Kayaking Hobcaw Barony 7 '09

Today we signed up for a group kayak tour of Hobcaw Barony's tidal creeks

 Our group met at the visitor center  near Highway 17.  From there, one of the guides drove us in a van to clam bank landing, 

 and received some basic instruction from the other guide on how to handle a kayak in tidal current.

Then we were off.  It was leisurely  paddle as the  mid tide was high and was flowing  gently toward the Ocean.  It carried us along without much effort.  All we had to do was steer clear of the cord-grass &;  mudflats

( Above my coworker Sue and her sister Pat coming ashore. Below: Sue) 

 We kayaked until we came to the leeward side of the last sandbar between  the Atlantic Ocean and Winyah Bay

Everyone beached their kayaks  and dragged them firmly up onto the beach behind the dunes so they couldn't float away.

 Above: Bruce and guide on beach

Below:  Pat and Sue on the beach

   We were  on a private island which  is off limits to anyone who does not have permission from Hobcaw Barony.  We took a long stroll on the beach facing the Atlantic Ocean. I have grown accustomed to how empty of people South Carolina's beaches can be during the off season, but this was different .  Not only were we the only people, it was completely devoid of all evidence of humanity.  On the barrier island, where you can see for miles, and there is not one man made element in the entire viewshed. I love that about this place. I could watch the play of light on the water, feel the texture of the sand, and know that those things would have been experienced in exactly the same way by colonists who lived here in the 1660s. it was an  odd feeling and even a little lonely.

After an hour of lunch and rest, it was time to kayak back to the landing.Unfortunately the return trip was not nearly so easy as the paddle out.  The tide had  fully turned, and had I not had Bruce to paddling with me, I don't know if I would have been strong enough to overcome the swift current working against us. 

Farmers' Market in East Bay Park '7 '09

One of the joys of living in South Carolina is how fresh the food is.  There seems to be a farm truck stand  or fresh shrimp vendor on every corner.  But we found a new  place to get really fresh food today.  The Farmers Market in East Bay Park in Georgetown, SC attracts farmers and specialty food vendors from all over the county.

But we found a new  place to get really fresh food today.  The Farmers Market in East Bay Park in Georgetown, SC attracts farmers and specialty food vendors from all over the county. 

It doesn't get any fresher than this unless you grow and pick it yourself

The McClellans visit SC 7 '09

My daughter, Laura, her husband David, and our two grandsons came for a brief visit. this week. By the time they arrived, they had already spent two weeks vacationing in Florida, and were exhausted.  As Ryan put it " Too much vacation, Grandma."  Poor babies!

 By the next morning everyone felt a lot more rested so we took off to explore the area

First stop was She Sells Sea Shells where I work part time.  The boys loved the place and I bought them each a bag of shells to take home as a souvenier.

Then we went to Pawleys Island North where we collected so  shells from the beach and played in the warm waves

By that time it was really hot, so we went to Georgetown  to get an ice-cream cone.

We also toured the shrimp docks and bought some fresh shrimp for dinner

 Unfortunately the visit was all too short  and soon it was time to take them back to the airport tocatch their flight home. I  made sure I left enough time to  let them take a quick driving tour of McClellanville.  David was thrilled when I gave him a book about the history of the town

Bye Guys.  We will really miss you!

BJ Rescues a Grasshopper on PI 7 '09

Bruce left his sandals on  the high point of a sand bar on Pawleys Island  while he went wading today.  By the time he returned, the tide had come in and his  sandals were now sitting on very small island.  

A small grass hopper had become trapped on the island and taken refuge from the approaching tide atop Bruce's sandal.

  Bruce coached the happless creature onto his finger then released it  in the sea oats beyond the hight tide line

He's such a nature lover.