leaves are retained year round.

Deciduous trees however, have leaves that fall seasonally.

The name "bald cypress" comes from the appearance of the tree when its leaves fall in the early autumn months.

Another peculiar feature is that it has woody growths around its trunk called "knees."

Protruding above the ground or water, cypress knees are part of the tree's root system that grow vertically.

Originally, it was believed that the knees provided the tree with oxygen, but in fact, their function is unknown since trees with their knees removed do not decrease in oxygen content.

Possible explanations for this phenomenon could be that they help the trees' stabilization or gather sediment to prevent erosion.

But nonetheless, these knees remain a mystery of the swamp.

♪ gentle ambient music ♪ Swamps and wetlands play a vital role in the state's environment.

Swamps operate as filters, removing sediments and pollutants from the water, improving its quality naturally.

When heavy rains induce floods, swamps absorb the extra water, reducing flood damage and help protect coastal regions from storm surges.

Sadly, the value of the wetlands go unseen and have been taken for granted.

As of today, development and farming have drained over half of the wetlands that once existed in the United States.

Hopefully with conservation and appreciation, we can continue to experience these integral and misunderstood ecosystems.

Along the coast, South Carolina hosts a range of Sea Islands with some of the most beautiful beaches you can see.

Well, that is as long as you know the way to get there.

♪ Extending across the southern coastline, South Carolina boasts a variety of sea islands, marshlands, and maritime forests.

In fact, this state is home to more barrier islands than any other in the country, excluding Florida.

However, there is one island in particular that stands out amongst the others.

With its landscape seemingly frozen in time, and its history going back thousands of years, Daufuskie Island is regarded as one of South Carolina's most enchanting and unique islands.

♪ (soaring music) ♪ ♪ If you type in directions on your GPS to Daufuskie Island, you may have a bit of a problem.

That's because the island is inaccessible by land.

And when you can't travel by land, that leaves few alternatives.

The ferry to Daufuskie has been the lifeline for natives and island goers, providing transportation across the Calibogue Sound for decades.

Similarly, before European colonization, Native American tribes such as the Muskogee, also known as the Creek, accessed islands like Daufuskie by canoe to cultivate its natural resources.

Some artifacts found date back as far as 7000 B.C.E.

In fact, the word "Daufuskie" itself means "Sharp Feather" in the Muskogee language, because of the island's pointed appearance.

♪ The southern most tip of the island, known as Bloody Point, is one of the most historically significant regions.

Its nomenclature derives from the numerous battles that took place during the Yamasee War.

In 1715, three separate skirmishes broke out in late August between Muskegon tribes and South Carolina colonials.

Today, one of the few remnants on Bloody Point is its lighthouse.

Commissioned by the US Lighthouse service in 1881, the Bloody Point lighthouse marked a portion of the Savannah ship channel, a critical part in southeastern trade in early US history.

This structure is technically the lighthouse keeper's cottage.

Before 1921, there was a 110-foot spire directly behind the cottage, but unfortunately, advancements in technology led to the structure being repurposed and dismantled.

The cottage now serves as a museum and gift shop for visitors offering a glimpse of early sea island life.

♪ Further north, the Haig Point Lighthouse was constructed in 1873 to aid in the navigation of the Calibogue Sound and to help with safe passage between Port Royal Harbor and the Savannah River.

Local legend has it that this lighthouse may have a ghostly occupant.

According to the story, a young woman fell in love with a naval engineer who worked on the lighthouse.

Unfortunately, the romance was short-lived when the engineer suddenly departed one day after work.

Marooned with a broken heart, her spirit still waits for her beloved to return.

Today, the lighthouse accommodates guests at Haig Point, but don't be alarmed if you decide to stay the night.

According to reports, this ghost is a friendly one.

♪ Near the lighthouse, you'll come across a few concrete structures that once served as slave quarters.

These ruins are built with Tabby, a building material made from burning oyster shells and mixing water, sand, and ash.

In the early development of Daufuskie, plantation owners cultivated sea island cotton, a highly sought-after fabric in Europe.

During the Civil War, the Union presence around the Savannah River caused these plantation owners to flee and their land was confiscated.

Freed slaves would then occupy this land and due to its remoteness, communities like the Gullah-Geechee thrived.

In fact, the Gullah Historic District of the island has remained relatively untouched for over a hundred years, containing 18 historic and architecturally significant properties.

There are also a total of 167 homes, predominantly scattered across the oak-wooded areas of the island's west side.

Something noticeable about these homes is they all seem to share the same color scheme.

This pale shade of blue green is known as "haint blue."

Originally made by mixing indigo with paint, it has become an established practice of the Gullah-Geechee.

According to tradition, haint blue mimicked the sky and water where unwanted spirits cannot pass.

As a result, porches, doors, and windows are all painted in this stylish and protective coating.

There are not many places in South Carolina that offer such a broad range of history and natural beauty.

Daufuskie Island's pristine shores and remarkable attractions truly make it an island of wonders.

♪ Luckily, in South Carolina, you don't have to be on the coast to enjoy the water.

For our last adventure, let's take a look at some of the state's northern most lakes and the mountains surrounding it.

♪ soft piano ♪ <birds chirping> <water rushing> Formed nearly 250 million years ago, the Appalachian Mountain range could have easily been as tall as the modern Himalayas.

Time slowly weathered down these goliaths into the rounded mountains we have today, but their beauty has lost none of its potency.

Luckily, these aged peaks stretch down far enough to encompass a small region of our state known as the Blue Ridge Mountains.

One distinctly shaped mountain has caught the eye of natives and travelers throughout time.

♪ ♪ drums beating ♪ Prior to European settlement, this area was home to part of the lower Cherokee Nation.

The Cherokee called the region "Sah-ka-na-ga" or Great Blue Hills of God."

Table Rock is said to have acquired its name from a Cherokee story in which the flat top summit was used as a table for the Great Spirit to eat his meals.

Standing at 3,124 feet, the granite dome peak of Table Rock is surrounded by two other named mountains.

Stool Mountain also received it's name from the Cherokee legend as it was necessary for the Great Spirit to have a seat while enjoying his meal.

Directly west, Pinnacle Mountain's peak juts out above the surrounding range.

It is the second tallest mountain in South Carolina, falling short of Sassafras Mountain by just 139 feet.

♪ ♪ ambient music ♪ Within Table Rock state park, there are two bodies of water located at the base of the mountain offering spectacular views, the closest of which is Pinnacle Lake.

At the right angle, the mountain range is brilliantly reflected off of the lake, making it one of the most breathtaking views in South Carolina.

Directly behind Pinnacle, Lake Oolenoy's 67 acres of pristine water provide a multitude of outdoor recreations.

There are also a total of six hiking trails within the park of varying difficulty.

Luckily, you don't have to travel far to feel like an outdoorsman within the oak-hickory forest.

<water rushing> <birds chirping> Carrick Creek Falls is found less than 100 yards from the starting point of the Nature Center, an easy trip for your nature fix.

For the more experienced hikers, you can reach the summits of both Pinnacle and Table Rock Mountain for an amazing view of the 3000 acre preserve and beyond.

Whether it's the woods with ancient memory or the bluish haze of the crimson peaks, there's something magical about Table Rock Mountain.

A "great spirit" indeed lies within.

For more episodes of From The Sky, be sure to visit scetv.org/fromthesky and tell us where we should visit next.

Also, be sure to visit our Facebook at SCETV and tell us what you think of a series using hashtag From The Sky.

Well from everyone at South Carolina ETV, I'm Ned Garnier and remember, the view is always better from the sky.

♪ closing music ♪ ♪ ♪ This is literally the most outdoorsy I have ever been in my life.

< laughs > ♪ This is our town.

This is our town.

♪ Salutations and welcome everyone!

♪ Food is Southern culture.

♪ When I think of southern cuisine, I think it's just filled with flavor, filled with love.

♪ If South Carolina was a dish, it would be a tomato sandwich.

We have really hung our hats on that too.

< laughs >