The Bluffton Oyster Company, situated along the May River in Beaufort County, is famous for its long history of catching and selling some of the finest seafood in the Lowcountry.

Tyrone’s Porch, pictured above, was built as a memorial to Tyrone Smith, a young oysterman who tragically lost his life while collecting oysters for the company.

Tides run high during much of South Carolina‘s oyster season, when the winds and temperatures can be biting – especially during the cold winter months of November through March. Oystermen plod through thick mud and frigid waters searching for the razor-sharp shellfish. The conditions can be dangerous at times, but most pickers are highly experienced, and many have been oystering for much of their lives.