South Carolina’s Estuaries. 6 '07

Pawleys Island Marsh

One of the things that attracted us to South Carolina was its estuary rich environment. The entire coast is lined with them, and most appear healthy.   In California we had been docents for the Friends of Newport Back Bay and for the California Fish and Game.  Knowing  the what the lack of estuaries on the west coast  is doing to our migrating birds  and fish populations, has only added to our appreciation of the importance of these ecosystems.  

South Carolina Estuaries take two forms: fresh water and salt water.   The salt- water form is caused by tidal input from the Atlantic Ocean, and the fresh from the huge muddy rivers which flow into the lowlands before meeting the Ocean.   Of course the two inter-mingle at some point, but before they do, there are some very distinct differences.  You can be certain we will write more on this topic in the future.

Cat-tail and alligators are to be found in the freshwater.

One of Pawleys Plantation Alligators

Low tide on the salt water marshes expose huge Oyster beds 

 Oyster Beds at Hobcaw Barony