South Carolina

Locations:             McClellanville and Lake Marion
When:                   Mid January
Miles traveled:     653.5
Price of gas:         $3.05
Interest:               Cypress and Palmetto trees
High point:           Two sunny 72°F days!!
Low point:            Ferry only runs on Saturdays in January
One thing learned: I can accurately identify tree frogs.

 

End of Palmetto Trail

    After celebrating Christmas, New Year's, my mother's and grandmother's birthdays, it was time to head back on the road.  Desiring to be in warmer weather, I headed to South Carolina.  The few states between Maryland and South Carolina, will be tacked on to the end of my trip when I am next in the area.  Sticking with my maximum of driving ~5 hours in one day, it took two and a half days to reach McClellanville, SC near the coast.

    McClellanville is home to one end of the Palmetto Trail and Cape Romain National Wildlife Refuge. The Palmetto Trail, when finished, will be a continuous trail stretching 500 miles from one end of South Carolina to the other.  I did not realize that there are many states with cross-state trails available to hikers, bikers, and more.  I think it's neat.  I walked only the short section where the trail resides in Buck Hall recreation area where I was camping.  Palmetto trees are the state tree, and I don't know anything else about them.  I don't know much about tree frogs either, but I know they look smooth and are often bright colors.  I also know some brightly colored frogs are poisonous.  Thankfully, the frogs I encountered one night in the camp's bathroom under the toilet seat and in the sink, were green tree frogs (which can range from yellow-green to brown-green in color).  Green tree frogs are not poisonous!  Phew!

Red wolf

Live oak with Spanish moss hanging down

      Cape Romain is 99% accessible only by boat.  I was not aware of this when I arrived.  In January, the ferry only runs on Saturdays.  I was not in McClellanville on a Saturday.  Instead, I visited the Sewee Visitor Center and learned a little about their endangered Red wolves.  Wolves were hunted to very low numbers when farmers and cattle ranchers moved in.  One passionate hunter believed if wolves were wiped out, then it would be a hunter's paradise hunting deer.  Little was known back then of wolves' importance on the ecosystem.  Wolves keep the deer population in check.  Humans eat far less venison than wolves.  Deer, in large numbers, eat all the plant life, leading to their own starvation and reduced habitation for smaller animals to live in.  Yellowstone National Park and other parks have started reintroducing wolves in an attempt to bring balance once again to their ecosystem.  The visitor center also had information on other local plants and animals including; Spanish moss, Carolina gold (type of rice), live oak, bald cypress, loblolly pine, and longleaf pine trees. 

Audubon swamp garden

     Driving from McClellanville to Lake Marion, I stopped at Magnolia Plantation & Gardens on the way.  Established in 1676, it is the oldest garden in America and very large too.  They have flowers blooming year round and many romantic style bridges.  I saw my first alligator here because another visitor pointed it out.  Only part of it's head, from eyes to nose, was above the water, and it blended in very well.  I enjoyed the garden's cypress trees, bamboo groves, and swamp garden.  Many birds were visiting the swamp garden.  A great egret, 90% white heron, was so still I thought it was a sculpture.  I saw an anhinga swimming in the waters and later with it's wings stretched out to dry.  Anhinga, sometimes called a snakebird, dives underwater for fish.  When swimming, only it's long thin black head and neck are above, looking like a snake standing on it's tail!  It's feathers are not waterproof, so after being in the water, they must be dried before the bird can fly anywhere.

Great blue heron, I did not notice till almost even with it.  I'm glad I'm not their prey.

Bridge

    Camping at Lake Marion, I learned about limestone sinkholes which are common in that area, and I went to Lake House restaurant for dinner.  It's hard to find, as campgrounds have formed on either side of it and the road to the restaurant is long.  They had good music and interesting taxidermy of alligator, deer, and fish on the walls and ceiling.  I tried their crab cake, fried catfish, sweet potato fries, and green beans.  The crab cake was better than the catfish.

    All in all, I enjoyed visiting South Carolina.

Dinner

Tunnel vision mural