The island was full of spring: new growth, pine pollen gushing off the trees in clouds, banks of jessamine brightening the forest roads. For a brief island visit, one moment trumped all: a crack off in the forest wetland, a splash and lively swim by a suspected alligator, rushing along with head held above the duck weed covered water. But alligators
History holds court at Hampton Plantation, one of the many outposts of the Rice Kingdom. A colonial era Big House with tours, fine grounds and gardens, historic visits by famous Americans (George Washington, Francis Marion), famous residents Eliza Lucas Pinckney and Archibald Rutledge (the first SC poet laureate) – all these elements and more
Beneath the surface Read More »
I requested a brief report from my friend Will Christenson on his two day bird survey with David McLean and Kathy Greider on Bull Island. It just so happened that their planned survey of the island coincided with the coldest weather of this winter – an Arctic blast that had lows in the teens and highs
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
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
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
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
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
Rainbow in the morning… Read More »
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
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
Receiving far more Read More »
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
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. Ice across from Atlantic Highlands to Sandy Hook.
