Lands End overlooks Winyah Bay, a most unique spot on the Eastern seaboard where four rivers converge and flow into the Atlantic Ocean. The Sampit River, Black River, Pee Dee River, Waccamaw River and Winyah Bay were named for local Indian tribes.
Legend says the Spanish first settled the bay area. History records the arrival of the English before 1700 and the establishment of Georgetown on Winyah Bay around 1734. As merchants and planters prospered, river traffic increased and Georgetown became a busy port-of-call. Indigo was the first big crop in the 1800's and when rice plantations flourished, the rivers became water highways transporting nearly half the rice crop in America.
With the coming of the twentieth century, lumber and rice traded filled the bay with tall masted ships and river steamers. Boats named "Cornwallis" and "Commanche" ferried folks across Winyah for a summer at Pawleys Island. In the thirties, the Intracoastal Waterway was built and boats could travel north and south along the protected path of the "Big Ditch." As part of the Intracoastal Waterway, Waccamaw River and the Winyah Bay offers vistas of ever-changing seasons.
Today, as in the past, blue crabs, oysters, shrimp and clams is as much a form of fun as livelihood in these waters. Fishing is abundant for flounder, trout, channel bass, rockfish and blackfish. Sturgeon spawning in the rivers yield delectable caviar.
The closeness of the Gulf Stream makes sportsfishing popular too. Chartering a boat from Georgetown Landing Marina allows even a novice angler the thrill of hooking a blue marlin or sailfish. Dolphin, swordfish, king mackerel, wahoo, cobia and yellowfin tuna are also coveted catches.
While many prize these fish as trophies, many also appreciate the delicate flavors of these fruits of the sea. At Lands End, we select and serve only the freshest catch of the day from the ocean as well as the rivers and bay. Using Lowcountry recipes and ingredients, Lands End prepares its catch as dishes pleasing to the most discerning people. To complement the cuisine, Lands End also offers a magnificent view of Winyah Bay.