Back to the Bays

...highest quality examples of a peat-filled Carolina bay complex over the global range of this geological feature

...one of the most diverse natural areas in the North Carolina Coastal Plain, with 11 different natural community types

...one of the very best examples

...Five rare plants and four rare animals have been found in the natural area

I could do this all day, because I'm only on page two of the NC Heritage Trust Fund's 2005 report that discusses the area we recently visited--Carolina Bay-pocked Bladen County, located in the southern portion of North Carolina's coastal plain.

I discussed what I knew of the mysterious Bays in my Lake Waccamaw post, so I won't repeat it here. In short, Bladen County is covered with them, and if you look at a map, you'll see several in the form of lakes. And that was our goal on this particular journey.

But first, lunch, and for that, we went to Elizabethtown. Though small by Charlotte's, Asheville's, and Raleigh's standards, Elizabethtown is big enough to detour to while in the area if you're in need of food or contact with civilization. We ate at the Corner Cafe, located on the corner of Broad and Poplar. It's clean, and the cuisine is simple, but it's decent and the prices aren't bad. While there, we learned about the push to renovate downtown Elizabethtown. Always a laudable goal!

Also while downtown, we passed a historical marker that in the split second we saw it, indicated something big had happened in E-Town during the Revolutionary War. I know major battles had been fought in ENC during the War Between the States, but this is the first I'd heard about fights between local Whigs and Tories. I scrounged around and found the following excellent links:

www.elizabethtownnc.com/history.htm

http://digital.lib.ecu.edu/historyfiction/fullview.aspx?id=ccf

On to the bays. Our first stop was Jones Lake State Park, just north of Elizabethtown. From the strip-mall size parking lot, we walked across a sandy trail (bypassing the sidewalk to the Visitors Center) and headed to the oval shoreline. A short pier stretched past a small beach to a marina sitting in the tannish waters of the Bay:

And that's about it. Despite the fact it was a Friday afternoon in mid-July, we didn't see a soul. Not even a boat or canoe that's supposedly available for rent. A lone beach ball played bumper pool with itself in a small alcove near the bank, but that was it until two other tourists walked on the scene. We didn't spot a sign indicating the lake was closed for any reason. So where was everyone? It was hot that day!

There are a couple of short (three miles or so, total) hiking trails at Jones Lake State Park. One leads to adjacent Carolina Bay, Salters Lake, which we later learned requires a permit to enter. To our surprise, Exploring North Carolina's Natural Areas indicates bears inhabit this area.
Come to think of it, that may explain the lack of visitors....
Our next stop was White Lake, just west of Elizabethtown. Where Jones Lake looked abandoned, White Lake could barely be seen through the cramped rows of houses and trailer homes surrounding it. We finally found an entrance to a pavilion area, and we pulled in to take a look. In addition to a couple of shops, we found a pier and a ton of people. Apparently, White Lake is the place to go:

Other Bays in this area: Beside Lake Waccamaw, located to the south, Singletary Lake and Bay Tree Lake, both State Parks, Little Singletary Lake, and Peterson Lake. Not all are accessible. At least one requires a permit.
We enjoy visiting the Bays, and we hope to learn more about them, and the plant and animal life these unique formations host. They're worth the visit, and the research. Here's a few more pictures from our trip:

* Executive Summary: An Inventory of the Significant Natural Areas of Bladen County, North Carolina, September 2005, North Carolina Natural Heritage Program
http://www.ncnhp.org/Images/Bladen09_28_06.pdf

Parkway Pics

We just returned from our latest journey, and after three back-to-back trips, I find I'm deprived of creativity and flowing thought (reference Due West post) so a decent article will have to wait. Until then, I'll leave you with a few pictures we took along the Blue Ridge Parkway this weekend.

The Parkway is always a treat (if you'll recall, I ranked it as one of my top NC destinations for the WYFF interview) and this time was no different. Along with amazing views, we found plenty of Turks Caps Lilies growing, or about to bloom. What a wondrous creation!










We entered the Parkway from Hwy 191 near the NC Arboretum, and drove south to Mt. Pisgah, where we ate dinner at the Pisgah Inn. With its fabulous views, gift shop, and a menu that ranges from chicken tenders to mountain trout, I've long ranked this as the number one eatery on the Parkway. We visit as often as we can. The Inn itself is nice as well. It books quickly, so call well in advance to make a reservation, though we once snagged a room on a Friday after someone canceled.



Not the greatest shots, but I'd left the tripod in the car. If it helps, the windowed-wall at the restaurant overlooks this:

It takes our breath away every time we see it.

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Due West, SC

My hectic travel schedule has almost ended for now. Our latest stop--Due West, located south of Anderson at the base of South Carolina's foothills.

According to a little pamphlet I purchased, natives (Cherokee, I think, but the pamphlet isn't clear) ceded what is now Due West in 1777 along with what's known as Anderson, Oconee, Pickens, and Greenville counties. The origin of the city's name is unclear, but the pamphlet makes reference to Dewiss Corner, Dewises Corner, Duet's and more. However, the pamphlet also states that in 1790, the pastor of the original ARP church is the first recorded person to have used "Due West".

Now a quiet, charming town with a couple of large, Victorian homes and one main street, Due West is home to Erskine College and Seminary. It's summertime, so the students are gone and the town is incredibly quiet. I've posted a few photos of the campus, and two of downtown (for there are only two photos one can get of downtown!)

Full-length photos of Due West on Webshots

There isn't much in terms of outdoor recreation in Due West. However, several lakes are situated nearby, and one unit of Sumpter National Forest is just south of the town. So if you're in the area, be prepared to check them out!

Images from UNC Chapel Hill and Coker Arboretum

Shortly after moving to eastern NC, I began referring to the Piedmont as the land between me and the mountains. I've stopped saying that, for there appears to be some great places we need to visit. So why we started at UNC Chapel Hill, I don't know.

Though soft pretzels and hummus at the Mellow Mushroom may have had something to do with it.

During the drive to UNC, I consulted my Gazetteer to see what outdoor destinations lie close to the university. To the north, I found Eno River State Park, and what looks like the Cox Mountain Trail (Yes, mountains! Although the elevation in this area appears to be less than one thousand feet.) Also to the north, just southwest of Hillsborough, the Occonneechee Mountain State Natural Area. To the south of Chapel Hill is popular Jordan Lake. Around its banks, counterclockwise:

Parker Creek State Recreation Area (SRA)
Vista Point SRA
Poe's Ridge SRA
New Hope Overlook SRA
Ebenezer Church SRA
Poplar Point SRA
Crosswinds SRA

And in various spots around the lake, Jordan Game Lands, so be careful during hunting season. I don't yet know what kind of public access these locations have. They're just more destinations we need to explore. But hey, I'm good with that.

Below are a few pictures we took on the grounds of UNC at Chapel Hill. We also walked around Coker Arboretum, which is either on UNC's grounds, or adjacent to them. It was a pleasant stroll, and the shade of the large trees cooled us off on such a warm day.

To see the entire photo on our Webshots site (for these slideshows tend to chop off a portion of the picture) click on one of the photos.

And for the record, the Mellow Mushroom in Chapel Hill is closed. If not for the great architecture, flowers, and the discovery of the planetarium at the university, we would have been vastly disappointed.

Coronado Springs Resort

In case you're wondering why I used a photo of an Orlando destination in my blog banner:

Besides the fact that I'm shocked it came out, my husband and I recently traveled to Orlando, where my husband attended a conference at the Coronado Springs Resort Convention Center. We enjoyed the scenic grounds, but not the prices at the restaurants. If you visit, leave the complex and find a local eatery. There's plenty, and you can get a meal for less then ten dollars instead of the $14, $16, and higher price tags we found.

The hotel itself is nice. We had a comfortable queen-size bed in a spacious enough room. The grounds are clean and attractive. In addition to two pools, the resort offers a crescent-shaped beach complete with wide hammocks hanging between palm trees. Who can beat that?

But don't even think about swimming in the lake. Alligators are present. While not open during this visit, the resort maintains a small marina with rental boats--a far safer mode of puttering across the water. Also, because this is a Disney property, shuttles to the parks run throughout the day. We didn't check out the Magic Kingdom on this trip. Everytime we visit the area, Space Mountain is closed!

Photos from this trip are on our Smugmug Site.

The cross-country journeys are over, and it's back to exploring outdoor Carolina. Stay tuned.

Ocracoke Explosion

My husband and I would like to extend our sympathies to the family, friends, and co-workers of those who died in the fireworks explosion in Ocracoke yesterday. A tragic end for the Independence Day holiday.

Our hearts and prayers are with you.

Strawberry Chapel, old Childsbury Towne Colony, SC

(I'm out of town this week, so I'm posting a short blurb that doesn't do justice to this area. But I'd rather post than let it go by the wayside like my Topsail Beach report has!)

I'm a fan of South Carolina history. Lowcountry resident and aspiring author, Shannon McNear, knows this, so she invited me to detour to the Charleston area during a recent trip for a quick stop at a little place I'd never heard of: Strawberry Chapel near Moncks Corner.

Situated up the road from the Cooper River, Strawberry Chapel served what once was Childsbury Towne. The area is now a heritage preserve, but like Diamond City on Shackleford Banks, some of the residents remain in the grounds surrounding the chapel.

Despite heat and humidity that could suffocate a mosquito (come to think of it, we didn't encounter any on this trip), we strolled under the shade of large, mossy oak trees, talking about the history of the South Carolina colony and of the prominent citizens who lived there. We then took a walk down to the river near what once was Strawberry Landing. The Cooper stretches wide at this point, and the blues and greens almost took my breath away. To our surprise, large elephant ears rustled in the breeze along the bank near the dock. Planted by one of the residents of Childsbury Towne? We hoped so.

We stayed there for awhile, chatting, sometimes waving at the numerous boaters traveling upriver until the heat got the best of us. I must say, beyond the tranquility we experienced, this is one of the prettiest places I've seen in the Carolinas. See for yourself!

Strawberry Chapel and Cemetery

For more information on Childsbury Towne, go to www.nationalregister.sc.gov/berkeley/S10817708023/