Posted in South Carolina September 26, 2016 by

Most People Don’t Realize South Carolina Has An Inland Sea And It’s Truly Beautiful

When it comes to outdoor recreation, South Carolina pretty much has it all. In under four hours you can four-wheel your way off a mountain in the upstate and be on a beach somewhere on the other side of the state. But did you know the Palmetto State has an “inland sea?” If not, then don’t feel bad, because you’re not alone.

We’re aware that these uncertain times are limiting many aspects of life as we all practice social and physical distancing. While we’re continuing to feature destinations that make our state wonderful, we don’t expect or encourage you to go check them out immediately. We believe that supporting local attractions is important now more than ever and we hope our articles inspire your future adventures! And on that note, please nominate your favorite local business that could use some love right now: https://www.onlyinyourstate.com/nominate/
It may not be as large as Lake Superior, or Lake Huron, or Lake Michigan, but South Carolina's Lake Marion is indeed known as the "inland sea."
Wikimedia Commons/Iempleh
Google Maps
And with a little more than 171 square miles, it's a fitting moniker for this massive and truly stunning body of water.
Flickr/Rain0975
The "inland sea" was created in 1941 when the Santee River was dammed to create a hydro electric facility.
Flickr/Rain0975
But the dam was closed off before the lake was finished being cleared.
TripAdvisor/Mac C
Flickr/Rain0975
This resulted in many stumps and trees just under the surface. Some, especially cypress, actually thrive in the lake waters, making this "inland sea" even more stunning.
Flickr/Duane Burdick
And the fishermen? They love all the natural habitats provided by the erroneously early flooding that occurred here nearly 75 years ago when the earthen Santee Dam was closed off too soon.
YouTube/bwqk1278
According to Wikipedia, the largest Large Mouth Bass in the state (16.2lbs) was tamed here at Lake Marion.
YouTube/Czech_Mate
An enormous body of water, Lake Marion touches five of South Carolina's 46 counties.
TripAdvisor/Melinda G
Santee State Park is a great place to start your exploration of South Carolina's "inland sea."
TripAdvisor/Mac C
The park has a great campground right on the lake, plus affordable cabin rentals.
TripAdvisor/Faith N
Flickr/Allen Forrest
South Carolina has an infinite number of stunning places to explore.
Flickr/James Williams
Did you know she also had an "inland sea?"

For more information about Santee State Park or the programs offered at the park, click here.