We had told our neighbors about the “SHAG DANCE” and how we ventured into a dance club while living for nine months in North Myrtle Beach, S.C.
You walk through the “JUKE BOX DOORS” into the past – the 40s – 50s – 60s – 70s – 80s – 90s and still going strong in the 2000s!!!!
Over 80 years – a dance was born in this area – from rhythm and blues – swing – jitterbug and rock and roll all wrapped up in one called “THE SHAG”!
You look up at the water tower and a couple is dancing – and “FAR HAROLDS” is THE CLUB!
The past 80 years are on the walls in pictures – plaques – trophies – name plates on the bar top –
a dance floor with one wall covered with ceiling-to-floor mirrors!
And – we arrived at 6:30pm. thinking we could just walk in and get a table!
It was STANDING ROOM only!
A small portion of the people in the club – and another back room and bar was closed!
6:30 pm. WEDNESDAY night and dozens of folks were dancing the night away –
you could not walk on the dance floor!
I took this picture between songs and a break – if you look toward the right side back of the room –
you can see the control room of the DJ and this was being broadcast live on 94.9 THE SURF –
the classics and beach music station on NMB!
We brought our neighbors Bill and Marcea –
and before we left – it was can we come back and take dance lessons!!!!
Papa – Bill – Marcea – Sherry at “FAT HAROLDS”! Note the pictures on the wall – Shag competitions over the years – they have a week of Shag Dancing every four months all over the town –
Live music in all the clubs.
Stay tuned for DANCE LESSONS – learning how to do the”SHAG DANCE at FAT HAROLDS BEACH CLUB”
PAPA’S WORLD – SOMEWHERE NEAR THE BEACH IS A CLUB – FAT HAROLDS!!!!!!
Just a little over a month later from our New Years Eve beach gathering and toast to 2021
We once again were back to see the sunset – only it was windy and cold –
far from the 65 degrees of NYE!
The approaching sunset peeking through the trees!
Papa – Diane and Sherry
We first parked and walked to the end of the street – here the last of the end of the houses –
and this then begins Bird Island – marshland protected and wide-open beach.
Our neighbor Diane
The tide was going out!
Here you see the last of the houses on the marsh and bayside – with the tide going out – This is the end of Sunset Beach and the beginning of Bird Island.
Sun setting – time to go to the beach.
This is where we gathered for NYE and drank a toast to 2021!
The pier and people walking the beach.
Sherry – braving the wind chill – it was cold.
As we looked out on the ocean – to think we can do this every night if we want to –
and there still is Ocean Isle Beach – living our dream.
One final look before we returned home – Sunset at SUNSET BEACH, N.C.
And the bonus – during our three mile plus walk everyday
half of that walk is on the beach!
Of course said walk comes after my morning cup of coffee!
Why for five months?
Because we do not know where we want to live
only that it will fall someplace
from here to the northern border of N.C.
We have always talked of this
But where ever we go – the criteria is twofold
We will try to stay within 7 hours of our families
in NVA.
And a place that is warm – no snow – and lots of golf!
We did not know at the time just how much Sherry would come to love this place!
Being here – it is warmer than where we lived in the winter
and we walk everyday –
hardly any traffic as we walk within a gated community –
until we cross a road to the beach.
And then after a 1/2 mile walk – we have this!
I LISTEN TO HER THOUGHTS!
She has leaned over to me and said
” I REALLY LOVE THIS WALK AND PLACE”!
A QUIET PLACE TO WORK ON HER PHONE!TOES IN THE SAND for me!WE HAVE SAVED – we have worked all our lives.We have found our quiet place – our love – and a place for family to enjoy.
We are close to the over seven hours for our trip back to NVA!
It was here or close to here that THE SHAG started!
It was a beach dance created in the ’40’s along this beach.
The first I believe was in Cherry Grove – but that club was wiped out
by a hurricane in the ’50’s!
Other clubs had formed over the years and along main street
in North Myrtle Beach was the hot spot for SHAGGING!
It grew so popular it spread all across the country and became the state dance!
Clubs were formed and it went worldwide.
Competitions were held and champions crowned!
It reminds me of the Jitter bug – Strolling – Swing – Dirty dancing – all rolled into one –
where you have contact almost 100 % of the time with your dance partner!
And – from what I could see – the age group was 40 to 80 years plus old!
CUTTING THE RUG!
It did not matter how old you were – they still danced and they were good!Sherry and I have walked by this building dozens of times – it was closed up – deserted looking!
Wondering what it was and if it was empty?
Then – listening to the radio station – 94.9 THE SURF – we found out!
On TV we found out!
FAT HAROLDS was reopening after being closed of over a year –
because of Covid19 and the Pandemic.
Which I found out hit this establishment really hard.
I was told that early on – a half dozen people passed away – having caught the virus here.
And – I could see why as it was the older generations who were dancing.
It caught them by surprise and they -the owners – shut it down.
But now it was back after the state reopened – and it was I learned a national landmark.
This is the third location – and has been here for twenty plus years – since the ’40’s!
World competitions – nationwide competitions – local – all held here or across main street
on the beach in a big stage and dance floor.
A view of one of two dance floors – four bars – one at the entrance – one on the main dance floor and two on the second dance floor in the rear.
There are hundreds of these signs of dance shag clubs all over the nation. And a tribute to the man who brought it to the forefront – FAT HAROLD! Who sadly passed away in 2015.The main bar on the dance floor number one – Fat Harold – was known all over the country and many pictures of him and famous performers hang from the walls. This was the spot where you came to dance for all these years!
On this single wall – dozens of pictures dedicated over the many – many years to DJ’s – radio – who spun the records to the SHAG! And radio hosts still do to this day.
It is a true living museum to the past 80 plus years!
Pictures – a Hollywood walk of fame throughout the sidewalks of main street honoring dancers from the past 60 years! With there names and year of dancing!
Fat Harold – known to the music world – and now the tradition continues with the reopening!
PAPA’S WORLD: livinglifedoingitmyway fitztdf@aol.com A day to remember – a visit to the reopening
OF FAT HAROLDS on Main Street – North Myrtle beach!
It was by accident that I found this place while searching for a place to live after selling our house!
I came across a picture of the view from the Lanai and we fell in love with it!
This is situated in North Myrtle Beach and we had no thought of coming here!
The plan was to find a home to buy or a lease –
planning on only being here for five months!
But – after searching and searching and visiting numerous homes – condo’s
And the housing market going up every day- it became apparent to us –
that maybe the best way was to find a model and build it our way!
Where we are staying is the building at the very beginning of the small lake – top floor – four stories -middle!
We found that we could build for almost the same price that we would buy –
and not have to do any renovations!
So – we extended our stay here until the end of June!
And hope that our build out of four to six months
would allow us time to enjoy what we have here!
From our condo – is 6/10 of a mile and we are standing on the beach!There are six pools here – a tennis – pickle ball court – a work out gym and a community center!
We walk the road every day past the pool straight to the beach entrance.
Cross two roads and are in the parking lot of Avenue six beach entrance!
Standing on the beach after a 12 minute walk!Early morning view from our Lanai – with views from both the master bedroom and the living room!
Thank you for reading Papa’s World – our stay in Ocean Keyes – North Myrtle Beach – S.C.
NO IT DOES NOT GET OLD!TWO AND ONE HALF MONTHS – WAKING UP TO THIS!
Every morning – the sunrise from our condo –
it paints a different sky each day.
I watch this as it develops each morning –
Sherry has the same view from our bedroom!
She has almost never seen the sunrise – but now she wakes up to this
and has almost trained herself to wake up to it!
Some days – we walk when we should of just stayed inside! LOL
Those days are mostly when the high winds are around.
One is because of the giant trees here!
They are high above our fourth floor condo!
And branches – even though small – come down!
We do not want to get hit by them!
The wind causing the sand to blow across the beach!You can see that when it is windy – very few people venture forth! The sand is blown across all but wiping out the footprints!
Papa and MorMor – we tried as you can see –
but the wind was so strong –
and the sand was stinging our faces!
We decided not to for go a walk here
and instead walked the sidewalks where it was bearable!
We returned to the condo after getting in our three mile
beach less walk!
There are days such as this that we also do our errands!
Or go to a late lunch early dinner
when no one is around
keeping social distance!
Back at the condo – we await the late show
not on TV but outside
once again in the dark sky
the rising of not the sun
but the full moon!
Both sun rise and moon lit nights from our own private Lanai!
Thank you for reading Papa’s World
WHERE FRIENDS MEET THE FAMILY
FAMILY MEETS FRIENDS!
FULL MOON FROM THE LANAI!All our decorations are in storage – so Sherry put together our own CHARLIE BROWN CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS
We have not had a really bad storm since we have been here!
It has rained hard once – the wind was somewhat strong once!
But – there have been storms way out on the Atlantic Ocean –
that have had a impact on the beaches!
You can see the effect of a storm out to Sea!
I have noticed the erosion of the beach –
the gentle slope is now much less
and it seems that the flat part of the beach
now extends further out!
Just the other side of this dune is almost gone – another big storm will most likely wash this away!This pier looks new but is missing a section at the far end. I do not know when this happened.Looking back toward the shorelineLooking out toward the oceanAnd along the side toward the missing section
The beach has changed since we first walked on it!
There are large tidal pools now when the tide goes out
that were not there before!
Maybe when we first walked – that was not the normal?
Where did this come from?Walking the flat beach now – more flat than before!
Storms out to sea – sending the huge waves pounding the shore!
At night and in the predawn
we can hear the surf –
One of the many storm drains from main street – we have seen them dig out with a back hole!Tidal pools now where before there were none!Sherry walking the tidal pools.
