Many Beaufortonians consider the Richard V. Woods Memorial Bridge as Beaufort’s most iconic landmark as it was featured in Forrest Gump. The bridge’s namesake was a South Carolina Highway Patrol Officer who was shot in the heat of a burglary pursuit. He was only 34 years old. The bridge is the last standing of the 3 swing bridges of Beaufort County. James F. Byrnes Crossing was the bridge that connected Hilton Head Island to Bluffton until 1982. The Harbour Island Bridge has been replaced more recently (2021). 
Although the function of the Richard V. Woods Memorial Bridge has been a nuance to me at times, I hope the iconic swing bridge remains in Beaufort for many more years if for no other reason than to see tourists’ reactions upon seeing the bridge turning. The morning I took this picture I almost hit snooze on my alarm clock partially out of discouragement of the recent sunsets I had shot at. Once I dragged myself to The Waterfront Park, I was treated to the best sunrise I had witnessed in a long time. This image was one of the first images that I captured for Homeland – Beaufort County and encouraged me to stay dedicated to the project.