Rediscovering Shipyard (from 2017)

While cleaning through old files, we were able to find an article written by Dave Humphrey on 3/24/2017. It is always a joy finding things from the past. It causes us to reflect on where we came from and to appreciate where we are now. The article below was published in The Anchor and to find more past editions click here.

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SHIPYARD -A UNIQUE COMMUNITY

By Dave Humphrey

Ask a Shipyard resident why they chose to live in Shipyard and you would get answers that are strikingly similar. Many cite the temperate climate. Some say it’s the beach. Others talk about the picturesque landscape and laid-back coastal lifestyle. However, most all say it’s the unique community of 27 distinct neighborhoods.

How did they get here? Again, the responses could be interchanged. Most say they came to Hilton Head and discovered Shipyard through a villa rental. Those
vacation rentals later became more permanent when homes were purchased -many for retirement.
A good example of “Why Shipyard” is Joyce Gentile who, with husband Paul, lives part of the year in
Pittsburgh. Joyce says “As retirement approached, we talked about buying a place to enjoy warmer winters. Shipyard, we felt, was the most desirable place because of its size and location.”

“Shipyard had a warm and welcoming feel, beach access, a resort hotel and the yet residential advantage of a small town. It was central to all the amenities of the Island, had two gates, and fire, EMS and security within immediate reach. We saw the clubhouse as potentially providing a sense of community, and we were absolutely right.” The Beachwalk resident added “The decision to try a vacation a little further south so many years ago has certainly proved to be a life changer.” 

Betsy and Bill Papale came to Shipyard from Philadelphia. Bill says “We like the semi-tropical surroundings,” and he paints quite a landscape picture as he talks about “the stately Spanish Moss-draped Live Oak trees, tall pines, attractive flowering plants, ponds and lagoons and the variety of interesting wildlife.” But, more importantly, he adds, “We’ve found new friends and neighbors who also enjoy this first-class community.” Another Shipyard booster is Don Manak who noted the “affordable choices in housing, the beach club, its activities and the men’s and women’s clubs. Manak and many others talked about the overall size of Shipyard compared to the other plantations. Don, who lives in The Greens, called it “more of a neighborhood feeling.” The common threads at Shipyard appears to be good neighbors, interesting activities, a great beach and tropical surroundings. Certainly, a unique community. This article is The first in a series planned for future editions of The Anchor. The writer is Dave Humphrey who lives in Residential South.