SANTEE - Despite the much-talked-about economic downturn over the past year, tourist and recreational officials here say visitors continue to stream - or in some cases trickle in - to the "Oasis of Recreation" for its boating, golfing and fishing.

"It is picking up," said Lillieanne Pritcher, manager of the Lake Marion Resort and Marina in Santee. "January and February we saw a downfall, but we are full this weekend."

Pritcher said all 12 rental units as well as camping sites are booked solid for the Memorial Day weekend, the unofficial traditional kickoff of the summer.

For Pritcher, the large crowds are welcome news after a sluggish first two months.

"I really think nobody knew what was going to happen," Pritcher said. "The economy was bad and people were wanting to hold on to what they had. They were scared about the economy and the changing of the president. Everybody was kind of waiting to see what would happen."

But since March, Pritcher said there has been a noticeable turnaround.

"The economy has picked up and that is why we have picked up," she said, noting the resort's campgrounds particularly have become a popular destination. "Camping is probably a cheaper way of living because of rate increases with electricity, food, water and rent."

Pritcher also cited Santee's location near the interstate and recreational opportunities seem to attract visitors all up and down the East Coast no matter the economy.

"Santee is halfway between the north and Florida," she said. "You get those people who are traveling ... usually stop in Santee to sleep. It is their halfway distance stop."

While the Lake Marion Resort is seeing an increase in activity, Capt. Steve Shipley, 16-year owner of Ships Guide Service in Santee, says fishing has never been better, but business has.

"I should be getting out five or six days a week," Shipley said. "I am lucky to see two or three days. It is about half of what I should be getting."

Shipley said with business cut in half - which he does blame on the economy - out-of-towners have seemed to be less willing to travel the long distances.

"Regulars keep coming back, but we are not getting a whole lot of new ones," he said. "We need some business. It has been a big slowdown for me. You get some dry periods and hope somebody calls."

Despite the challenges, Shipley said the recent rains have helped spike water levels and helped the fish population.

"The fishing has been great," he said, explaining that he has been averaging about 100 pounds and even 200-pound catches.

At the Santee Cooper Country tourism office, Shirley Wyndham, clerical information specialist, said the office has been buzzing with activity, really year-round as many Canadian snow birds fly down South to flee the chill.

"All the cold months they are here," Wyndham said, where Santee's golf courses serve as an outdoor reprieve from the snow and ice-bound neighbors north of the border. "We get a lot of Canadians. It is too cold to golf where they are from."

Wyndham said Santee Cooper conducts travel shows to Canada, West Virginia, Ohio, North Carolina and Georgia, where it promotes the Santee Cooper lakes.

"It is a resort town," she said, explaining that the only difference she sees this year from past is that more people seem to be traveling shorter distances and staying making a day or a weekend trip.

A look at the tourist signing book still reveals a robust list of names.

"We have some people from Switzerland," Wyndham said. "They are all coming to our lakes. Nobody knows what next year holds, but hopefully we can keep all of this up."

Todd Miller, Santee Cooper Country Club golf professional and manager, said overall business during the club's peak season of March, April and May has been down about 5 percent compared to previous years.

"That is not too bad for us," Miller said, noting that other clubs are being hit a lot harder.

Miller cited the club's reasonable pricing structure as helping it remain a popular destination.

"We are still a heck of a deal," he said, explaining that food, lodging and golf can all be had for under $100 a day. "People have scaled back a little bit."

Miller said he has seen an increase in tourists from neighboring states, particularly from North Carolina.

"Everybody is just traveling a little less and not quite as far and saving on the traveling expenses," he said. "But we are not all gloom and doom like a lot of them are. We are still getting most of the play even though people are not spending as much on site. The snack bar and pro shop sales are down. Overall, we are not worried."

Nathan Maiwald, Santee State Park manager, said the park's 30 cabins are full through the weekend, though summer capacity is still down a little from last year.

"The higher the gas prices go up, the more difficult things get," Maiwald said. "That is what our occupancy goes by. When people have to fork out more money for gas, they can't do what they want to do."

With gasoline prices up 26 cents since Easter according to AAA Carolinas, Maiwald said if prices continue to rise he expects activity to also slow with more of a concentration of local visitors.

"Gas prices effect people's budget," noting that even now week-long stays at the park are relatively rare.

Haven Barnhill, wildlife biologist at the Santee National Wildlife Refuge, located off Interstate 95 in North Santee, said "we are staying real busy."

"It is an important destination for many people," Barnhill said. "The refuge is open year-round."

Barnhill said spring particularly is a hot time.

This year has not been any different.

"In the springtime, we have lots of visitors interested in bird watching," he said. "This is a very important winter bird destination."

Just last month, he said the refuge hosted the Santee Birding and Nature Festival. About 150 attended the festival.

"They stayed in the local community ... and participated in the various activities that are important to the local economy in Santee," he said.

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T&D Staff Writer Gene Zaleski can be reached by e-mail at gzaleski@timesanddemocrat.com or by phone at 803-533-5551. Discuss this and other stories online at TheTandD.com

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