With over 3 miles (5 km) of beachfront, Daufuskie is surrounded by the waters of Calibogue Sound, the Intracoastal Waterway and the Atlantic Ocean.

[3] Accessible only by ferry or barge, and with a full-time population of just over 400, Daufuskie Island contains environmental preserves, private communities, resorts, Gullah houses, diverse art galleries and history.

Daufuskie Island has been inhabited for thousands of years, as evidenced by ancient piles of discarded oyster shells exhibiting pottery shards from all phases of the hunter-gathering period.

The inevitable clash of cultures culminated with the so-called Yamasee uprising that consisted of three brutal battles on the southwestern shore of Daufuskie Island between 1715 and 1717 that gave this piece of land the name it still bears today, Bloody Point.

[12] The quest for religious freedom ultimately brought two European families to Daufuskie Island—the great-grandson of French Huguenot David Mongin, and the daughter of Italian Prince Filippo de Martinangelo who escaped the Inquisition.

[14] After the Revolution, Daufuskie thrived with the introduction of world-famous sea island cotton, a variety prized by European mills.

The building of American wooden tall ships triggered the demand for timber from live oak trees abundant on Daufuskie.

This hardwood species, unique to the southeastern coast, was prized by shipbuilders for its strength and resistance to rot, as well as its naturally curved limbs.

[16] Shipwrights traveled to Daufuskie and the lowcountry to fell the oaks, hew them, and lug the pieces by oxen to coastal landings.

[20] Three of the best-preserved, tabby-walled single slave dwellings still standing in Beaufort County can be found today at Haig Point.

Union troops on Daufuskie supported the siege and reduction of Fort Pulaski protecting the Savannah River entrance.

The lowcountry was remote until the mid-20th century, but the isolation of Daufuskie created the perfect climate for the language and manners of the Gullah people to remain remarkably well preserved.

This was followed by the Bloody Point Range Lights in 1883 built to assist ships approaching the Savannah River entrance.

[27] Electricity came to the island in 1953 and telephones in 1972;[28] however, with few opportunities for work, the population shrank to less than a hundred people, leaving a legacy of rich Gullah history.

“Daufuski” brand oysters with the distinctive Indian chief label were shipped worldwide, reportedly even enjoyed by Tsar Nicolas II of Russia.

The 1930s depression and World War II caused the oyster industry to decline as many left the island for better job opportunities.

New wage and hour laws increased labor costs, resulting in the cannery closing after the 1986 spring season.

About 100 residents live in a variety of accommodations, from cabins and small houses to waterfront homes with private docks.

According to a study conducted by the Savannah College of Art and Design, the island has excellent examples of Gullah homes that have not been altered.

[31] Daufuskie Island is an unincorporated community and census-designated place in Beaufort County, in the U.S. state of South Carolina.

[35] The island is home to the First Union African Baptist Church, which is Daufuskie's oldest building, and is still in use today as a place of worship.

The now-consistent police presence is resulting in an increased number of tickets and warnings for residents and visitors alike for golf cart registrations and open containers.

The Jimmy Buffett song "Prince of Tides" (from his 1988 album Hot Water) laments the development of Daufuskie and loss of the Gullah culture.

The novel was also produced as The Water Is Wide in 2006, a Hallmark Hall of Fame TV movie starring Jeff Hephner.

One episode of the National Geographic Channel television series Diggers (S2, E10; 2013) featured professional treasure hunters Tim Saylor and George "KG" Wyant visiting Daufuskie seeking pirates' gold.

The March 2014 issue of Architectural Digest magazine featured the Daufuskie part-time home of singer John Mellencamp.

Travel + Leisure magazine designated restaurant Marshside Mama's, at the County Landing on Daufuskie, as one of the "Ten Best Beach Bars" in America.