… The Canoe Club Restaurant Grand Opening will be held on Friday, May 23 from 4 to 7 p.m. The celebration will feature live music, food, drinks and tours of this brand-new dining and canoe/kayak storage facility overlooking the May River. Please RSVP to Nick Dennis (843.706.6603, email).

… The Canoe Club Pool and Fitness Center will also host a Grand Opening event, on Saturday, May 24 from noon to 3 p.m., but the complex will be available for use beginning May 17. Daily hours of operation will be as follows: Pool – 8 a.m. to dusk, Fitness Center – 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Yoga classes will be held at 9 a.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. A fitness class schedule is still being determined – stay tuned for details.

… Memorial Day Weekend, in addition to the Canoe Club events, offers a variety of other recreational and social activities. For the complete schedule, click here.

… Charles Huggins is the new Director of Security for Palmetto Bluff. A former Lieutenant with the South Carolina State Law Enforcement Division (SLED), Charles brings more than 27 years of law enforcement and investigative experience to Palmetto Bluff. He looks forward to meeting and getting to know property owners in the coming weeks and months.

… New residents (full-time and part-time) are asked to notify the Security Team and the Property Owners Association when they move in. The POA arranges garbage pickup and, if applicable, landscape services and a post office or neighborhood kiosk mailbox. The POA may be contacted at 843.706.6025 and Security is available at 843.706.6000.

… Fine Furniture Galleries/Coastal Living Interiors will be the second shop to open in Boat House Row. The Bluffton-based business offers an eclectic mix of classically styled upholstered and leather pieces, as well as an impressive array of accessories. Fine Furniture Galleries/Coastal Living Interiors joins Michael Rainey Antiques, a specialty shop featuring 18th-century and early 19th-century American furniture and associated decorative objects. Both stores’ hours of operation are 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday through Sunday.

… The Gallery has closed its location in the Post Office building and relocated to Hilton Head Island. For information on the Gallery’s inventory, call 843.842.4433 or visit morris-whiteside.com. The vacated space in the Post Office will be converted to house the Palmetto Bluff Conservancy.

… The Conservancy’s Turtle Mark-Recapture Workshop is May 2-3. Property owners are invited to participate in this project, designed to identify, count and determine the population structure of turtle species in our ponds. On Friday, participants will set “hoop” traps for turtles beginning at 10 a.m. Saturday’s outing begins at 8 a.m. and will involve measuring and marking the turtles (a harmless technique called “shell notching” that will allow the turtle to be identified if it is ever caught again). Participants are encouraged to attend both sessions if possible – RSVP to Kimberly Andrews at 843.706.6032.

… Turtles will also be the subject of the First Friday event on May 2. The program will feature a discussion and demonstrations by turtle biologist Judy Greene of the Savannah River Ecology Laboratory. The event begins at 6:00 p.m. on the lawn next to the Chapel. No RSVP is necessary.

… A Kentucky Derby Social will be held for property owners at the Canoe Club Restaurant on Saturday, May 3 from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. Please RSVP to Nick Dennis (843.706.6603, email).

… RT’s Market will host a Wine Tasting on Friday, May 9 from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. The featured wines will include the 2007 Manta Sauvignon Blanc from Chile’s Central Valley. To read a review by property owner Scott Stein, click here. For more information on the event, call RT’s at 843.706.3448.

… Saturday, May 10 marks the launch of Coffee with the GM, an informal monthly gathering to discuss individual concerns or issues with Trip Shine regarding the Palmetto Bluff Club. In addition, Club members will have the opportunity to meet some of the Palmetto Bluff Club department heads. Coffee with the GM will take place at the Canoe Club Restaurant from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. on the second Saturday of each month.

… The Wilson Lawn & Racquet Club will serve as a host to the USCA Southeast Regional Croquet Tournament. Clinics will be held at WLRC on May 11-12 (8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m.) and May 13 (8:30 a.m. – noon) and competition dates are May 14 through May 17, from 8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m. daily. United States Croquet Association members from southeastern states will vie for singles and doubles championships in four flights. For more information, call 843.706.6635.

… A Property Owner Grace Cruise will take place on Friday, May 16 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. RSVP by May 14 to Nick Dennis (843.706.6603, email).

… Winemaker Dave Miner will be the featured guest for a Wine Dinner at Moreland Landing on May 21. Miner Family Vineyards is a dynamic Napa Valley winery known for its powerhouse reds and untamed whites that are pure and distinctly true to the varietals. The Miner Wine Dinner begins at 7 p.m. Cost is $125 per person plus tax and gratuity. To make reservations, please call 843.706.6542. For more details on the Inn’s wine program, click here.

… The spring Homeowners Habitat Review Workshop, originally scheduled for May 8-9, has been rescheduled for Wednesday, May 21 and Thursday, May 22. All property owners are encouraged to attend one of these events, which is designed to foster a greater understanding of the Palmetto Bluff environment and how they fit into it. For a PDF file of the itinerary, click here. Please RSVP by May 19 to Kimberly Andrews (843.706.6032, email).

… A Property Owner Orientation will be held on Friday, May 23 at the River House. Attendees will gain a greater understanding of the Palmetto Bluff Club, Conservancy, Property Owners Association, Inn and May River Golf Club, as well as an update on current and upcoming developments. A continental breakfast will be available beginning at 9 a.m. The program begins at 10 a.m., followed by lunch at noon. An optional Open House will be held at the Design Review Center from 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Please RSVP by May 21 to Allen Allnoch (843.706.6024, email).

… Interested in cruising the Amazon River? On Friday, May 30, the Conservancy will host a meet-and-greet and informational session on its 2009 Amazon Riverboat Voyage, scheduled for January 16-25 in partnership with AAA Vacations and International Expeditions. The session, which begins at 5:30 p.m. in the Post Office building, will also give attendees the opportunity for input on the new Conservancy center in that space.

… Tickets for Tyler Florence’s Palmetto Bluff Lowcountry Celebration are on sale. Sponsored by Coastal Living magazine, the November 21-23 event will feature cooking demos, Lowcountry cuisine, live music, food and wine tastings with guest chefs, vintners and brewers from around the region, mixology demonstrations and more. To purchase tickets, go to www.musictoyourmouth2008.com. (Note: All bookings must be made online.) Questions? Click here to email.

… Atlanta photographer John Folsom has created a show, “Lure of the Lowcountry,” comprised entirely of images shot at Palmetto Bluff. The images are on display at Atlanta’s Fay Gold Gallery through May 10. For details, visit johnfolsomonline.com.

… Longfield Stables is offering private carriage tours on Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays (with 24 hours notice). These custom-tailored rides are a great way to see the 173-acre complex. Facility tours are also available by appointment. Call 843.706.9559 for reservations, or click here for more information on carriage tours.

… Have you taken advantage of your Member Rate – $350 on cottage rooms – at the Inn lately? Upcoming available dates include May 18-23 and May 26-June 1. Call 866.706.6565 for reservations.

… Submissions are being accepted for the 2008 Property Owner Photo Contest. Photos will be judged on composition, image, landscape quality, creativity and lighting. Images should depict scenes on or in the immediate vicinity of Palmetto Bluff. Click here to submit photos digitally (ideally at a resolution of 300 dpi), or mail prints, CDs and DVDs to Allen Allnoch, 147 Old Palmetto Bluff Road, Bluffton, SC 29910. The deadline is June 30, 2008.

… The Conservancy is participating in a USDA study on the invasive gypsy moth, the most significant defoliator of trees in the eastern U.S. Property owners are invited to participate in this research and learn how to help prevent local outbreaks as a detection program is implemented around Palmetto Bluff. Contact Kimberly Andrews (843.706.6032, email) for more information.

… The May River Golf Course will be closed for maintenance from June 2 through noon on June 6. The pro shop, practice area and May River Grill will remain open during this time.

… Bicycles on loan from the Carriage House are intended for short-term use. The model of bike used by the Recreation Department is available for purchase – call 843.706.6608 for details.

Questions and comments: Contact Allen Allnoch at 843.706.6024 or ahallnoch@crescent-resources.com

Visit palmettobluffonline.com for additional details on life and events at the Bluff.