All elements had marched together toward this Saturday morning. Outgoing tide low at 11, NE wind 10 knots, and the day warming up to sixty degrees. After a week of days not getting much warmer than the low forties, and an absence of sun until Friday, this day boded well. Despite the cold start still below forty, I arrived at the landing sometime after 7, looking to latch Continue reading
This December 21st, the winter solstice of 2014 started out as a gray day. On my early morning run the landing told the same tale with waters reflecting the gray sky,and a northeast wind enhancing the gray atmosphere. 
The winds, and that specific calendar day, inspired me Continue reading
The final leg to Cataloochee Valley from outside Great Smoky Mountains National Park presented a challenging drive up Cove Creek Road, demanding an unwavering focus, faith, and resistance to the impulse Continue reading
I have been visited by unwelcome visitors recently in an array of forms. Bothersome pains, old and new. Worries, anxieties and fears that inhabit the mind, and spill over though one’s being. Nagging pains, nagging doubts, unconsciously and consciously making their presence known; concerns Continue reading
On the Bull Island ferry Caretta, we headed south down the waterway toward the southern end of the island. Our passengers included myself as a guide for our beach walk, 21 walkers, our captain Chris Crolley, his wife Kari (and her sister) along with their daughter Olivia, on her maiden voyage on Caretta.
Thunderstorms loomed Continue reading
Sunrise, a light but steady northwest wind, a falling tide pulling the waters out of the marshes toward Bulls Bay and the Atlantic. These were the signs on my early morning run to the landing, all pointing toward a passage out to Bull Island. Kingfisher was launched and we were sailing at 7:45 to Andersonville Creek and Bulls Bay. The NW wind allowed Continue reading
Loaded on Caretta, our group of twenty-seven hardy souls began our cruise south toward the drop on the southern tip of Bull Island. It was a cooler morning than some of our group anticipated. We gave a cold morning benchmark that our captain Chris Crolley and participant Gary Weart had experienced on the pre-dawn boat ride Continue reading
Strong northeast winds energized the sail out to Bull Island following a late start after noon. The following days would find a turn of the winds to the southwest and southern warmth flowing into the Lowcountry. This day was found to be windier, colder, and wetter than anticipated. Once in the Bay, headed to the Northeast Point, I found myself in a thrash Continue reading
New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania were a frozen world. Fields were snow covered, the air was frosty, and waters were iced over. Here is a sampling.
Venturing into the Santee Delta, I would neither be on Kingfisher or solo. I would again borrow a canoe, a Nova 17. from my friend Chris Crolley. After several years discussion, joining me on the trip was Ian Sanchez, a man of many talents Continue reading
A cool winter morning helped me leave the highways of the Carolinas for the waterways of Cape Romain and the destination of Bull Island. Winds were northeast, and boded a stronger flow later. It was smooth heading out Andersonville Creek: relatively still waters accompanied by the drone of barrier island surf sounding over the marshes. The waters were not as glassy as at sunrise in the past month, where swaths of clouds and sky shone in the Waterway. 
We took a sharp right at the Shark Hole Continue reading
Sunday morning was a time to Fall Back. I used the opportunity of the hour of extra-time to launch Kingfisher for a sail out to the Northeast Point of Bull Island. I was prepared to get wet Continue reading
