Carolina Towns and Trails

Jump Off Rock, Laurel Park, NC

2011-12-22T17:36:00.002-05:00

Jump Off Rock, near Hendersonville, NC (not to be confused with Jumping Off Rock near SC's Lake Jocassee) offers a great view of the Blue Ridge Mountains just yards from the street.

From Hwy 64 in Hendersonville, we went south on Main St then right on 5th, just past The Mast General Store. A few stoplights later, 5th St changes to Laurel Park Highway, and we twisted and wound along the two-lane road as it gained elevation. At the end, the road split into a small loop. Here, we parked and took the pathway to the rock outcropping known as Jump Off Rock.

Short walk from the street to Jump Off

Jump Off Rock

While the outcropping is called Jump Off, please don't! According to several sources, the destination derives its name from the legend of a young native who supposedly jumped after receiving word of her love's death. Instead, take a moment to enjoy the panoramic view, which includes Cold Mountain, and Mount Pisgah.

View from Jump Off Rock. For a larger image, click on the photo.

There are three hiking trails near Jump Off Rock. We were unable to explore any of the trails on this trip, but plan to when we return. A sign on the premises states visitors are to hike at their own risk, so use the utmost caution while on the trails.

For more information on Jump Off Rock, go to www.historichendersonville.org/jump_off_rock.htm

Wildlife at Mattamuskeet

2011-11-29T15:58:00.002-05:00

I have some information and photos of Jump Off Rock in Henversonville to pass along, but couldn't wait to share a few photos from our recent trip to Lake Mattamuskeet (the big hole in the flap of land along the NC coast.)

View Larger Map

It's December, which means Tundra Swans, Snow and Canada geese, and thousands of other migrating waterfowl have stopped by the state to rest a spell before moving southward. Many of the birds were near the shore, so we had some great views. It's a long drive, but well worth the visit.

For a full-size slideshow on Webshots, click on the link below the box.

Mattamuskeet Slideshow on Webshots

Panoramic shot of the cypress islands at Mattamuskeet:

Paris Mountain, Greenville, SC

2011-11-14T12:15:00.000-05:00

I'm a huge fan of Upstate South Carolina. Home to Greenville, the Reedy River, Landrum, Scenic Hwy 11, the Blue Wall, Table Rock with all its scenery and trails, the rare wildflower called Oconee Bells, Caesar's Head, the Mountain Bridge Wilderness, waterfalls, and so, so much more, Upstate SC is a great place to visit, and to live.

Just north of Greenville, near Travelers Rest, sits Paris Mountain. Officially a state park, Paris Mountain provides a place to hike, bike, or picnic, and for G'ville-area residents, a mountain experience without the long drive.

While living in the Upstate, we would often pop over to the park on a Saturday morning or after work for a relaxing hike. We've hiked both the Sulfur Springs Loop and Brassy Ridge Trails, and enjoyed both. Paris Mountain also offers an interpretive trail around the lake, and an Old Firetower Bike Trail.

For more information, go to
http://southcarolinaparks.com/park-finder/state-park/722.aspx

Bridal Veil, Dry Falls, and More with NCWaterfalls.com

2011-11-02T18:06:00.001-05:00

Those living in or visiting western North Carolina who want to see a few of the 1,500+ waterfalls flowing around the mountains have a great resource in ncwaterfalls.com. Rich Stevenson, the site's creator, combs through the mountains on a regular basis, visiting known falls, and sometimes, discovering new ones.

I've researched destinations using Rich's Index of waterfalls, but last winter, I discovered he also groups falls by location on a page titled Places to Go: www.ncwaterfalls.com/info1.htm

This feature came in handy last winter when we made an unexpected trip to the Blue Ridge Mountains. Since hiking wasn't on on the itinerary—for that trip—I'd left our field guides at home. But once there, we couldn't resist taking an extra day to explore.

Destination? Nantahala Forest. However, with only a day at our disposal, we needed to make the most of our time.

Places to Go helped. In it, Rich breaks North Carolina into sections and lists falls within each area. I was familiar with the names of several falls, and after a few minutes of research, we picked three. All located off Highway 64, and all of which we could view from our car.

First was Bridal Falls. Visitors to this waterfall can usually drive beneath the cascade, which tumbles down onto a bed of smooth rocks creating a rainbow. At the time of our visit, chunks of icy snow blocked the way, so we parked and walked around.

And behind.

Next came Dry Falls. With its parking lot, ramp, steps, and overlook, this falls is a convenient stop for visitors.

While writing this post, I was reminded visitors can walk behind this waterfall as well, and according to Rich's website, the steps lead to a trail behind the falls. For reasons lost over time, we didn't on that chilly day, so check out the photos on Rich's website: www.ncwaterfalls.com/dry1.htm

Last on this day of roadside waterfalling was Cullasaja Falls. Set back in the woods, it's easy to miss this cascade while watching the road, and there's only one place to park. To assists visitors, Rich provides some instructions on his website: www.ncwaterfalls.com/cull1.htm

Dangerous Section of Hwy 64. Pull Completely Off the Road!

Rich stresses the fact that in places, Highway 64 is a winding, two-lane road and thus dangerous. We experienced that near Bridal Veil. When I crossed the road to take photos, before I reached the shoulder, a car whipped around the curve sending me scurrying.

While visiting Cullasaja, use extreme caution. As Rich points out, truckers need both lanes to navigate the curves. And, as we discovered, some drivers take those corners like NASCAR drivers a fast track, so pull completely off the road.

As always, while visiting these and all watefalls, have fun but please be careful! And before you go, don't forget to check ncwaterfalls.com.

Link to Interview and Next Up!

2011-10-31T11:13:00.001-05:00

The creator of nationalrvparks.com contacted me a few weeks ago to request an interview. Though we rarely camp, an omission that needs to be corrected, I responded.

The questions?

For a "newbie" RVing family or camper that's interested in camping in the Carolinas which RV Park, Campground or Trail would you recommend they visit?

Before an individual or family begins there camping vacation in the Carolinas, what supplies do you recommend they bring?

Did you always have a natural affinity towards traveling and learning new things or did you develop that overtime?

What websites or other blogs would you recommend to RVers/campers or adventure travelers visit before they travel on there next vacation in the Carolinas?

Would you say your writing and traveling with your beau has brought you closer together?

You can read the interview here.

Next up: Richmond's battlefields and Waterfalling along Highway 64!

Alice Wisler on Moonshine and NASCAR

2011-10-18T12:48:00.002-05:00

My noveling life intersects with my love for the Carolinas in today's post. Recently, North Carolina author Alice Wisler stopped by my writing blog to share a tale from the mountains. A tale she wove into her new novel, A Wedding Invitation.

This comes at a great time. Not long ago, I purchased James Stehlik's Distilling the Mysteries of Hogback Mountain, a presentation on moonshining in South Carolina's Dark Corner. While we haven't hiked Hogback--in addition to the mountain's name, literally a term meaning "A ridge with a sharp summit and steeply sloping sides"--my husband and I have hiked trails near there, where evidence of past moonshine operations still exist. It piqued my interest. I recently watched a UNC presentation on Dark Corner, and I look forward to reading Mr. Stehlik's book, which I'll review here.

Until then, here is Alice Wisler on moonshining in North Carolina, and its influence on NASCAR. I included two photos I snapped while hiking trails in the old Dark Corner.

~~~~

Sugar, water, malt, cornmeal and yeast. These are the key ingredients for moonshine. No, I'm not planning on making a batch today, but I am interested in the subject, especially since it fits in with my novel A Wedding Invitation, and making moonshine has been quite profitable in my state of North Carolina.

What's the history of moonshine? Well, one thing is for sure, it came about before NASCAR (National Associate of Stock Car Auto Racing). In fact, making a moonshine run in a fast car was how NASCAR got her beginnings. During the Prohibition years of 1920 through 1933, running from the law in order to make a moonshine delivery at night in a souped-up car was common in the mountains of North Carolina and Tennessee. Once Prohibition ended, the question of what to do with these racing cars was raised. That's when car races became popular entertainment in the rural South. Wilkes County, North Carolina was the hot spot to see the races. Vance Packard called Wilkes County the bootleg capital of America.

Who invented moonshine? We can thank the Scots and the Scotch-Irish, who settled in the Appalachian Mountains 300 years ago and made moonshine like they did back in Scotland. In their Scottish farmlands, these farmers used leftover grains to ferment into liquor. The farmers, weary of over taxation on their properties and the absence of religious freedom, immigrated to America for better lives. They brought their hopes, families, and distillery ingenuity with them.

Today, folks are curbing the 180 proof moonshine of days gone by and giving the whiskey a smoother, gentler taste. Liquor stores sell moonshine flavored with fruit which is easier on the palate. And moonshine is legal to produce as long as you have a license like the makers of Catdaddy, a distillery in Madison, North Carolina.

In A Wedding Invitation, there is much talk of Uncle Charlie, a notorious relative, who had his share of moonshine tales. Here's some about him on page 53.

I nod, recalling having previously heard the name of this particular cemetery. Uncle Charlie is buried there, with a headstone that has a motorcycle engraved in it. My great-uncle liked to ride fast, and my relatives tell me that his Harley out-sped any police car on the Forsyth County squad. He also made moonshine, borrowing a recipe from Scottish immigrants who settled in the Appalachian Mountains.

Anyway, I saw a program on how moonshine was made in our mountains (and am sure it still is), and ever since then knew I had to incorporate my new knowledge into one of my novels.

Moonshine, truly a Southern tale of adventure, secrecy, and the birth of NASCAR.

----------------------------

Alice J. Wisler grew up as a missionary kid in Japan. Her first novel is Rain Song (Christy Finalist 2009), followed by How Sweet It Is (Christy Finalist 2010), and Hatteras Girl. Her fourth novel, A Wedding Invitation, was released on October 1, 2011. All of her books take place in North Carolina where she lives with her husband, two dogs, and children. Alice also teaches grief-writing workshops---Writing the Heartache---and speaks at conferences, retreats, and seminars in memory of her son Daniel, who died in 1997 from cancer treatments at the age of four.

Photos: Swansboro and Cedar Point Tideland Trail

2011-10-14T19:37:00.001-05:00

Last week, we spent a few hours along the White Oak River, first in Swansboro, and then hiking along the river's estuary at Cedar Point Tideland Trail. Cedar Point is a nice, short, scenic hike, and we particularly enjoy the view of the estuary from the boardwalks.

It was our first trip to Swansboro, and found the little fishing village both charming and inviting. As an added plus, it's located near Hammock's Beach State Park. Now that the mosquitoes are dying out, we hope to check that out in the near future.

Photos from our trip:

Fullscreen Slideshow on Webshots

Return to Bath, NC

2011-10-01T18:31:00.001-05:00

A clear cool day at the start of autumn inspired us to take a long drive, so we hopped over to Bath, NC for a few hours. Some may remember Bath was the first town in North Carolina, and home to surveyor John Lawson and later, Blackbeard. It's also the setting for my story Saints & Sinners, which took second place in the short story category at this year's Blue Ridge Mountain Christian Writers Conference. But that's not why we're fond of the place.

Little has changed in the four years since our last visit. The streets are still tidy, the houses charming. St. Thomas Church still draws visitors to its sanctuary, and the waters of Bath Creek, off the Pamlico Sound, are still inviting. It's a quiet, picturesque stop for those in the area.

While there, we visited the Pirate's Treasure, a small gift shop located a couple houses down from Blackbeard's historical marker. The shop was closed during our last visit, so with a welcome hanging on the door, we went inside.

I usually don't mention stores in my posts, but Mrs. Anderson's warmth and friendliness, not to mention the adorable handcrafted ornaments she sold, are reminiscent of Mount Airy's Mayberry, and harder to find than the penguin gourds displayed on one of her shelves. If you have an opportunity to stop by, so do, and check out the Christmas room. You won't believe what she did with a handful of prickly sweet-gum seeds.

After a short walk around St. Thomas Church, we took the Bayview Ferry across the Pamlico River toward Aurora, famous for its fossils. While it doesn't sound exciting, I once happened on a 2006 survey of the region, and was surprised by the species found imprinted there:

(The area) contain one of the largest known concentrations of marine vertebrate fossils in the world. Among the more prominent vertebrate fossil assemblages found at the site are sharks, fish, sea and terrestrial birds, baleen and toothed whales, walrus, and true seals.

How mining for phosphates—a process visible near the Aurora terminal—has affected the fossil collection, I don't know. I'll have to ask when I visit the museum in Aurora.

During the relaxing, thirty-minute ferry ride, we noticed a hint of red in the trees lining the bank of the river.

It won't be long until fall color is in full bloom. When it is, we'll be meandering around the Carolinas, enjoying as much of it as we can.

Charleston's Provost Dungeon

2011-09-21T14:17:00.001-05:00

The main goal of our recent trip to Charleston was to visit Boone Hall Plantation. But while in the Lowcountry, I took the opportunity to do a little bit of novel research. And to do that, we went into Charleston's Historic District to tour the Provost Dungeon and old Exchange.

It would be a short, easy tour. Just confirm a couple of points of my research and then find some Lowcountry cuisine.

Old Exchange

We parked behind the building--or perhaps it was the front. What is now the rear of the building once faced the marinas along the Cooper River, and the ships involved in trade. After walking around to the entrance on Broad Street, we climbed one side of the split staircase and went inside.

Once there, I received a bit of a research jolt. Since revolutionary and local planter Isaac Haynes had been hung by the British on the grounds in 1781, I'd hoped all hangings had been performed on the premises. As it turns out, this building, completed in 1771, was used as an exchange and customs house, and the low, arched-ceiling ground floor as a prison only during the British occupation. While the information put a snag in my research, it also threw me into the 1770s, and the American colonists' fight for independence, for as I soon learned*:

The prisoners held there included three signers of the Declaration of Independence
Tea seized during protests against the famous Tea Act was stored in the dungeon
Upstairs in the Great Hall, delegates to the Continental congress were elected
South Carolina declared independence from England on the very steps we used to enter the Exchange

There's more. So much, I'm on information overload every time I research the Exchange. We've passed this building numerous times during visits to Charleston, never knowing we were passing a huge chunk of South Carolina's, and America's, history.

More research for later. But for now, I had another reason for touring the dungeon on this trip. I had to see the wall.

During her early days of settlement, Charleston, then called Charles Town, was surrounded by a protective brick wall. The east bordered the Cooper River. The west, what's now known as Meeting Street, and the city stretched several blocks north and south of Broad Street. Maps of the original walled portion of the city hung in the dungeon. Click each photo to see a larger version.

Original walled city located in the SE quadrant
of the peninsula now known as Charleson

"View" from the harbor along the Cooper River

In the center of the wall along the river's edge, a portion of the wall ballooned into the water. This "half-moon battery" is the present-day location of the Exchange and Provost dungeon. Thanks to archeology and preservation efforts, a section of the wall is visible inside the dungeon.

As amazing as it is in a photo, I was more amazed to stand on a catwalk over dank water, in a room where America's revolutionaries had been imprisoned in their fight for freedom, and stare down at the wall built by Charleston's founders. If you have the opportunity to visit Charleston, I highly recommend a tour of this historic site.

More more information on the Exchange and Provost Dungeon, go to:
*www.ccpl.org/content.asp?action=detail&catID=6055&id=15796&parentID=5750

If you're wondering if I eventually learned where criminals were hung, I did, thanks to our dungeon tour guide. Executions were performed on a gallows at the Old City Jail. The castle-like structure is the most ominous building I've seen in Charleston, and the perfect setting for the fictional hanging that occurs in my story:

It's currently closed to the public, but at the moment, visitors can tour the interior during one company's ghost tour. Next time.

Boone Hall Plantation

2011-09-07T18:28:00.001-05:00

A dusty road lined with massive, shady oaks, heavy with moss. On the right, horses graze in a grassy field. On the left, eight small, brick houses, emptied by war and emancipation.

This is the first glimpse visitors have of Boone Hall Plantation, one of America's "oldest, working plantations", and a piece of Charleston's history.

Though Boone Hall is a favorite destinations for those visiting Charleston, this was our first look at the famous Avenue of Oaks and the plantation grounds that date back to the late 1600s.

At the time of this writing, the admission fee is just under $20 per adult, but our AAA membership lowered the amount by 10%. The admission granted entrance and covered a variety of tours and a discount on a scrumptious lunch made, in part, with produce grown on the plantation.

After reserving a spot on the tour of the house, we took a motorized coach ride around the grounds. There we learned the plantation was once far larger than it is now, that it produced indigo, rice, then bricks, which were used in buildings in Charleston. At some point, pecan trees were planted, and those not ravaged by time or hurricanes produce pecans to this day.

In addition to the old pecan grove, we saw the stables and the old cotton gin. Passed woods that were once crop land; fields of corn that, in the autumn will become a corn maze; ponds, and marshlands.

And scenery left behind from Alex Haley's Queen, starring Halle Berry:

As it turns out, Boone Hall Plantation is the backdrop for several television shows and movies, and the house was used in Nicholas Spark's movie version of The Notebook.

After the coach tour, we gathered on the porch of that house with other guests and took our scheduled tour. We were immediately surprised to learn it had been built in 1936, replacing an old farmhouse that existed during the war.

Afterwards, we walked down "Slave Street", the row of cabins that were once home to the plantation's slaves. At the time of our visit, each cabin displayed different aspects of slavery, from work and life, to emancipation and civil rights. At one end of the "street" visitors can listen to a History Talk on slave life, and at the other, they can sit in the shade and watch a performance at the Gullah Theater.

As tragic as slavery was (and still is, since human trafficking, as it's now called, still exists despite the lessons of the past) it is history. Our history. And it can't be denied or ignored. I'm grateful that places such as Boone Hall Plantation and the old Slave Mart in downtown Charleston take pains to share that reality and celebrate the Gullah culture that so influences the Lowcountry. But I was dismayed and saddened that while touring Slave Street, both my husband and I were greeted with open hostility by visitors of that culture. One teenager girl, while glaring at me, even commented on the presence of a "white person". And what should have been an opportunity for enlightenment became a source of division. I don't know if ours was a typical encounter, I've not spoken to others who have visited the cabins, but because of it, we'll likely avoid this part of the tour in the future.

After several hours of soaking in this Lowcountry destination, we took advantage of our discount at the nearby Boone Hall Farms Market Cafe, where we enjoyed a lunch that tasted even better than it looked, and stocked up on our favorite Charleston tea.

Despite our encounter at the cabins, it's easy to see why Boone Hall Plantation is high on the list of places to visit while in the Lowcountry. Some tours are seasonal or contingent on weather, so for more information on Boone Hall, including special events such as the Taste of Charleston, Scottish Games, the Pumpkin Patch, the Oyster Festival, and much more, go to http://boonehallplantation.com/

Full Screen Slideshow on Webshots.comn

Irene

2011-08-30T14:40:00.000-05:00

Hurricane Irene has come and gone. While she was here, her outer bands stretched into the Piedmont. Here on the Coastal Plains, we sat inside all day as high winds, and even higher wind gusts, thrashed everything in their path. Large trees toppled over and branches fell. Some on the grass and in the woods, others on houses, knocking out power, and lives. NC officials have spent time and resources preparing the beaches for the upcoming holiday, but inland residents complain they're being forgotten. Three days later, many are still without power.

I couldn't take photos during the storm. Every time I opened the door, a warm blast of wind and rain chased me back. I can only share a few photos that I took before Irene's arrival. Two are of clouds that spun off from Irene's outer bands. The last shows a gorgeous (and untouched) sunset on the eve before the hurricane made landfall.

The storm has wrecked lives and property from the Carolinas to Vermont. Pray for those affected. They need, and appreciate it.

One Natural Disaster Down, One to Go

2011-08-26T12:25:00.000-05:00

Earlier this week, the east coast experienced an earthquake that was felt throughout the Carolinas. We barely had time to ewww and ahhh over it though. A hurricane was on its way.

Irene is now knocking on our doors. The Outer Banks has been evacuated, as have places along the Albemarle-Pamlico peninsula (if you're looking at a map, it's the raggedy flap in the middle of the coast.) We're a bit further inland, but white clouds are looming on the eastern horizon, and our weather radio is already bleating warnings of high winds and flash floods. We're hoping Irene will stop being a diva and turn east.

I'm following the storm on the National Hurricane Center, The Weather Channel, and Twitter, where the Carolinas organizations I follow are constantly updating their statuses with weather information, evacuation and ferry updates and more. Let's pray it's overkill, but as the old saying goes, it's best to err on the side of caution.

If you're along the coast, I hope your impact is minimal, and the rain just enough to water the land and put out a couple of wildfires.

NASA photo of the storm:

Back from Charleston

2011-08-22T12:15:00.000-05:00

We ran down to Charleston for a few days to celebrate our anniversary. While there, we toured Boone Hall Plantation and--why not fit in a little novel research while I'm at it--the Provost Dungeon and the original city wall. We also stopped by the Old City Jail, something I didn't know existed until this weekend.

I'm still processing photos, so I'll post reports as soon as I'm finished. I am convinced that no matter how much I learn about Charleston and the Lowcountry, I'll never learn it all.

Avenue of Oaks, Boone Hall Plantation

Boone Hall Plantation, built in 1936

Rear of the Old Exchange/Provost Dungeon

Wish List: WNC and the Cherohala Skyway

2011-08-13T17:57:00.000-05:00

There's much to see in western North Carolina. Much we missed while living in the SC Upstate: the southern portion of the Great Smoky Mountains; Cherokee; a scenic ride on a train from Bryson City; the Joyce Kilmer Forest; trails and waterfalls in Nantahala, and so much more. All of these are on our To Do list.

And while there, someday, I want to drive along the Cherohala Skyway. A scenic drive that stretches over forty miles from the far reaches of western North Carolina into the Cherokee Mountains of Tennessee. It's high on my western North Carolina wishlist, and something I'd love to do in the spring or the peak of fall.

Another fabulous way to experience the southern Appalachian Mountains. For more information, go to http://cherohala.org/index.html

State Parks Info on Social Media Sites

2011-08-06T08:49:00.001-05:00

If you're not following North and South Carolina State Parks on Facebook or Twitter, I highly recommend it. Both organizations are great about updating their statuses with information, events, and deals. To follow, click on the links below:

Facebook:

SC State Parks
www.facebook.com/SC.State.Parks

NC State Parks
www.facebook.com/pages/North-Carolina-State-Parks-and-Recreation/143412869029

Twitter:

SC State Parks: http://twitter.com/#!/SC_State_Parks

NC State Parks: http://twitter.com/#!/NCparks

Instant access to outdoor ideas. And while my updates aren't as frequent, Carolina Towns and Trails is on both:

www.facebook.com/pages/Carolina-Towns-and-Trails/341450107228

http://twitter.com/#!/CarolinaTrails

Books: A Peek Into the Carolinas' past.

2011-07-26T07:38:00.000-05:00

While I'm on the subject of history, I'll share a resource I learned of after my last research trip to Charleston.

Narratives of Early Carolina 1650-1708

In authentically-replicated reports and letters written by William Hilton (Hilton Head's namesake), Robert Horne, Francis Yeardley, Robert Sanford, Thomas Ashe, Danie Defoe and more, readers get a glimpse of both North and South Carolina in the days Europeans began exploring their shores.

Encounters with the natives and Spanish are included with description of the landscape, which, at times, is barely recognizable to me as described, so lush and plentiful were the trees and wildlife. The journeys were taken so early in the Carolinas' infancy, which is often referred to as Florida or, in North Carolina's case, South Virginia, the explorers named some landmarks as they traveled. Names that have been lost over time.

While reading, I pressed into the wilderness of NE North Carolina, where the Tuscarora dwelt. Read of the sugar cane that grew thick and tall; of the interactions between explorers and the various tribes, and between the tribes themselves; of the difficulties in finding the mouth of the Cape Fear River and then the trip up the river and its tributaries. Read of encounters English explorers had with the Spanish, and the difficulties they faced due to language barriers. I learned about the North Carolina settlement called Charles Town. New information for me. The town is gone today, and little of it remains, including memories, so I was thrilled when, during our trip to Old Brunswick Town, we passed the historical marker noting the settlement's location down the creek.

And that was within the first four of the eighteen reports included. I'm trying to read them in order, working my way southward to Charles Town (Charleston). However, the collection is divided so one can read one report and then skip around to another, if they so desire.

Below is an excerpt from William Hilton's, "A Relation of a Discovery", written in 1664 after his trip up the Cape Fair (Cape Fear, to my understanding, but those who read nautical terms can correct me):

...we returned, viewing the Land on both sides the River, and found as good tracts of land, dry, well wooded, pleasant and delightful as we have seen any where in the world, with great burthen of Grasse on it, the land being very level, with steep banks on both sides the River, and in some places very high, the woods stor'd with abundance of Deer and Turkies every where; we never going on shoar, but saw of each also Partridges great store, Cranes abundance, Conies, which we saw in several places; we heard several Wolves howling in the woods, and saw where they had torn a Deer in pieces. Also in the River we saw great store of Ducks, Teile, Widgeon, and in the woods great flocks of Parrakeeto's; the Timber that the woods afford for the most part consisting of Oaks of four or five sorts, all differing in leaves, but all bearing Akorns very good: we measured many of the Oaks in several places, which we found to be in bignesse some two, some three, and others almost four fathoms; in height, before you come to boughs or limbs, forty, fifty, sixty foot, and some more, and those Oaks very common in the upper parts of both Rivers; Also a very tall large Tree of great bignesse, which some do call Cyprus, the right name we know not, growing in Swamps.

Likewise Walnut, Birch, Beech, Maple, Ash, Bay, Willough, Alder and Holly; and in the lowermost parts innumerable of Pines, tall and good for boards or masts, growing for the most part in barren sandy ground, but in some places up the River in good ground, being mixed amongst Oaks and other Timber. We saw several Mulberry-trees, multitudes of Grape-Vines, and some Grapes which we did eat of. We found a very large and good tract of Land on the N. W. side of the River, thin of Timber, except here and there a very
great Oak...

Looking at the shores of the Cape Fear today, I never would have known.

Narratives of Early Carolina 1650-1708 is available on Amazon. Most, if not all, reports are now public domain and can be found online, but you have to know the title! I like the book version, though. It's far more portable. If you're a fan of Carolina history, I highly commend this collection.

Southport, NC: A Blurb

2011-07-20T16:29:00.000-05:00

The Old Brunswick Town trip started out as an excursion to Southport, NC. The idea was to visit Southport and then take the ferry to Bald Head Island, where we hoped to watch tiny little turtles making their newborn dash to the sea. But when we approached the historical marker for Charles Town (more on that in my next post) and then Brunswick Town, we couldn't resist stopping.

After our stroll through history, we did make it to Southport, but time and a 90% threat of rain chased us away.

But Southport deserves a mention. From the quick auto tour we took, by all appearances, the town seems charming. Coastal-style homes with wide front porches sit on picturesque streets or facing boats bobbing in a marina. According to Coastal North Carolina, Fort Johnston was established here in 1754 and life grew around it until finally, a port city formed. From exploring north carolina's natural areas, I learned of the effort to save old live oaks that once thrived in the area. A sight we missed, but would love to see.

Also from Coastal NC, we learned Southport was "one the first places in (North Carolina) to celebrate" Independence Day, and they're now known as the Fourth of July Capital. At least of the state. The author reports thousands of people visit Southport every year to participate in a three-day event to commemorate our nation's liberty, and indeed, we pulled into town on Friday afternoon, July 1st. Rows of small flags lined the sides of roads, and red, white and blue bunting hung from white railings of porches. We headed out of town before the masses arrived!

As I mentioned earlier, Southport is the place to go to catch the ferry to Bald Head Island. According to exploring north carolina, the ferry is also the best way to see the Cape Fear Estuary.

I'll find out next month. Every year on my birthday, we try to visit a new Carolina destination, or enjoy a favorite old one. This year, our destination is Bald Head Island. If I get my birthday wish, I'll not only visit Southport and get a good look at the estuaries, I'll be blessed enough to see iddy-biddy turtles scuttling to the sea.

For information on the Bald Head Island Ferry, click here.

Old Brunswick Town and Fort Anderson

2011-07-06T13:22:00.004-05:00

As I've shared in the past, during a writers conference one year, while sitting at a table hosted by an editor, someone got me on the subject of the Carolinas. I'm sure they soon regretted that because I talked on and on about the beauty and history found in these states. When I ran out of air, the editor sat back, crossed her arms in dramatic fashion, and with a tired sigh said, "So..." Pause for effect. "You seem to know a lot about history. Tell me..." Pause for effect. "Are you writing a historical?"

Having totally forgotten the house she represented published the genre, I said something along the lines of, "No. You can't take a step around here without walking on history."

This past weekend, we drove down east to explore what I learned was a forgotten, and now, often overlooked piece of history located along the Cape Fear River across from Carolina Beach State Park.

Brunswick Town was established on the banks of the Cape Fear around 1726. It was a place of trade, a place of politics. In the midst of twisted oaks laden with moss, people lived, worked, enjoyed the beauty of life along the majestic river.

But like the port town of Bath, the village began to die out. What was left went up in smoke when British soldiers arrived in 1776. They left behind few remains.

And it stayed that way for a century. But during the War Between the States, the land that was once a busy port town became Fort Anderson. Mounds were built, "one shovel at a time" to create fortifications.

But the war ended, along with the need for Fort Anderson. And for another century, Old Brunswick was once again forgotten.

Until the 1950s. Then, a man who recognized the historical significance of the area launched an effort to find Old Brunswick's remains, and today, guest can stop at the Visitors Center for information before strolling around the grounds first settled by the son of a Carolina governor. It's a quiet walk, disturbed only by other visitors or pelicans flying above in formation. But few residents are found there. Silent sentinels. No one who can tell the stories of Old Brunswick Town.

Those memories have been lost over time. But thanks to those who hoped to preserve the past, Old Brunswick Town hasn't been lost to history.

For more information, go to www.nchistoricsites.org/brunswic/main.htm

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All text and photos are copyright material. Do not use or distribute without author's permission.

Photos of Virginia Beach

2011-06-20T10:07:00.001-05:00

We've taken several work-related trips this spring, and while we've seen some great scenery, I'm behind on exploring the Carolinas and writing blog posts. As a quick fix, here are a few photos from our trip to Virginia Beach. Our first, and given the proximity to Chesapeake Bay, the tunnel, Virginia's outer banks, Dismal Swamp and Mackay Island National Wildlife Refuge, a place we'll likely return. If not for those reasons, for the sake of visiting Virginia Beach. We loved it.

To watch a full-screen slideshow in Webshots, click on the link below.

Virginia Beach, VA

We took the scenic route home, and when we spotted the sign, made a quick stop at Dismal Canal State Park.

We hope to spend more time in Virginia Beach, and the canal, this fall.

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Text and photos are copyright material. Do not use or distribute without author's permission.

Smoky Mountains: Roaring Fork Motor Trail

2011-06-02T14:23:00.003-05:00

While in the Smoky Mountains, we usually stop at the Sugarland Visitors Center, located at the northern entrance just south of Gatlinburg. There, we buy jars of blueberry preserves, and freshen up before taking long drives through the mountains.

We also see what field guides are available. On this trip, we purchased Smoky Mountains: Auto Touring. This handy pamphlet contains information on five auto tours: two on the Tennessee side of the park, two in North Carolina, and one along Newfound Gap Road.

The Roaring Forks Motor Trail was today's target for two reasons: waterfalls and wildflowers. Trailheads for Grotto Falls and Rainbow Falls are located along the loop as is a creature called the Place of a Thousand Drips.

Now who can resist that?

Our first target was a trail called Trillium Gap. We passed signs for this hike during a visit to Grotto Falls years ago, and given the amount of trillium we'd spotted along the way to Cades Cove, we were bound to find more there. We were right.

At the last moment, we diverted to the Rainbow Falls trail. It's far more strenuous as it gains elevation, and while we didn't make it to the falls thanks to the lingering effects of bronchitis, we did enjoy wildflowers and cascades along the way.

For more photos of the flowers we found during this hike, go to my Roaring Fork post on Carolina in Bloom

The one-lane, one-way Roaring Fork Motor Trail winds through the woods, over creeks, and somewhere along the way, becomes more rocky for geological reasons I've yet to research. The result is sheer-rock faces in some places, and amazing cascades in others.

And combined, they create a place called the Place of a Thousand Drips. I've searched, I've yet to learn who named the falls. Cherokee, I assume. I'm almost sure there were more drips during that time, otherwise it would be called the Place of Twenty-Five Dribbles. Still, it's an interesting stop along the Roaring Fork Motor Trail.

Especially after a hard rain. For more information on the Place of a Thousand Drips, and incredible photos of the place, visit ncwaterfalls.com/1000drips1.htm

After we left Roaring Fork, we headed back to the Sugarland Visitors Center. Behind the building is a short trail to Cataract Falls.

A fabulous day of hiking and touring to see waterfalls and wildflowers. All within miles of Gatlinburg.

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Text and photos are copyright material. Do not use or distribute without author's permission.

Behind, but Catching Up

2011-05-30T20:09:00.001-05:00

I wasn't able to write the Roaring Fork Auto Trail post as I'd hoped before we had to pack up again and head to Pennsylvania for a conference. The Internet connection at the hotel wasn't the best, and—you guessed it—we did a little bit of exploring during free time.

As we did during our last visit to the state, we drove to Lititz to pick up some pretzels at the Julius Sturgis Pretzel Bakery, founded in the 1860s. I learned about this place from the Travel Channel, but never expected to buy a hot pretzel right out of their ovens. They're hot, buttery, and delicious, and worth the drive. The charming little town that's Lititz is an added draw. A few photos:

And of course we had to visit Hershey. FYI, the triple chocolate brownies in the food court are great. Just don't expect to want chocolate for a few days.

To avoid drivers swerving and weaving between cars at high speeds (DC traffic, not NASCAR), we came home through Shenandoah National Park. Like the Blue Ridge Parkway, one main two-lane road cuts south through the park, and visitors can stop at overlooks to view the Shenandoah Valley, and also search for wildflowers. We spent the night at one of Skyland's rustic rooms and ate in a dining room that reminded me of the Pisgah Inn. Thankfully, a storm blew out some of the smog that hampered our view the first day.

It was worth the $15 entrance fee.

And that's why I'm behind. I hope to get caught up soon.

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Text and photos are copyright material. Do not use or distribute without author's permission.

Back from Ridgecrest

2011-05-16T15:50:00.003-05:00

If you've never heard of it, Ridgecrest is located near Montreat, NC, and the city of Black Mountain. Nestled beneath peaks just off I-40 at Exit 66, Ridgecrest is also one of Lifeway's conference centers, and home to the annual Blue Ridge Mountain Christian Writers Conference.

View from Mountain Laurel Inn

For over twenty-five years, authors both published and hopeful have gathered at Ridgecrest to learn, to fellowship, and to meet with editors and agents. Courses cover subjects such as noveling from start to marketing (there is no such thing as finish), Bible studies, poetry, greeting card writing, and more. After a three-year hiatus, I returned to Ridgecrest and found the conference even better than I remembered. We stayed in the Mountain Laurel Inn, and throughout the week, I attended classes and workshops taught by members of the industry. Lunches were spent at tables hosted by the faculty. I caught up with people I'd met in the past, and had the privilege of meeting others I connected with on Facebook and other online groups. To round out the experience, my novella took first place in that category in the annual contest, and one of my short stories, second.

After the ceremony with author Deborah Raney. So the wrong night to dress comfy!

But that was last week. This week, it's time to get caught up on writing. In my next post, I'll cover the trail to Rainbow Falls and the Place of a Thousand Drips (I just love that name), located along the Roaring Fork Auto Trail in the Great Smoky Mountains.

The mountains and writing. Great alone, but even better when combined.

Cades Cove

2011-04-27T15:55:00.000-05:00

In the northwest quadrant of the Great Smoky Mountains, west of the Sugarlands Visitor Center, in the Tennessee side of the park, is an anomaly. A pit in the mountains. Grassy lowlands surrounded by jagged peaks.

Members of my hiking group, CarolinasAdventures, have talked about it for years, and while I'd seen photos, I couldn't envision the valley in its entirety or understand why visitors gushed over the place. So when we started making plans to spend a few days in the mountains, I suggested the Smokies and the meadow known as Cades Cove.

According to several sources, Cherokees once hunted in this valley, and settlers moved in around 1820. Evidence of the latter still can be seen in the form of several churches atop small knolls, and empty cabins tucked in the pine and hemlock forest.

To get there, visitors travel down a sometimes treacherously narrow, winding two-lane road bordered by a river with bubbling cascades on one side, and a rock face on the other. After descending to the base of the peaks, guests pass through a gate and begin an eleven-mile journey along a one-lane loop that skirts a grassy meadow.

Though cars sometime travel bumper-to-bumper, and visitors stroll down dirt paths to hike a trail or meander around old homesteads, the cove still manages to maintain a certain serenity. Here, deer graze in close proximity to humans and turkeys hold up traffic to cross the road. Here, as I'm told, bears wander in search of food. Despite the bears, it is easy to imagine this place was once a place a peace.

In addition to a campground, several trails extend from Cades Cove. At least two of which lead to a waterfall. We visited Crooked Arm Cascade during our visit, though we were dismayed to discover the only way to get a good view of the falls is to slip down the side of a steep slope. However, with Abrams Falls nearby, and cascades located off the road to Cades Cove, there's plenty to see.

We didn't limit our explorations to sightseeing. While at the visitor center, we picked up a small field guide called Waterfalls of the Smokies, and while my husband drove, I read. From it, I learned which falls were located in which part of the park, but I also learned that the "arm" in Crooked Arms cascades doesn't refer to a limb, but to a ridge.That explained the waterfall.

More important, I learned that the floor of Cades Cove is made up of the highly-erodible limestone, which is how a grassy lowlands came to exist in the midst of a mountain chain.

Though we drove to Cades Cove twice during our time in the Smokies, we plan to return during future visits. To spend a night at the campground and explore trails on foot. As others before us have discovered, there is something special about this place. As silly as it sounds, something that touches an inner yearning.

For more information on Cades Cove, visit www.nps.gov/grsm/planyourvisit/cadescove.htm Or better yet, spend some time there. Photos and text can't do the place justice. Just don't feed the bears.

To view the pictures we took in and around Cades Cove, click on the photo below.

Follow Cades Cove on Twitter:
http://twitter.com/#!/cadescove

Follow Carolina Towns and Trails on Twitter:
http://twitter.com/#!/CarolinaTrails

Taking on the Sinks

2011-04-22T08:29:00.001-05:00

I'm jumping ahead in my Smokies posts because a couple of people are waiting to see these photos.

Beneath a bridge on the road to Cades Cove is a small cascades known as The Sinks. Waterfalls of the Smokies describes it as, "The Little River sinks suddenly and dramatically over tilted formations of Thunderhead sandstone." The author is referring to this view:

While we were visiting The Sinks, a couple of kayakers prepared to take on the white water. We had to see that! And of course, I had to take photos.

Unexpected fun on our last day in the Smoky Mountains. Thanks, guys!

A Week in the Smokies

2011-04-16T09:59:00.000-05:00

We just returned from the Great Smoky Mountains, where we spent three days hiking, enjoying waterfalls, and taking picture after picture of the largest display of spring flowers we've seen to date. We spent time on the Roaring Fork loop and in Cades Cove, the Sinks and a waterfall behind the Sugarland Visitors Center, and I have much to share. Here's just a sample of what I'll discuss in the next few posts.

A rainy day in Cades Cove:

Trillum, trillium, and more trillium:

A little bit of wildlife:

And let's not forget the water:

More to come!

De Hart Botanical Gardens, Franklin Co, NC

2011-04-06T21:08:00.003-05:00

Sunny with a high in the mid 80s. After a long winter, we couldn't waste a day like that indoors, so we slipped on our hiking shoes and headed outside.

But where to go?

Before we left, I'd grabbed my copy of 100 Classic Hikes in North Carolina, which I'd purchased last year and had yet to use. As my husband drove to Bojangles for my beloved iced tea, I flipped to the index and read each entry under the Coast Trails, Piedmont, and More Piedmont Trails headings. One caught my eye, and after reading the description, we were on our way to the Franklin County Nature Preserve of the De Hart Botanical Gardens.

Located on Hwy 401, about 4.7 miles north of Hwy 98 in Franklin County, the eighty-eight acre preserve is home to a rare flower and crane-fly orchids, thanks to its unique location along NC's Fall zone. Signs at the trailhead state the land is private, but open to the public provided they follow the rules. The first is to sign in at a picturesque gazebo. A gracious deal no matter how you look at it, so after signing in, we collected a map from the brochure box and headed down the first of many trails.

The park is separated into two sections. Each section has 1.8 miles of hiking trails and different, but really cool features. We started out at Section B: the Waterfall Loop.

Yes, a waterfall! After hiking over a bridge and past boulders and rock outcroppings (more on that in a minute), we made our way around a switchback and faced a small waterfall. It may have been far shorter than Looking Glass or Schoolhouse Falls, but it was still a waterfall, and it's located in eastern NC.

We continued on, taking a short sidetrail to see—according to 100 Hikes—the remnants of the old Timberlake homestead. I have no information on the family, though I'd love to know more about them. Beyond some scrap metal and a large hole in the ground, we saw only the peaceful outdoors, the beginnings of a large spread of daffodils, and two of the biggest trees we've seen outside of Congaree Swamp in South Carolina. Definitely worth the short detour, especially when the daffodils are in bloom (which they were not during our visit).

What a colorful touch to add to a farm then so far from civilization. And what a wonderful gift left behind for the rest of us.

After touring the grounds, we picked up the original trail, at times following a creek, once passing a pond, until we looped back to the the trailhead. From there, we crossed the parking lot to Section A.

The loop trail in this section consists of several trails. The first, the Rock Trail. As I mentioned, the botanical gardens is located on the Fall Zone and, as at Rocky Mount and Raven Rock State Park, large boulders left behind from erosion are visible throughout the preserve, which increases the challenge of the hikes at times.

Since my geological knowledge is limited to several chapters of Geology of the Carolinas, I cannot begin to explain the slab of land apparently known as the Carolina terrane, which makes up a portion of the eastern section of the Piedmont. If you gotta-have-to-need-to-know, read Chapter 24 of Geology of the Carolinas, or Geology of the Fall Zone by the Carolina Geological Society.

Near the end of the Rock Trail, we reached a small observation deck overlooking a scenic lake. This is a great place to stop, rest, and take pictures.

Honey, you didn't tell me we were having company!

After doing all of the above, we continued on and found a marker for the wildpink, a flower that, according to several sources, grows only along the granite-rich area of the Fall Zone. Since spring was just awakening at the time of our visit, the little darling was still catching up on her beauty sleep. We're planning to return in April in the hopes of catching it in bloom.

But we had more to see, so we strolled along the banks of the lake and crossed the bridge, and there we found the Crane Fly Trail. According to James Fowler's Wild Orchids of South Carolina, the Crane fly blooms from mid-July to mid-August. We spotted one once, in Pisgah National Forest, located in western NC, and had no idea they grew on this side of the state. They do. We found the leaves and seed pods. What a delight it will be to see them at peak.

According to 100 Hikes, in addition to Crane-fly orchids and wildpinks, the preserve is home to a variety of trees, azaleas, and mint. Mint? Not much was blooming during our March visit though, but we did spot some bluets, violets, and phlox.

All this hidden in what others would call the middle of nowhere. The Carolinas do love their secrets.

During this particular hike, I had a chest cold. Roughly three miles of hiking was all I could take, so we missed exploring the Bench Loop and the Children's Bamboo Loop. Next time.

On another note, don't forget to take precautions against ticks when walking in the woods in eastern NC. Though just mid-March, one hitched a ride home with us.

Our thanks to the owners of the De Hart Botanical Gardens for graciously opening the grounds to the public, and allowing us to enjoy the wonders there.

Longleaf Pine Savannas, Saved by Fire

2011-03-16T18:51:00.003-05:00

I'm annoyed with myself. Just over two years ago, I began reading about longleaf pine savannas after Kelvin Taylor, co-moderator of CarolinasAdventures and creator of ScenicNC.com, introduced us to this natural community during excursions to Howell Woods and Green Swamp. Since I was new to eastern North Carolina, and eager to learn about the variety of natural communities that exists on this side of the state, I intended to cover the subject in a blog post. I even sent Kelvin a list of questions to that end.

After a bit of effective procrastinating, I forgot about it.

A recent visit to Peachtree Rock Heritage Preserve in South Carolina reminded me of the subject. There, as at Howell Woods and so many other preserves, longleaf pine savannas are painstakingly being restored with the help of dedicated people and...fire?

Yep, fire. I grew up believing forests and fires are a bad combination, so I needed some convincing.

Fortunately, my questions and Kelvin's answers languished at the bottom of my inbox. After blowing off the dust that built up over the past two years, I pasted them below. Unfortunately, one reference is outdated, but the question still applies.

To start, what is a longleaf pine savanna?

Savanna:
A flat grassland of tropical or subtropical regions.

Longleaf pine: Pinus palutris

So we can define a longleaf pine savanna as a flat grassland in which the dominant tree species is Pinus palutris. As with other forest ecosystems, there are regions or zones. When looking at a pineland savanna you see pines widely spaced over the landscape with an understory of other vegetation both woody and herbaceous. In NC, the dominant understory plant would be wiregrass.

What are the benefits of a longleaf pine savanna?

The savannas are unique habitats that prove homes for both plants like the venus flyptrap that do not survive in more woody (shady) conditions. Also the pine trees are home for nesting birds like the red-cockaded woodpecker and the eastern bluebird.

Who owns the savannas located in North Carolina, and what department oversees and protects those on public land?

Some savannas are owned by the Nature Conservancy and other protection organizations. Others are owned by the state (NC Forestry Service) as educational forest and/or parks (NC Park Service).

Where are longleaf pine savannas located?

In North Carolina, in the southeast coastal plain and Sandhills. They're also found in several states in the southeast including South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida.

The natural range of longleaf pine extends from southeastern Virginia to east Texas in a belt approximately 150 miles wide adjacent to the coasts of the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico. It dips as far south as central Florida and widens northward into west central Georgia and east central Alabama.

Today, the longleaf pine ecosystem covers less than 3.8 million acres. Once occupying ninety-two million acres of land from SE Virginia to east Texas, only 674,000 acres resemble the original ecosystems, a 99.3% reduction in area (Frost 1993).

According to the Carolinas Environmental Diversity Explorations website, 93% of the decline has occurred since pre-colonial days. Why?

Virtually all of the acreage is second growth, degraded by logging, turpentining, grazing, and disruption of the natural fire regime. Longleaf forests have been partly or wholly replaced on many of original longleaf sites by other pines and hardwoods due to suppression of fire and establishment of loblolly and slash pine plantations.

Development, highway construction, timber cutting, and drainage of surrounding land that effects the watertable also contributes to the decline.

How many longleaf pine savannas exist in North Carolina today?

I don’t have an answer. I know the acres number in the thousands.

Explain the role of fire in the survival of longleaf pine savannas.

Fire helps remove the hardwood trees and understory shrubs. Without fire, hardwood saplings would compete with the pines, shading out the grasses and other herbaceous plants in the savanna. Succession of a savanna absent fire is a shrubby pocosin.

How often should these savannas undergo a burning?

Under natural conditions this can occur every year or so. Sometime several times a year. Fire suppression has severely limited these necessary events.

Who performs these burnings?

On Nature Conservancy preserves, it’s done by members. On state or federal lands, the Forest Service is responsible.

From the Environmental Diversity website, I learned Camp Lejeune plays an important role of one longleaf pine savanna. What is that?

I think they manage a savanna on the military base by doing burns.

Howell Woods in Johnston County is an example of one longleaf pine savanna that is being restored to its natural state. Why restore it when burnings could possibly destroy plants and wildlife that have since made Howell Woods its home?

Most of the plants have adapted to burnings. Grasses for example, have deep root systems, which regenerate the leaves after a burn. The plants that belong in a longleaf pine savanna will return after a fire, so burns don’t really destroy the native species.

An article in the March (2008) issue of Our State Magazine states the Natural Heritage Preserve is in the process of inventorying plants and animals in natural communities throughout the state. This may present a conflict if endangered species are found in savannas scheduled to be restored. If this occurs, which will take precedent: the existing endangered species or the endangered habitat that plays host to endangered species?

This would not be an easy situation to solve. However, if a rare species is found in a restoration area, the protection of the species would supersede any changes to that particular ecosystem.

Thanks, Kelvin!

To learn more about longleaf pine savannas, go to www.learnnc.org/lp/editions/cede_longleaf/488

Also, consider reading Looking for Longleaf: The Rise and Fall of an American Forest by Lawrence S. Earley. Click on the Amazon link with confidence. I'm not set up to receive referral fees.

For a look at a recent prescribed burn, as they're called, check out these photos taken at the Fires of the Lakes festival at Boiling Springs Lake:

http://brunswick.blogs.starnewsonline.com/12465/scenes-from-fire-in-the-lakes-festival/?tc=ar

I'm now convinced controlled fires can actually benefit a forest, and after strolling around a few, I'm thankful.

Peachtree Rock Heritage Preserve, South Carolina

2011-02-24T18:07:00.004-05:00

During a recent trip to Columbia, SC, we found ourselves with enough time to explore Peachtree Rock Heritage Preserve, a Nature Conservancy (SC Chapter) project just over thirty miles outside the city. As I mentioned in a previous post, if a conservancy acquires a tract of land, there's a good reason for it, so they're worth checking out.

The prized object of this conservancy is something that borders on comical, begging the question, How did it happen? But as we discovered, there's more to see at Peachtree.

Following the directions listed on two websites, we found the preserve without any difficulty. After parking in the small, dirt lot located at the trailhead, we grabbed our camera and headed down the sandy trail.

We walked through the woods, avoiding the usual trail hazards such as roots and rocks in the ground. About a quarter mile into the trail (purely guessing here), we reached a T-Junction. To our right, the trail extended past a sandstone ledge hanging several feet above the path. According to the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, Peachtree Preserve has the largest sandstone outcroppings in the state.1

We turned left, and a couple tenths of a mile later, we reached our goal. While we stared at the curious formation, a sound caught our attention, and we followed the trail to the end and found something we hadn't known to look for.

A waterfall. The only one in the coastal plains. As I understand it, at the time of this writing, the state is experiencing drought conditions, so I don't know if the thin stream of water we saw flowing over the ten-ish foot ledge is normal, but it made the landscape even more scenic. We walked to the falls on dry ground, and stood close enough to feel the mist spraying off the rocks.

A pleasant surprise.

Okay, by now you must be wondering about the curious formation that brought us to Peachtree Rock Preserve, and why I've yet to show a photo. Here's why.

That's right. It's a giant inverted triangular rock. With a tree perched on top.

Lest anyone get the wrong impression, I think it's great. It's an incredibly unique, peculiar formation. One that should be viewed in person to appreciate the size and mass resting on that rounded point.

I was curious both about the shape and why the sandy landscape had rock ledges in the first place. According to the Conservancy's website, the softer, sandier material at the bottom of the rock eroded faster than the sandstone above it. I assume the entire area is a result of erosion. Take a closer look at the rock near the waterfall:

But interesting rock formations and a pleasant little waterfall aren't the only attractions at the preserve. As I later learned, according to the Nature Conservancy's website, we missed several natural communities:

The area harbors a swamp tupelo-evergreen shrub bog and a longleaf pine ecosystem. Typical sandhill scrub vegetation, pines, turkey oaks and sparkleberry bushes are present in abundance on the preserve. The federally endangered Rayner's blueberry is found growing on the seepage slope within the longleaf pine forest.2

I'm sorely behind on the subject of longleaf pines, but intend to cover it in an upcoming post.

Peachtree Rock Heritage Preserve is located near Edmund, SC. For more information, check out the following websites:

www.nature.org/wherewework/northamerica/states/southcarolina/preserves/art7314.html

www.dnr.sc.gov/mlands/managedland?p_id=102

www.sctrails.net/trails/alltrails/hiking/midlands/peachtreerock.html

1. https://www.dnr.sc.gov/mlands/managedland?p_id=102
2. http://www.nature.org/wherewework/northamerica/states/southcarolina/preserves/art7314.html

Cabin Fever

2011-02-10T18:55:00.001-05:00

Okay, so I haven't been blogging. I'm barely writing at all.

I have cabin fever.

Upon reading that, the good folks in the north and midwest would point at the piles of snow obscuring their car and cackle hysterically. I wouldn't blame them. While I've seen more snow this year than the last ten combined, our roads are clear. However, my husband's schedule isn't, so this little explorer is home bound.

So I have cabin fever.

One solution? Find a cabin, and stay there.

That may seem like a paradox, but numerous state parks in South Carolina offer cabins, and because it's the low season, reservations are often available. As soon as we can, we'll spend one night at Myrtle Beach State Park.

Because I have cabin fever. And they have cabins.

Let's get the word out to our northern and midwest friends!

How long until the azaleas at Magnolia Plantation are in bloom?

First Presbyterian Church, New Bern

2011-01-24T16:46:00.002-05:00

Though I focus on towns and trails in this blog, during visits to Carolina destinations, we spend a lot of time in or around historical churches. The Carolinas are rich in Christian history, and architectural wonders still exist in both states. Charleston's St. Philip's and St. Michaels are just two examples in South Carolina. In North Carolina, among others, we have First Presbyterian Church in New Bern, which dates back to the early 1800s.

To explain the historical significance of First Pres, and a bit about the architecture, I turned the blog over to my husband, Kelley, a pastor and D.Min student at Erskine Seminary, located in Due West, South Carolina.

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What a remarkable surprise to find this historic church in New Bern. We have traveled there many times, but did not know about this church's existence.

To begin, according to literature, First Presbyterian Church of New Bern was chartered in 1817, with the building constructed in 1819 and finished in 1821. I was surprise to learn the organizing pastor was John Witherspoon. This John Witherspoon was the grandson of the great signer of the Declaration of Independence, also named John Witherspoon--the only clergyman to have signed that historic document. Certainly, this was a fascinating discovery, but the history doesn't stop there. Of the thirteen founding members of this congregation, two were directly related to America's greatest theologian, Jonathan Edwards, the third president of Princeton Seminary: Edward's daughter Eunice Edwards Hunt, and his granddaughter, Frances Pollock Devereux. Inside the sanctuary, you will find dedication plaques on all four walls.

Another interesting tidbit, during the War Between the States (Civil War) this church was used as a hospital.

When you first drive up to First Pres, you will immediately be impressed by its beauty. It is a striking white building with Corinthian columns in the front, supporting the classic-style pediment, with a prominent steeple directly above. The church was built in the style of St. Martin-in-the-Fields, of London, and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It is also an American Presbyterian and Reformed Historical Site, and is one of the oldest Presbyterian churches still in use in the US.

As you enter the church, you will pass through the vestibule, and then go through the doors leading into the sanctuary. Once inside, you will see the multiple rows of beautiful white pews extending to the far wall. Note the clear windows. This not only allowed sunlight to shine in a room once devoid of electricity, but, in churches with adjoining cemeteries, provided a view of the burial ground to remind people of the fragility of life.

As you look up, you will see a large pipe organ centered in the gallery above, which semi-circles the room.

The choir loft is located on the upper left. Originally, the choir was not placed behind the pulpit or even near it, but was away and out of view, in order to assist the singing of the congregation, instead of being a performance.

If you look to your right or left, depending on which side you enter the sanctuary, you will see a large pulpit.

In order to enter this pulpit, one must ascend a number of steps. This is a reminder that the congregation sits under the authority of the Word of God.

The interior of this church is reminiscent of Independent Presbyterian Church in Savannah, which is another beautiful and historically significant church calling for your attention.

First Presbyterian Church is located at 418 New Street in New Bern, NC. Drop by and enjoy!

Touring Charleston

2011-01-10T22:03:00.000-05:00

When my daughter heard we were visiting Charleston, South Carolina again, she asked, in a voice tired of asking the question, "Haven't you seen all there is to see down there?"

Somehow, no. Though we've taken carriage and walking tours, read articles and field guides, and had long discussions with others familiar with the city's history, time and events that shaped South Carolina and the United States have packed so much into the settlement established in 1680, I can't learn it all despite my efforts to do so. But I keep trying.

How?

Tours

Visitors to Charleston have at their disposal, a variety of informative carriage and walking tours. Most companies offer several routes, so if I take a carriage ride in the morning and hop onto another later that afternoon, chances are I'll see a different side of the city. Different streets. Different buildings. More history. Some companies also offer architecture tours. Others focus on photography or Charleston's ghostly past.

Self-guided tours are also available. Whatever I choose, I know I'll learn about the city.

For a different perspective, I can also choose a guided tour of the harbor once blockaded by the British, Blackbeard, and then Union forces. Travel to Fort Sumter, or take a watery ghost tour to learn even more about the city that once aspired to become the Queen of the South.

Museums

As I mentioned in a previous post, Charleston has a creature called Museum Mile. On this occasion, we spent time in Stop 2: the Charleston Museum. The artifacts, reproductions, old photos, clothing, maps and more not only overwhelmed us in their number and explanations, they taught us more about eras we were familiar with—and some we weren't. I took notes and photos (no flash, please!) and said what every other visitor probably said as they walked through the exit doors: I need to go back.

There are fifteen stops in the Museum Mile in a one-mile range. And that's not counting the twelve churches located in the historic district. Just more to see on return visits.

Reference Materials

I also like to tour Charleston at home. On each of our trips, we make it a habit to peruse the regional section of the closest Barnes & Noble. While in Charleston, we also stop in the Waldenbooks located at the corner of Meeting and Market. There, I generally find books I wouldn't have known to buy. On this visit, to expand my Charleston collection and my knowledge of the Holy City, I purchased Charleston: Then and Now by W. Chris Phelps, Charleston Icons, and A Walking Tour of The Walled City (Kindle download). At the Charleston Museum, I bought The Scourging Wrath of God: Early Hurricanes in Charleston, 1700 - 1804.

No doubt, I'll buy more on our next visit. As I've learned, there's always something new to see in Charleston, and I love touring the city in Lowcountry style.

Coming up: Touring Charleston

2011-01-07T18:02:00.000-05:00

We recently traveled to Charleston, SC, on a research expedition and ended up with information overload. In the next few days, I'll post blurbs on touring choices, several reference guides I found, and Stop 2 on Charleston's Museum Mile.

More to come!

New Year's Eve--Already

2010-12-31T09:46:00.000-05:00

Like so many, I find it hard to believe that 2010 is over. The months flitted by like a wisp of cloud over the Blue Ridge Parkway.

To celebrate (and to prove the year actually did exist), I created a chronological slideshow of our Carolina adventures. Places like ACE Wildlife Refuge; Hunting Island; Savannah; Fort Fisher; South Mountain State Park; Airlie Gardens; Pocahontas State Park in Virginia; Linville Falls and Blowing Rock; Sunset Beach to find The Mailbox; Carrot Island and more. Showing once and for all that you can pack a lot into one day if you're willing to drive a little, or even a lot.

View the slideshow in the box below (I recommend adjusting the speed to 3 seconds per photo) or click on the link beneath it to view a full version in Webshots.

2010 in Review

Wherever you are, or wherever you may go, we wish you a safe and happy New Year. Blessings.

Snow Day!

2010-12-27T20:47:00.000-05:00

A snow system moved through the Carolinas this past week, dumping snow on a good portion of both states, giving some a white Christmas and others, a headache from accidents and power outages.

Our snow arrived shortly after midnight the day after Christmas, so we awoke to a winter wonderland. This being the south, it began to melt the following day, but we did snap a few photos.

And the photo that I'm so proud of, I actually uploaded it to the Weather Channel and another news show!

I love the snow. Even more, I love that it's usually gone within two days. Stay warm and drive safely!

Books: Two SC Lowcountry Resources

2010-12-14T15:30:00.004-05:00

Every time I think I have a solid grasp of places to visit around the Carolinas, I hear about a dozen more, so I'm always searching for field guides with information on unexplored destinations. During the last two trips to South Carolina's Lowcountry, I found the following treasures.

Lowcountry Daytrips: Plantations, Gardens, and a Natural History of the Charleston Region by William P. Baldwin III

After providing an informative introduction on the Lowcountry, the author divides the SC coast from Murrells Inlet to the Savannah River into eleven daytrip tours, using Charleston as the starting point (of course!) Within each tour, Mr Baldwin directs visitors to several points of interest in the area, and includes history, facts, and directions for each location. Some places, such as Magnolia Plantation and Gardens, are well-known. Some I've never heard of, and still others, such as Bushy Park and the Indigo vats near the Cooper River, I wouldn't have thought to visit.

A source of new places to explore and oodles of history made Lowcountry Daytrips a great find, and worth the ten dollars we spent.

George Washington's Guide to the Waccamaw Neck and Georgetown by Sharon Carlisle

A spiral-bound book that guides visitors on the route George Washington took along the Waccamaw Neck during his famous Southern Tour in 1791 sounds a bit cheesy. But in addition to providing blurbs from President Washington's journal—giving readers a glimpse into the early days of South Carolina's history, government, and landscape—Ms. Carlisle points out places newer guides may not include, such as the Wachesaw Landing, where the Waccamaw Indians once hunted and buried their own; Litchfield Plantation; Hobcaw Barony; a one-room schoolhouse; the ruins of Prince Frederick's Church, and more.

Using fantastic detail, Ms. Carlisle shares her knowledge of the history, landscape, legend, and culture along the 30 x 3 mile strip of land south of Myrtle Beach. She even includes photos.

The book was published in 1991, so some information may be a tad out of date—famous Murrells Inlet resident Mickey Spillane is referred to in the present tense—but the book is loaded with history and places to visit. The only thing I don't like about it is the lack of clear directions. However, I now know what to look for.

Both books will go on the Carolina reference shelf with others I've mentioned in the past. For a list, check out my "Guides to Help You Find Your Way" post.

The Return of the Swans

2010-12-04T20:49:00.001-05:00

Sorry, but after reading @InnerBanks (Swanquarter, Hyde Co, etc) recent Twitter tweet, I couldn't resist...

The snowy swan arched her wings and rising up, took flight. And soared across the tundra ice in search of warmer nights. Though weary from the journey of a thousand miles or more, she pressed on southward to her goal on Carolina shores.

At last! The oval lake of blue appeared within her sight. The snow swan then arched her wings and ended there her flight.

Landing in the shallow waters, she at a cypress moored.

And there she rested for a month on Carolina shores.

According to Inner Bank's tweet, the swans are back around Swanquarter and Lake Mattamuskeet. We'll be heading east in the near future!

The Last of Autumn

2010-12-01T11:24:00.001-05:00

Autumn is waning, and yards and forests are now sporting bare trees and carpets of dead leaves. According to several of the locals, eastern North Carolina saw more color this year than in years past. We took a few photos of the squash, apple, and pumpkin-tinted tapestry at its peak.

Soybean ripe for the harvest:

Harvest time! Typical traffic jam this time of year:

Reflection in Blackwaters:

Color in my own front yard:

I've always said autumn is the best time to explore the Carolinas. Not just because of the colors, but because crowds have thinned, and with leaves falling, views are even better. And with the colder weather, the migrating swans and geese will soon arrive. Nothing could be finer. Hope to see you around a Carolina town or trail soon.

Touring the SC Lowcountry

2010-11-15T12:25:00.000-05:00

Charming one-room houses with piazzas overlooking lush courtyards. Churches with columns, pediments, and soaring steeples. Buildings drenched with history. All and more were on our mind when we traveled to South Carolina's Lowcountry for a self-guided tour of Charleston.

Friend and aspiring author Shannon McNear accompanied us on the excursion. Shannon not only sets her stories in the Lowcountry, she steeps herself in historical research, going as far as visiting archeological sites to get a sense of the layout. She also holds what artifacts she's permitted to handle to feel the weight and texture of the material. Her knowledge and resources enhanced our tour, as did her sparking personality and sense of humor.

Using Shannon's worn pamphlet, we began our tour at the open-air market on Market Street. Built around 1841, the market is filled with vendors selling hats, duplications of historical prints, famous "Sweetgrass" baskets and more. After purchasing a few items, we walked down Church Street to the first stop on our list, St Philip's.

A national landmark, St Philip's dates back to 1681. It's a favorite for Church historians and those photographing quintessential Charleston. On this occasion, our goal wasn't the building itself, but the cemetery on its grounds and across the street. Charleston's cemeteries are history books. One doesn't have to walk far to see the names Alston, Pringle, Pinckney and others who did much to shape Charleston, and South Carolina's history.

Though one does need to search for headstones in places they wouldn't think to look. We found markers embedded in sidewalks and running alongside the walls.

Across the street from the church, adjacent to the auxiliary cemetery, I spotted something we'd missed on earlier visits. A sign on a tall, black wrought-iron gate that read "Pirates Courtyard". A shadowed walkway so narrow, two could not walk down it side-by-side led to a grassy area barely visible behind the building. But was it public or private? That question kept us from stepping foot on the pirates' rest. I've yet to find an explanation on the web. However, this spot is listed on at least one ghost tour, so we'll check it out during our next visit.

For information on the history of St. Philip's, go to www.nps.gov/history/nr/travel/charleston/stp.htm

We continued our tour of churches and cemeteries, houses and alleys, inspecting the interior of St. Michael's and the Huguenot church. The exterior of tenement houses built in the 1600s. The restaurant on Unity Alley where George Washington ate during his visit to the Lowcountry. The oldest homes in the city, noting stucco covering brick in some places, and where visible, the straight mortar between bricks that seemed to be too small for their slots.

At lunchtime, we stopped at Carolina's Bistro where we discussed history and storyline while dining on Cauliflower soup, truffle fries and pasta. Refreshed, we took up our tour again, and were soon reminded history is on every corner of Charleston, even in the people we encountered in the streets.

On our way back to Market Street, we met a man doing repair work on one of Charleston's historic churches. He took time to explain why the mortar joints of many homes and brick fences looked so straight (leveled with a razor) and that stucco covered some walls because the soft, oyster-shell-and-limestone bricks slowly disintegrate in the Lowcountry climate. A beneficial stop not mentioned in the tour book. Minutes later, we happened on another vendor selling the famous Sweetgrass baskets. Just one of many ties that bind Charleston's history to the present.

Shannon chats with a basket maker

For those unfamiliar, this particular art of basketweaving originated in African. The descendants of slaves who brought the art with them continue the tradition, selling them in the market, streets, or booths along Highway 17 as previous generations had, though many now sell their baskets online. The pricetag often shocks tourists, but the process is time consuming, often taking twelve to twenty-four hours depending on the size of the basket, and all baskets are handmade. It's interesting to note that a former missionary I once worked with gave me a basket she'd purchased in Uganda. It is worked exactly as some of the baskets Charleston weavers make today.

For more information on the history and cultural importance of these baskets, click here for an abstract. I also recommend Mary Alice Monroe's novel, Sweetgrass.

Hours after beginning our tour, we said goodbye to Shannon and headed up Highway 17, taking a quick detour at the Waterfront Park near Patriot's Point for a shot of the Ravenel Bridge.

But we weren't finished yet. When traveling between Charleston and Myrtle Beach, we love to stop at two jewels in the Lowcountry's crown: Pawleys Island and Murrells Inlet. Off season is a great time to visit "The Hammock Coast". Hotel prices are lower, camping spots more likely to be available, and more sand is visible on the beach. Though it appears bars have more of a presence in Murrells Inlet than they had in previous visits, Huntington Beach State Park, Brookgreen Gardens, the Marshwalk and your choice of seafood restaurants makes Murells Inlet worth the stop.

Note: if you're on a budget, check out the restaurant's menu before walking inside. On a recommendation, we ate at Lee's Inlet Kitchen. The food is great, and their hush puppies addicting, but at this writing, entrees range from $17.95 to $36.95.

A final note: We usually avoid Myrtle Beach. I prefer trail getaways to crowds and traffic. But since it is low season, we decided to explore on this occasion, and I found I'd been suffering from a case of not seeing the forest for the kitschy trees. In addition to numerous accesses to long stretches of sandy beach, Myrtle Beach is home to a lovely state park. It's now on our To-Do list. For more information, go to South Carolina's Myrtle Beach State Park site.

Photos from our journey are below. To view the slideshow on our Webshots site, click on the link below.

Walking Tour of Charleston

Autumn at Merchants Millpond

2010-11-02T18:50:00.000-05:00

We recently returned to Merchants Millpond State Park to hike, and enjoy what we knew would be gorgeous scenery. This is our second visit to the park, so I won't recap information posted in my first post.

So I'll leave you with photos that we took near the picnic area we visited during our last visit, and also along the Cypress Point Trail.

A beautiful autumn day at one of North Carolina's beautiful state parks.

Scouting Out Uwharrie

2010-10-23T22:04:00.002-05:00

We recently took a scouting trip to Uwharrie National Forest to learn the layout and enjoy a beautiful autumn day.

Named for the Uwharrie Mountains and acquired by the government during the Great Depression, Uwharrie is one of four national forests in North Carolina. It's situated in the Piedmont, south of Asheboro and west of the North Carolina Zoo. Tucked in a curve on the forest's western boundary is Morrow Mountain State Park.

Our GPS led us to a completely useless spot just inside the eastern edge of the forest, near what appeared to be a charming town named Troy. After consulting the Gazetteer, we headed north on 109, but stopped at a parking lot several miles up the road. This turned out to be one of three trailheads for the 20.5 Uwharrie Trail, which cuts a swath across the forest.

We didn't have the time or the stamina to hike the entire trail on this day, nor did we have a map, available at the ranger station down the road, according to the kiosk at the trailhead. We did, however, take an hour-long trek over a dirt path embedded with rocks, roots and even quartz in what turned out to be a pleasant walk in the woods. Sunlight streamed through autumn-tinted leaves, some on trees, some littering the ground, and we strolled to a creek where we found several Hearts-a-Burstings.

Caught! Your host:

Trail near the creek:

Strawberry bush known as Hearts-a-Bursting:

On the subject of flowers, we spotted the following species of sunflower growing alongside the road. Did we find the endangered Schweitzer's Sunflower, known to grow in the Uwharrie Forest, or one of its cousins?

We finished our hike, but instead of backtracking through Troy, we headed north on 109 to NC 49, one of North Carolina's official scenic drives, and soon found more destinations to explore.

Last year, one of my Sylvan Heights posts caught the attention of the NC Zoo director. He not only invited us to the zoo, he suggested we check out Birkhead Wilderness, located in the northern region of the Uwharrie National Forest. Our zoo trip is a bit overdue thanks to unexpected travel and 100+ temperatures this past summer, but on this trip, we spotted the turnoff for the 5,100 acre Birkhead Wilderness. So many trails, too little time! We put it on the growing lists of places to visit, and continued on, but made a quick turn when we saw the sign for Pisgah Covered Bridge.

A member of our hiking group first told us about this historic structure. Several sources state the Pisgah Covered Bridge is only one of two covered bridges left in North Carolina. Once badly damaged, the bridge was refurbished thanks to efforts initiated by the NC Zoo and Zoo Society. Today, visitors can picnic near the creek or stroll along the hiking trail in what we found to be a picturesque setting.

A must see if you're in the area.

There are several trails to explore in Uwharrie National Forest, Birkhead Wilderness, and nearby Morrow Mountain State Park, and that's not even counting the hike through the NC Zoo. In short, there's plenty to do in the Asheboro area.

And I once called the Piedmont the land between me and the mountains? I stand corrected.

So back we'll go, and soon. Not to explore more of Uwharrie's interior, not yet anyway. We're finally taking that overdue trip to the zoo. But we won't be alone. Accompanying us on the excursion will be a group of siblings who have fast grown dear to our hearts. More soon.

For more information on Uwharrie Forest, activities and trails, go to www.cs.unca.edu/nfsnc/recreation/uwharrie/index.htm

For more information on Morrow Mountain State Park, go to
www.ncparks.gov/Visit/parks/momo/main.php

Beaufort, NC: Sanctuary

2010-10-12T21:18:00.004-05:00

Visitors to Beaufort NC generally stroll along the sidewalks, shopping for clothes, souvenirs, or confections in one of the stores lining Front Street. Many stop to eat at one of the restaurants overlooking the scenic waters of Taylor's Creek, admiring sailboats resting in placid waters or one of the yachts moored along the shore. But across the creek is a strip of land seen, but ignored until a feral horse appears and begins grazing near the marsh. This is Carrot Island, a "cluster of small islands, salt marshes and spoil banks"(1), also known as the Rachel Carson Estuarine Research Reserve.

View Larger Map Driving Directions View Bird's Eye

Just over three miles long, and one mile wide(2), the reserve is named for the author and scientist who conducted ecological research there in the 1940s(1). It is an estuarine. A place where fresh water meets salt. That mix creates a critical environment for plant and wildlife.

The island system is accessible only by boat, so we parked on Front Street near Island Ferry Adventures in time for the one o'clock departure. Though the trip across the creek took less than five minutes, Captain Farmer gave us a brief tour, providing tidbits on Taylor's Creek and Carrot Island, and then pointed out one of the feral horses grazing in the marsh before dropping us off on the western tip of the island.

Standing on a small stretch of beach within sight of downtown Beaufort isn't the getaway some desire, but within seconds, the scenery caught our attention.

Though we spotted ibises, oyster beds, and the two horses we saw during the ferry ride, the beach ended at the edge of a marsh. Out of walking space, we backtracked through the soft sand and rounded the tip toward the southern end of the island. Minutes later, we encountered hundreds of tiny crabs scurrying from the water to nearby brush.

This crescent strip of sand also ended in a marsh, but a trail led over the dune and into the maritime forest. Following a line of wooden markers, we hiked past evergreens, over burrs that stuck on our socks and shoes, into what we hoped would be the interior of the reserve. We found Indian blankets growing in the sand and teasing views of both the Atlantic and Beaufort.

But no pathway into the interior. Fortunately, the Maritime Museum in Beaufort often hosts a "Horses, Hiking, and History" tour that takes visitors on a three-hour trek through the reserve. For more information, go to www.ncmaritime.org/main/events.htm

During the hike back to the ferry rendezvous point, we were treated to the sight of an osprey flying overhead, and a run in with the fiddler crab's cousin, the ghost crab.

The Rachel Carson unit is one of ten protected estuarines in North Carolina. For information, go to www.nccoastalreserve.net/

For more information on the Rachel Carson Reserve, go to www.nccoastalreserve.net/About-The-Reserve/National-Reserve-Sites/Rachel-Carson/58.aspx

For more information on Island Ferry Adventures, including tours, destinations, prices and seasonal dates, go to www.islandferryadventures.com/

Our thanks to Captain Farmer and Molly for making our trip even more enjoyable. I look forward to the Shackleford Trip.

1. Natural Traveler: Along North Carolina's Coast (John F Blair) pg 217
2. http://www.nccoastalreserve.net/About-The-Reserve/National-Reserve-Sites/Rachel-Carson/58.aspx

RE: Carrot Island Post

2010-10-07T14:10:00.000-05:00

I'd planned to move ahead with the Carrot Island post this week, sharing information about the crumble of land across the creek from Beaufort, NC, and the Rachel Carson Estuarine Reserve. After viewing photos posted on Carolinafootprints.com, I knew I had to visit the reserve (as opposed to glancing at it from across the water) before writing about it. Check out these photos and you'll understand why.

http://carolinafootprints.com/?p=466

Beautiful.

Scenes from California

2010-10-02T20:40:00.000-05:00

We're back from California, where we met the newest member of our family. We also took our toddling grandson to a couple outdoor destinations to teach him how to enjoy, and appreciate, the great outdoors. Below are a few scenes from our trip. First, from a local recreational area, then from Olde Town and places around San Diego.

Why post photos of California in a blog called Carolina Towns and Trails? As I like to point out to justify these posts, California was originally included in the land grants extended to the Lord Proprietors, those bearing the noble names of Hyde, Albemarle, Craven, Carteret, Ashley Cooper, Berkeley and more: www.ccpl.org/content.asp?catID=6063

This is what they would have seen:

We also checked out Balboa Park in San Diego. Housing trails, gardens, over a dozen museums and restaurants located inside stunning structures built in the Spanish tradition, and the San Diego Zoo, the park is a favorite for visitors and residents living in and around the San Diego area. We stopped by the science museum, and attempted a visit to the Museum of Natural History. Unfortunately, we neglected to check operating times before we went.

Certain I couldn't take photos within the museum, I left my camera in the car. A huge loss. We did, however, snap a couple of photos from the interior of the car.

And nearby...

You can also view photos of Balboa Park on Webshots, and pBase. A must stop if you're in the San Diego area. For more information, go to www.balboapark.org/

California is nice, especially since it's the home of our grandbabies, but I don't blame the Lord Proprietors for sticking close to home. After all, nothing could be finer....well, you know.

Short Hiatus

2010-09-17T19:38:00.000-05:00

It's a boy!

My grandson decided to make an early entrance today, so I'll be on a short hiatus as I help the new parents around the house. Wherever you go this weekend or next, enjoy your Carolina adventure!

Grammy...I mean, Kimberli

Beaufort, NC: Resting Grounds

2010-09-15T09:40:00.002-05:00

Magnolias, thick and leafy, and gnarled limbs of ancient oaks join, forming a protective canopy for those sleeping beneath a blanket of fallen leaves. Granite and marble mark the graves of some, while slabs and shells, others. This is the Old Burying Ground in Beaufort, North Carolina.

I first learned about the cemetery three years ago, shortly after moving to the eastern plains. The story of a soldier buried upright intrigued me, but our previous, too short, visits to Beaufort were spent dining or strolling along Front Street. But on this visit, we set out to find the cemetery.

Bordered by Ann, Craven and Broad streets, the cemetery sits behind the towering white fortress of Ann Street United Methodist Church. Tall trees and thick azaleas that bloom pink in the spring form such a protective barrier, we would have missed the resting ground if not for the wrought iron fence and sign marking the entrance.

Once inside, we walked leaf-covered paths, visiting gravesites of those interred from Beaufort's earliest days. Reportedly, those sleeping include a privateer, the aforementioned upright soldier, the crew of a ship that wrecked off nearby Shackleford Banks, and, according to several accounts, a child supposedly buried in a barrel of rum. While capturing the sights with my camera, I used settings I felt would better portray the feel and mood of that historic place.

A must see for those who love North Carolina's beauty and history. We'll go again in the spring, when the azaleas are exploding with color.

The Old Burying Ground wasn't our only stop that day. During our visit, we discovered another sanctuary, one we'd previously seen across the waters of Taylor's Creek, but somehow missed that it was the home of the Rachel Carson Estuarine Research Reserve. More on that in my next post.

For more information on The Old Burying Ground, go to www.beaufort-nc.com/history/old-burying-ground.shtml

Coming Up...

2010-09-10T07:09:00.010-05:00

I'm still here (though the Carolinatownsandtrails domain was down for several hours yesterday) and will be posting soon. Coming up are photos and information on the Old Burying Ground and Carrot Island in Beaufort, NC, and on Petersburg National Battlefield near Richmond, VA.

But first, the next adventure. With lower temperatures and humidity, it's time for a walk in the woods. Finally.

On another note, if you received several posts containing gibberish, you'll understand why I'll never again blog by phone. My apologies for that.

Tracking Earl

2010-09-02T08:54:00.000-05:00

Skies above us are blue for the moment as Category-4 Earl churns toward the North Carolina coast. The eye is expected to kiss Cape Hatteras, home of the famous lighthouse, early Friday morning before moving north along the eastern seaboard.

The NOAA satellite image below shows the hurricane as it appears about the time of this posting:

For more on the storm, go to Storm Pulse's Atlantic Hurricane Tracking page.

One Visitor We Hope Will Change Its Mind

2010-09-01T15:12:00.001-05:00

Hurricane Earl is barreling toward the North Carolina coast. Warnings have been issued for the entire North Carolina coast. As of this morning, Ocracoke and Kill Devil Hills have been evacuated, and The Weather Channel is reporting from the beach.

I pray Earl changes his mind and swings east, merely skirting the Carolinas. If it doesn't, I pray everyone in the warning cone evacuates in time. Either way, coastal friends, our prayers are with you.

To follow the storm, go to the National Hurricane Center or The Weather Channel

For a local perspective, go to WRAL.

Capturing the Carolinas: A Few Photo Tips

2010-08-25T16:22:00.003-05:00

People often compliment my pictures, and in doing so, usually tell me they can't take "that type" of photo. I tell them they can. Though my skill is far better than it was five years ago, I'm still miles away from producing professional images. I learned from others, mainly members of my hiking group, and am still attempting to glean information from photography books that usually soar over my head.

Yet I continue to receive compliments for photos I post here and on Facebook. Some Carolina organizations have sought permission to use my pictures on their websites or brochures.

So how do I do it? I'm really good at taking advice. Below are the tips I've been given or have learned over the years.

Light

As CA's co-moderator, Kelvin Taylor, likes to point out, light is the first and most important element (And God said, "Let there be light"!) You can't take a photo without it. However, too much light can ruin a photo. The pros say don't take pictures between 10:00 and 3:00 because bright sun bleaches out colors. The best light occurs around sunrise and before sunset. During that time, details are visible, and colors are at their best.

However....we rarely leave the house before 9:00 AM, so we end up taking shots in the middle of the day. If it's a bright sunny day, I use the automatic, or sport setting on my camera (which forces a faster shutter speed) to compensate.

Camera

While better cameras—and lenses—do produce better photos, we've taken several decent shots with our point-and-shoot. Some of the photos posted in the slideshow to the right, and in the earliest blog posts, were taken with a 5 mp Canon Powershot. Learn what each auto setting does and use them. I often use the night mode, landscape, and macro settings.

Composition

Learn and use the Rule of Thirds. The best article I've read (that I understood) is on Wikipedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rule_of_thirds

Below is a photo I recently took in Beaufort, NC. If you read the Wiki article, you'll notice I utilized the Rule of Thirds in my composition:

On the subject of composition, as with any art, emulate the pros until your style begins to emerge. As a member of a hiking group that contains numerous stellar photographers—most of whom consider themselves hobbyist—I'm exposed to fantastic galleries on a weekly, sometimes daily basis. I not only look at their photos, I pay attention to the advice they give, even if I don't yet understand what the heck they're talking about.

Study good photos. Notice their subjects, lighting, compositions, perspectives, lines (especially curved and diagonals), etc. Copy them.

Setup

The pros (and CA's moderator, SCJack) say to use a tripod, a timer, and carefully set up your shot, using as much time and as many photos as it takes to get the good one.

However....While I do sometimes use a tripod and timer, my husband and I (especially "I") lack patience. If I see something I like, I whip out the camera, snap off a couple of shots, and leave. No photo blinds, no sitting for a half hour or more waiting for the perfect light to appear (or disappear) or a bird to land. That is, perhaps, why photos taken by fellow hiking group members are far better. For us, Shoot-and-Runs work.

One Last Look

I should mention, to minimize blurring when not using a tripod, my husband taught me press the button as I exhale, and not to jerk my finger away after the shutter clicks. Follow through.

Special photos such as the waterfall shot above use special settings. Search the web before you leave the house. Before our waterfall trip, I read Kevin Adam's instructions in his North Carolina Waterfalls book. It made a difference.

Post Processing

I don't own PhotoShop, so I can't dress up a photo after it's taken, or fix mistakes. I do tweak photos a bit after I download them though, using Microsoft Office Picture Manager. I'll rotate crooked shots, adjust contrast to eliminate gray casts muting the photo, or crop to get the shot I was aiming for (note, this can change photo size and resolution). At times, I'll have to play with color. See the waterfall shot above? Below is how it looked minutes before I posted that:

Just make sure you practice on a copy, not the original.

And that's how I take the photos you see on this blog. It's all trial and error, learned over the course of five years. Learned from others. Practiced until I got what I wanted. I'm confident if you're willing to put a little effort into it, you can do it as well.

Summer at Mattamuskeet

2010-08-21T15:21:00.002-05:00

We recently made our annual jaunt to North Carolina's Lake Mattamuskeet, and were pleased to see it's still just as magical in the summer as it is in winter. Located at the edge of the Albemarle-Pamlico peninsula, surrounded by crops and specks of interesting architecture, Mattamuskeet provides a feeling of disconnect that some desire, and the outdoor experience craved by others.

Migrating waterfowl haven't yet arrived, but we did spot a few ducks and a gaggle of Canada geese, along with egrets and herons.

After soaking in the view we'll not see again until December, we drove east on Hwy 264, into Engelhard, past the Octagon House and a few native hibiscus. This natural jewel is always worth the drive.

Slideshow is below, or click on the link under the box to view a larger version in Webshots.

Summer at Mattamuskeet

Well, That's New....

2010-08-11T08:52:00.000-05:00

I love it when I learn about a "new" Carolina destination. While playing with Google Earth the other night, I found a photo of Hibriten Mountain in Lenoir, NC. Total news to me, so I did a search and learned Hibriten is located in the Brushy Mountain Range, a tendril of the Blue Ridge Mountain.

Fantastic! But do they have trails? According to Mountainzone.com, several trails are nearby, including the Lovers Leap Loop Trail, and the AT. Oh my.

It appears trails are either for mountain bikers or hikers (no indication they're shared), are within four miles of the Brushy Mountain Summit, and range from 1.6 to 13.6 miles (Paint Rock Mountain Biking Trail). For more information, check out the following link:

www.mountainzone.com/mountains/detail.asp?fid=1660856

And for more information on Hibriten Mountain, go to: www.mountainzone.com/mountains/detail.asp?fid=6300356

Because that's about all I can find on it.

I guess we'll just have to check it out ourselves.

Glen Burney Trail, Blowing Rock

2010-07-31T11:54:00.004-05:00

During our trip to NC's High Country, we wanted to cram in as many state parks and hikes as we could during our few days there. To help us decide which and where, we brought along Kevin Adams' North Carolina Waterfalls and Best Wildflower Hikes, exploring north carolina's natural areas (not a typo, it isn't capped on the book, either) and North Carolina State Parks, A Niche Guide.

Having spent part of our time at Mt. Mitchell and Linville Falls, we looked for something near Blowing Rock, our headquarters during this trip. With its gables, rocking chairs, and flowers galore (we even spotted one growing in a crack in the sidewalk) Blowing Rock is as charming as it is trendy, so we were surprised to find a hefty little two-plus mile (round trip, longer if you hike beyond the falls) mountain hike within city limits.

I don't recommend this trail for anyone with mobility issues or small children. We had assumed the trail was named in honor of one Glen Burney, but halfway through the hike, we realized Glen was an actual glen, Webster's definition of which is a secluded narrow valley. While the secluded part only applied to the latter part of the trail—we were within city limits, and for a time, spotted houses, manholes in the path, pipes and other manmade features—narrow was right on, and steep at parts, making this a moderate-to-strenuous hike. The falls themselves can be quite dangerous as well, but more on that later.

Down we descended, down rock steps, over narrow portions of the trail, through an explosion of rhododendrons, fighting high humidity that thickened as we descended into the valley, toward not one, but three cascades:

Rhodos everywhere:

Though we took this photo on our way back up the trail, the first waterfall we passed was the Cascades:

Again, we took the following photo on our way back to the trailhead. But this, as with the photos above, shows what we encountered as we hiked down the trail.

Sign for Glen Burney Falls. We splintered off the main trail and descended a bit further into the glen.

Glen Burney Falls isn't tall, but it's attractive on a small scale despite the log:

From there, we continued to Glen Marie Falls, barely visible from a side view:

And situations like this often lead to danger. Kevin Adam includes a strong note of caution about these falls in his Glen Burney Falls entry (pg 81). There are signs at the trailhead and along the trail:

Yet despite these warnings, people are injured because of the very nature of the falls. You noticed how difficult it is to see Glen Marie. Because of that, people are tempted to walk out on the large boulder beside it for a better view. But remember, the water descends into a glen, and those rocks at the falls keep on going—straight down.

The photo above show the continuation of Glen Burney Falls. We couldn't capture the sharp, 75-foot descent onto additional boulders at Glen Marie because of vegetation.

While discussing the trail with a clerk at our hotel, she mentioned a friend of hers had been injured at one of these falls. "I don't the trail is well maintained," she said. I told her it was. The problem lies in the fact people ignore the signs. My husband, moving slow and confidently, did so and took a risk despite the warnings in an effort to take a better photo of Glen Marie. I want to keep him around for years to come, so I moved the camera far from his reach.

So please, if you hike the Glen Burney Trail, stay on the trail and off of rocks. At Glen Marie, stay behind what my husband called the "trip line" (hard to see, and just high enough to trip over).

After taking photos of the final falls and the Rattlesnake Plantain Orchids we found growing nearby, we headed back to the parking lot.

A note on the directions. According to Kevin Adam's book, to reach the trail, turn onto Laurel Lane from Main Street in downtown Blowing Rock, and drive 0.1 mile to the parking area at Annie L. Cannon Memorial Gardens. However, at what appears to be the end of Laurel Lane you'll find both a stop sign and a parking garage. This isn't your destination!

Turn right at the stop sign and then, almost immediately, turn left into the open parking lot at the Gardens.

Across the street and to the left, you should see this:

See? Charming.

After the hike, we intended to visit Mount Jefferson State Natural Area (sometimes referred to as a state park) but the thick humidity we encountered thanks to the unusually high temps that hit the mountains that week zapped our strength. So we hit the showers, and then the stores along Main Street.

For you knitters, they have a yarn shop!

For more information on the falls along the Glen Burney Trails, go to http://www.ncwaterfalls.com/glenburney1.htm

There and Back Again--Again

2010-07-28T07:56:00.000-05:00

We're finally home from back-to-back trips. One to Due West, SC for business, and one to Texas on a family matter. I'd forgotten my field guides during the first trip, and didn't have wireless access on the second, so blogging was out for awhile.

Though unable to quench my Carolina curiosity for several weeks, I had a nice dose of home thanks to Bushwackers by William R Trotter. I purchased the book several years ago while living in the SC Upstate and promptly placed it on my Someday Shelf. Before leaving, I blew the dust off the top and started reading about the war of secession in NC's western counties, and found breathtaking description of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Only NC native and poet, Julie Buffaloe-Yoder, could have done a better job, and if you've read Julie's work, you'll know what I mean.

But we're back, and I think North Carolina missed me as well. Upon crossing the border, the mountains treated us to those wispy clouds I so love:

Once the laundry is finished, I'll—finally—finish the Glen Burney Trail report. If you're in or near Blowing Rock and don't mind a mountain hike, you won't want to miss it.

Linville Falls

2010-07-03T15:56:00.003-05:00

Our first stop of the day took us to Mt. Mitchell, the highest point in the east. The second, the deepest gorge in the east. And they're approximately forty-three miles apart along the Blue Ridge Parkway.

I've heard and read much about Linville Gorge and Falls. Members of my hiking group have ventured into the gorge and returned with exciting stories of strenuous hikes and photos of a vast, rugged wilderness—and, on occasion, an isolated field of daffodils. I shied away from the idea of navigating craggy rocks and steep cliffs but was equally curious about those formations, so different from the surrounding landscape. It's one of the reasons I purchased Exploring the Geology of the Carolinas (Steward and Robertson, UNC Press.) From the chapter on Linville Gorge, I learned the rocks in and around the falls are a spectacular example of a "tectonic window". A cross-section of a significant geologic event. No digging required!

More on that in a minute. As it turns out, there are several short (in hiker terms) stops along a trail that allow visitors to view Linville Falls from three different perspectives: eye level, high, and much higher. The trail difficulty is easy, difficult and tiring. After parking and making a short trip to the Visitors Center, we crossed a bridge. Following signs, we arrived at the first overview in just a few minutes.

Notice the rock in the photo above, and at the "observation" platform:

From here, the river glides through a small gorge carved by the current, much like water flows down a slide at a water park:

Then, the river twists and turns, and spills over yet another small cliff. We hiked along the Erwins View Trail to the Chimney View overlook, where both falls were visible:

Along with a different type of rock. See the difference?

We continued on up the trail to the Gorge View Overlook, which tested my fear of heights:

And then to the Erwins View Overlook, where I nearly ran back down the trail when a young man decided he had to take photos from the stone wall.

Please don't do that. There is an unobstructed view of the falls from the safer, far side of the overlook:

From there, we hiked back to the parking lot and the bottles of water we'd forgotten to bring along. Back at the hotel, I picked up Exploring the Geology of the Carolinas, and reviewed the chapter on Linville Falls. Had I read it in advance, I would have remembered the folded (melted looking) rock around the falls is actually older than the rock around the lower falls (photos 7 and 8). This is the result of a collision between plates.

Yes, that's right. We were looking at a fault! The authors of Exploring do a good job explaining the collision, the resulting thrust fault and the "shear zone" now visible. I highly recommend this book to those interested in the geology of the Carolinas. For more information on the Linville Fault, read the technically oriented http://web.me.com/carogeosoc/CGS/1990s_files/gb%201997.pdf or, in relation, www.unc.edu/~kgstewar/downloads/Burnsville.pdf

And for more information on Linville Falls, click on the following links:

www.cs.unca.edu/nfsnc/recreation/wncwaterfalls/linvillefalls.htm
www.nps.gov/blri/planyourvisit/upload/Linville%20Falls%20Trails.pdf

Time well spent along the Blue Ridge Parkway.

Mt. Mitchell State Park

2010-06-30T18:22:00.000-05:00

Mt. Mitchell is the highest point east of the Mississippi. Part of the Black Mountains near Asheville, NC, Mt. Mitchell soars 6,684 feet above sea level. Not as high as mountains out west, but it's lush and cool, and it's the place to go to get a near 360 degree view of the surrounding Blue Ridge Mountains.

So it was our first stop on this visit to the Blue Ridge Parkway. Now part of a state park, Mt. Mitchell is located just off the Parkway between mileposts 355 and 358. Several years ago, the park tore down the old observation tower (which I often referred to as The Tower of Terror) and built a new platform. This, and a hike down the .75 Balsam Trail, just off the pathway to the summit, was our goal.

The threat of thunderstorms storms eliminated the hike, but we headed to the summit in the hopes of finding skies clear enough for a spectacular view. We got it, but unfortunately, our camera lens is broken, so we had to take photos with the zoom lens and our camera phones. Consequently, we couldn't capture the panoramic vista visible from the top of the platform.

Observation platform from Hwy 128

View from the paved path that leads to the summit:

Observation platform:

Atop the platform:

The platform is great. The view, stunning. I left with only one concern.

Mt. Mitchell is named after Rev. Elisha Mitchell, who correctly determined the mountain's standing as highest peak in the east. Shortly after, Senator Thomas Clingman claimed a nearby peak was higher. While in the mountains to confirm his measurements and put the dispute to rest, Rev. Mitchell lost his life after falling over a waterfall. (Honest. I did not make that up to emphasize last week's Waterfall Warning post!)

Rev. Mitchell is buried at the summit, beside the observation platform. A fence once protected his grave, but now, a low, stone wall filled with rocks surrounds the monument. During our visit, children sat and climbed on the wall, munching on tofu and crackers. When I voiced my concern over the change to the gravesite, they jumped up and away. They didn't have a clue.

I miss the fence.

Because of the altitude and a never ending breeze, Mt. Mitchell is usually a bit chilly, so bring a jacket. If you forget one, you can purchase a jacket or sweatshirt at the Visitors Center located at the parking lot below the summit, or at the restaurant you'll pass on the way to the peak.

Either way, stop at the restaurant and try their hot peach cobbler. It's the best I've tasted, and when I mentioned that to the woman at the cash register, she smiled. As it turns out, it was her grandmother's recipe. "She called it her Depression Cobbler," we were told. During the Depression era, sugar was difficult to obtain, so women like this dear lady's grandmother had to come up with alternate methods, such as cane and sorghum, for sweetening the treat. Her ingenuity lives on today.

On a final note, Mt Mitchell offers several hiking trails, ranging from easy to strenuous. For more information, see the park map at http://ncparks.gov/Visit/parks/momi/pics/parkmap.pdf.

South on the Parkway

2010-06-29T21:36:00.001-05:00

A great day on the Parkway! A few sights we passed while driving south to our first stop, Mt. Mitchell:

Linn Cove Viaduct from across the Parkway

And, in a shot difficult to snap due to the sun setting just beside it, the much photographed viaduct from the highway below:

Below, Grandfather Mountain from the Parkway. While driving today, we had the privilege of seeing the old mountain from several different perspectives. I knew Grandfather played a large role in this region, literally and figuratively, but I'm just beginning to learn how significant it is.

You can't drive along the Parkway and not see colorful wildflowers blooming along the road. It's too early for Mountain Ash, so I don't know what these are. The color is rich, and about as red as the Fire Pinks and Bee Balms.

St. Johns Wort. Yes, it's a flower!

Purple fringed orchids.

As mentioned, our first stop was Mt. Mitchell to see the new observation tower, visible from the road:

More on that in my next post, along with a sweet story about Granny's Depression Era Cobbler. And yes, it relates to Mt. Mitchell!

Along the Blue Ridge Parkway

2010-06-28T20:06:00.000-05:00

I've blogged about the Blue Ridge Parkway in the past, but there is so much to do along America's favorite scenic highway, it's doubtful we can do it all in our lifetime.

But we're trying. After arriving in the High Country this afternoon, we popped on the Parkway near the Yadkin Valley Overlook and drove south to Price Lake. Along the way, we found rhododendrons, Touch-Me-Nots, Fire Pinks, Bee Balm, fantastic views and more. A few shots from today's excursion:

Bee Balm flourishing along the Parkway:

Fire Pinks:

Rhododendrons reflecting in Sims Pond:

Price Lake:

We're about to work on tomorrow's itinerary. Targeted destinations for this trip: the observation tower at Mt. Mitchell, Grayson Highland, and numerous waterfall and wildflower hikes in between. Photos to come.

Waterfall Warning

2010-06-21T13:55:00.002-05:00

Two weeks ago, I removed this post almost immediately after publishing it when I learned not one, but two people had died in recent waterfall accidents. I didn't want to come across as flippant and cold in the face of the families' grief. Quite the opposite. I ache over these deaths, which is why I continue to write about the dangers involving these beautiful attractions.

Numerous others also strive to educate others on this particular danger. Rich Stevenson keeps a clear warning on his website, www.ncwaterfalls.com. Author Kevin Adams includes them in his books and on his website. Warnings are listed on brochures and in field guides, and in many places, signs are posted along trails. Yet every year, someone dies on a waterfall.

Two years ago, I wrote a post specifically covering this danger. The link is on the right. Carolina Towns and Trails has received over 20,000 page views since I published that warning, yet only 119 people have accessed that particular post.

The warnings are out there, but they're often ignored. Why? Perhaps because we trust our own judgment. But as I often tell people, when you're in the great outdoors, you're playing by nature's rules, not your own. Rule number one about waterfalls?

They're beautiful, but they can be deadly.

Yet people still take risks. Last week, a visitor left a telling comment on my Laurel Falls blog post. This was after the two recent deaths, and in spite of signs clearly posted along the trail. I shuddered when I read it:

Anonymous said...

I couldn't agree more. We just returned from the falls and I could not believe how careless people are with their children. I could not imagine taking my 3 year old on this trail, yet there were children just old enough to walk left dangerously close to the edge of rocks. As I attempted to cool off, I went off to the side (away from the other tourists) to have a cigarette. I fully intended to take the butt back down with me. One young girl who I had watched walk away from an infant in her care near the edge of the falls asked me to put my cigarette out because there were children nearby. I did, but I was outraged that cigarette smoke was more concerning than a fall of the side of a mountain. It feels good to know others felt the same.

It echoed the comment someone left a couple years earlier. I can easily imagine what these people encountered. We had a similar experience during our visit.

The waterfall is just below the edge of the rocks.

Please remember, whether you're on a trail or visiting a waterfall, whenever you're experiencing the great outdoors, YOU are responsible for your safety. Be prepared and exercise extreme caution. Playing near the edges of cliffs, wet or dry, is dangerous. Keep back. Climbing on boulders, wet or dry, is likewise dangerous. Don't trust your wisdom, knowledge or experience. Find and follow the experts' advice.

If you've stumbled on this blog searching for information on the breathtaking cascades hidden in the Blue Ridge Mountains, please take a moment and read A Word of Warning about Waterfalls.

Please.

For more information on the recent deaths, please see Rich Stevenson's message on the following websites. Yes, this is so important, he posted it on three pages.

www.ncwaterfalls.com
www.ncwaterfalls.com/horse1.htm
www.ncwaterfalls.com/elk1.htm

Our hearts and prayers go out to the families of the victims. May they be the last.

The Mailbox

2010-05-31T10:16:00.002-05:00

There are, in the Carolinas, hidden gems tucked away in a forest, a glen, along the shoreline. They are places off the proverbial beaten path, but they're worth the visit. In South Carolina: Cape Romain and Bulls Island; Cypress Gardens; the Chattooga. In North Carolina: Pearson Falls; places deep in the, for me, too rugged Linville Gorge. Lake Mattamuskeet.

With such treasures, it is no wonder authors including Nicholas Sparks, Dorthea Benton Frank, Mary Alice Monroe and Patti Callihan Henry set their stories among the cypress trees, brackish marshes, or along sleepy Lowcountry shores.

The latest Carolina tale is given to us by author, MaryBeth Whalen. In The Mailbox, Ms Whalen doesn't just deliver a journey involving "loss, hope, and the beauty of second chances", she gives readers a glimpse of one of North Carolina's hidden gems, and a little known landmark: Sunset Beach and the Kindred Spirits mailbox on Bird Island.

Despite all our travels, all our attempts to explore the Carolinas, we had no idea Sunset Beach existed. Shortly after moving to eastern North Carolina, a member of my hiking group recommended Bird Island, but we thought it near Hammock Beach near Emerald Isle, in Carteret County's Crystal Coast. My perception was gratefully corrected when I learned about Ms. Whalen's novel.

Look at a map. Find Myrtle Beach in the northeast corner of South Carolina. Follow Highway 17 northward, and when you reach Calabash, just over the North Carolina border, train your eyes to the east. If you're using Google or Bing maps, zoom in to the area. Along the curve of the shore you'll see Sunset Beach, Ocean Isle, Holden Beach. A chain known as the South Brunswick Islands.

The southern island is Sunset Beach. This is the place Ms. Whalen sent her character, Lindsey Adams, home to. As we did during our recent visit, Lindsey would have driven across a bumpy one-lane wooden bridge to an island just three miles long. It is a quiet place. A place devoid of commercialism. An isolated refuge with cute, pastel beach houses tucked among wax myrtle dunes and pink oleanders, and tidy streets.

But, like us, Lindsey Adams had another goal in mind: Bird Island, a coastal reserve. Once an island itself, but now connected to Sunset Beach by a long stretch of pristine beach.

Sunset over Bird Island, seen in the distance

From our visit, I know Ms. Whalen's Lindsey would have meandered across long boardwalks that rise and fall with the dune. At the beach, she would have found families and couples laughing, swimming, building sand castles. But she would have turned right, and walked across the sand toward Bird Island, passing plovers and pelicans, and those with a strong desire for a brief moment of unhampered existence.

Sunset Beach from Bird Island Coastal Reserve

And as with us, Lindsey searched for the Kindred Spirit mailbox. Literally, a mailbox stuck in the dunes. Here, people write notes and leave them inside, where only those resilient, or determined enough to brave the trek will find them. In The Mailbox, Lindsey Adams veers off the beach and to the mailbox, where she pours her heart, her love, and her life as she tries to make sense of her world, battered like the surrounding shore.

To put this into perspective, though we walked at least a mile down the beach, bordered on one side by sand and the other, the ocean, we never found the mailbox.

I was more than intrigued, so I asked Ms. Whalen a few questions.

An Interview with MaryBeth Whalen

Why did you choose to focus your story on the Kindred Spirits mailbox. Was it based on an event in your life?

I have always been drawn to the mailbox--there is such a sense of mystery and folklore surrounding it. As one of the characters in the book says, it's a place where God hears you better.

When did you decide to write the story?

A few years ago I got the idea to wrap a love story around the mailbox. Once I had the concept I couldn't let it go. I kept writing and writing. I never thought I could finish a whole novel, but this one gripped me enough that I did.

What do you want your readers to take away from the story?

Lindsey's journey to find the love her heart longs for. As she is disappointed by love with men, she discovers that the love of God will never disappoint her and that she can trust Him. I want readers to take away the idea that God loves us, He never stops pursuing us, and He loves to throw us little surprise parties in life-- if we are willing to risk and trust Him with the results.

The Mailbox is available on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Christianbooks.com.

Centered on a real landmark on the coast of North Carolina, The Mailbox blends intriguing folklore and true faith with raw contemporary issues that affect every woman. When Lindsey Adams first visits the Kindred Spirit mailbox at Sunset Beach, North Carolina, she has no idea that twenty years later she will still be visiting the mailbox—still pouring out her heart in letters that summarize the best and worst parts of her life.

Returning to Sunset for her first vacation since her husband left her, Lindsey struggles to put her sorrow into words. Memories surface of her first love, Campbell—and the rejection that followed. When Campbell reappears in her life, Lindsey must decide whether to trust in love again or guard herself from greater pain. The Mailbox is a rich novel about loss, hope, and the beauty of second chances.

----------------

Copyright 2010. All Rights Reserved. Do not copy or distribute without written permission.

Mailbox and book cover photo courtesy of MaryBeth Whalen

Nothing of value was exchanged for this promotion. As with all our visits, we pay for all travel expenses, and promote each destination out of affection for the Carolinas.

A Week on the Bogue: NC Aquarium

2010-05-23T15:58:00.000-05:00

As I mentioned in an earlier post, the NC Aquarium has three locations along the North Carolina coast. One at Fort Fisher, one on Roanoke Island, and one in the middle of Bogue Banks, on Pine Knoll Shores. While the aquarium at Fort Fisher features life along the Cape Fear, the Pine Knolls location covers North Carolina from the mountains to the sea.

We'd purchased an annual membership during our Fort Fisher excursion, so during our recent visit to Bogue Banks, we popped in the Pine Knolls location for a quick visit. A waterfall in the mountain exhibit greeted us at the entrance.

From there, we explored the coast, the Tidal Waters, and the Ocean.

And somehow missed the Piedmont. How does anyone miss the North Carolina Piedmont!

Highlights at the Pine Knolls aquarium include playful otters and a Loggerhead turtle nursery, and, as I'd been told on numerous occasions before our visit, the shipwreck tank. It was pretty neat.

Loggerhead swimming with the fish:

And a shark:

Through our own fault, we had been expecting a larger facility, but as we quickly learned, the NC Aquarium at Pine Knolls Shores is a great stop for those visiting Bogue Banks. For more information, including price of admission, go to www.ncaquariums.com/pine-knoll-shores.

A Week on the Bogue: Atlantic Beach

2010-05-17T11:20:00.002-05:00

Along the southern edge of Croatan National Forest, south of Highway 24 and the blue waters of Bogue Sound lies Bogue Banks. Like the Outer Banks, this sliver of land is long and thin. So thin at points, stretch your arms and you feel as if you could touch water with both hands.

A slight exaggeration, but you get the point. We visited Bogue Banks in the fall of 2008 in an adventure that took us from Emerald Isle to Fort Macon. You can read about that visit in my Bogue Banks post.

Because there is so much to do on the island, we marked it for a return visit. I did that twice last week, once with my husband, and again when I had the privilege of attending a week-long writers retreat with four amazing Carolina authors. There's much to talk about, so I'll break it into separate posts.

Atlantic Beach

Atlantic Beach lies on the eastern section of Bogue Banks, near Fort Macon and across from Morehead City. After crossing the Atlantic Beach Bridge, we continued straight, and parked in a sand-gravel parking lot. From there, we meandered around the boardwalk, checking out the beach shops, restaurants and concession stands. Beach goers lay in the sand or bobbed in the chilly surf, while several men constructed a volleyball net. Given the presence of three other nets, we assumed they were either preparing for the weekend or a volleyball tournament.

But we weren't there to sunbath or play volleyball, so we continued eastward until we reached the Oceanana Fishing Pier, visible on Google Maps at 34.697362,-76.726886.

Located behind the Oceanana Family Resort Motel, the pier stretches over the beach and into the Atlantic Ocean. From the looks of it, a favorite spot for those who enjoy fishing. Because we were taking a quick stroll, the manager allowed us to walk on the pier without charge. It wasn't clear if this is the norm, so be prepared to pay a fee.

Fisherman lounging on wooden benches lined the slat railing on both sides of the pier, and a few pulled up their catches during our visit. One prize didn't seem to appreciate the disturbance, or facing the paparazzi so soon after his capture.

After swimming with sting rays on Cayman Island, I have a better appreciation for those creatures. I'm glad the man who caught this one released it shortly after I took this photo.

Note: if you're afraid of heights, the Oceanana Pier may not be the place for you. The boards are spaced enough to get a good look below, and are also weathered. Many have been replaced, and it appears a few will soon be. The railing on both sides aren't as sturdy as some I've seen, and while my husband didn't have a problem walking the planks, I did, so beware.

Several people have said they used to hang around Atlantic Beach during their teen years. From what we saw during our visit, with its beach, restaurants, piers, and close proximity to Fort Macon, the NC Aquarium, Morehead City and Beaufort, this NC attraction still holds its allure.

Next stop: the NC Aquarium on Pine Knoll Shores.

A Note from Bogue Banks

2010-05-11T08:50:00.000-05:00

As you can see, I'm running late on postings. Last week, I was preparing for a writers retreat on Bogue Banks, which I am now attending. As I write this, the soft shush of waves is filtering in from an open window. I'm on the fifth floor of a condo, and from the living room, I have a wonderful view of the pool, beach and watery horizon. Out the front door, the maritime forest developers wisely ignored stretches to the north and south along the road.

The quiet is broken only by the cry of seagulls, and, around 2:00 AM last night, a siren blasting from the hotel across the road along with an announcement that an emergency had been reported and stay tuned for further instructions! To back up that claim, strobe lights flashed along the facade, and the blinking lights of a dozen police cars and fire trucks flooded the ground around the first floor. I'll pass along info on that as it becomes available.

I'll post info and pictures next week, along with photos of the NC Aquarium on Pine Knoll Shores, just up the road from where I'm staying. Until then, have a great week, and enjoy whatever spot the Carolina roads take you!

Kimberli

Beaver Lake Trail, Pocahontas State Park (VA)

2010-04-29T13:43:00.003-05:00

On occasion, we like to stray over the border to see what's happening at the neighbor's house. I'm growing fond of Virginia, so last week, we paid a call to Pocahontas State Park, located just southwest of Richmond.

Built by the Civilian Conservation Corps and donated to the state park system in 19461—a museum stands within the boundaries in its honor—the park has over seven thousand acres and two lakes. As we soon learned, popular activities in this largely forested recreation area include hiking, biking, camping, swimming, and picnicking. Since Churchill Downs is a tad bit too far, bridle trails are available for those seeking a place to let their horses stretch their legs.

Our first stop: a small building just inside the park that houses the office/visitors center/gift shop. There, we picked up a trail map and a brochure that served as park map and facilities guide, and asked questions. The first being, "Which is the most popular hike?" The answer? The 2.56 mile Beaver Lake Trail.

With good reason.

The trailhead for the Beaver Lake Trail, among others, is located near the CCC museum, a quaint log cabin surrounded by tall trees and at least one azalea. After strolling a short distance down the path, we spotted Beaver Lake, two canoes, and a floating L-shaped boardwalk.

Canada geese honked from a grassy area near the middle of the lake, and a chorus of frogs churged from lily pads nearby. My husband spotted bass, crappy, and blue gill in the brown water. A serene picture we couldn't completely capture with our Nikon.

And apparently, beavers do live there.

I had a sinking feeling, not related to the floating walkway, that this would be the best of the trail, but as we moved on, the park proved me wrong. A short distance from the boardwalk, water rushed over a man-made spillway, creating an attractive cascade. We stopped at various angles to enjoy the sight.

From this point, the trail branched into the woods, though we were never too far from the lake. We immediately noticed the absence of pine trees, so prevalent in eastern North Carolina ("and the idea occurs to me that it is no wonder we are called 'Tar Heels". -2nd Lieutenant William B. A. Lowrance [1863]2). Instead of pine straw, fallen leaves, brown and mottled, covered the forest floor. Sunlight streamed through the leafy branches of tulip poplars, sweet gum and more, giving the woods a green hue, like the atmosphere just after a rain.

We crossed several short bridges, and a boardwalk over wetlands where Jack-in-the-Pulpits were said to grow. There, and in various places along the trail, we spotted violets, spring beauties, blueberry bushes. Ferns covered several gully slopes. Delicate wildflowers decorated the foliage in the wetlands like baby breaths in a bride's hair.

Stopping as we did to explore all this, we managed to turn a two-and-a-half mile hike into a two-hour outing. Fortunately, we had water and snacks in our packs. Visitors, I recommend at least that and bug spray.

Pocahontas State Park is located at 10301 State Park Rd, Chesterfield. There is a small entry fee. Camping, equestrian and other fees apply. For more information on fees, the park, camping, swimming, or canoe rentals, go to www.dcr.virginia.gov/state_parks/poc.shtml

1 http://www.dcr.virginia.gov/state_parks/poc.shtml#specialfeatures
2. http://ncrec.dcr.state.nc.us/Cat/CatServer.asp?WCI=MainEp&WCE=CatV1&WCU=509.16

Airlie Gardens, Wilmington NC

2010-04-20T19:31:00.002-05:00

When one thinks "outdoor Carolina", a garden usually isn't a destination that comes to mind. But the Carolinas are home to the likes of Magnolia Plantation and Gardens near Charleston, Brookgreen Gardens in Murrells Inlet, the North Carolina Arboretum in Asheville, Coker Arboretum at UNC Chapel Hill, and Cape Fear Botanical Gardens in Fayetteville. To name a few.

Each provides a shady stroll under tall trees, colorful plumes of flowers, and in some places, charming bridges over placid waters. A restful escape from the city just outside its gates.

One such paradise exists in Wilmington, North Carolina, just a few miles from Wrightville Beach. We visited the sixty-seven acre Airlie Gardens at the advent of spring, when the Bradford pears and saucer magnolias were ripe with blooms. Camellia blossoms speckled the ground, and multicolored layers of tulips bordered fields and the wide pathway that skirted a lake and led to a chapel and other points of interest. Within weeks, pink and red azaleas would explode, taking their turn at center stage.

We strolled under a Pergola that led to a fountain and stairs that walked into the lake, then we circled around and meandered over the bridge back to the ancient Airlie Oak. Quite a show for the five dollar entrance fee.

Airlie Gardens is located at 300 Airlie Road in Wilmington. For information on the park, summer concert series, nature walks, kayak tours and more, go to www.airliegardens.org.

Photos below. Note: The slideshow box tends to cut off a portion of the photo. To view the slideshow on Webshots, click on the link.

Airlie Gardens, Wilmington (Webshots Slideshow)

Sylvan Heights Waterfowl Park: An Update

2010-04-13T14:44:00.001-05:00

I covered this eastern North Carolina attraction in past blog posts, but as way of an update, we visited Sylvan Heights and had the pleasure of seeing the new wheelchair-accessible treehouse the park constructed last year with the help of numerous businesses. The "perch" is not only open, airy, and provides a shady stop for visitors, it overlooks wetlands that are in the process of being restored. A terrific addition that came in handy since our daughter, in NC for a visit, was pushing our baby grandson in a stroller. She appreciated the convenience.

More important, she liked the park, as did the baby. It was his first visit to a zoo, and his Carolina-roaming grandparents were thrilled this first occurred in the land they love.

You can bet this stop will be on the itinerary for future visits.

South Mountains State Park

2010-03-31T13:58:00.002-05:00

Trout Streams. Hemlocks. Rhododendrons. Waterfalls. Hiking, Mountain Bike, and Bridle Trails. Scenery. South Mountains State Park.

Numerous streams and creeks branch throughout this isolated mountain range located south of Morganton, NC near Hickory, cooling the air and creating cascades along boulder-strewn waterways.

Hikers, mountain bikers, and equestrians can enjoy sections of more than forty miles of trails that range from easy to strenuous (rentals not available). We began our journey on the .3 mile Hemlock Nature Trail, and strolled along the shady path past leafy thickets of budding rhododendrons, and tender Eastern Hemlocks.

At the end of the trail, we found the park's most popular hike--the 2.7 mile High Shoals Falls Trail. Along this loop are signs discussing the parks unique geological features, including the exfoliation process that resulted in a rock slide during Hurricane Hugo.

Note, the slabs now cover the trail, so wear appropriate shoes and be prepared to walk over a few rocks.

The trail soon crossed over the Jacob Branch. We stopped on the narrow wooden bridge to enjoy the cascades gushing over even more boulders.

The trail takes visitors to an observation platform overlooking an 80-foot waterfall roaring over a cliff formed by erosion.

We continued on, up a hundred or so steps built along the vertical rock. The climb was tiring for both children and adults, and we chatted with other hikers at rest points along the way.

Behind this group of fellow hikers (and exceedingly good sports) the sharp rise in elevation is visible.

But the view at the upper observation platform is worth the effort. In addition to another cascade, we found more rhodos, a scenic bridge, and "potholes" carved into the rock by water.

Along with hiking, biking, and horseback riding, picnicking and camping are also popular activities at the park. Twenty backpack campgrounds, eleven primitive family campgrounds, and an equestrian campground is available within the parks boundaries. Check the park's website for information on reservation and fees.

Note: the parking lot fills quickly, so it's best to arrive early.

For more information on South Mountains State Park, go to www.ncparks.gov/Visit/parks/somo/main.php

Fort Fisher Part III: Historic Site

2010-03-23T15:46:00.000-05:00

Upon arriving in Fort Fisher, we stopped at the Historic Site to check out the Visitors Center located just off Hwy 421. A difficult decision since the Atlantic Ocean, a wide walkway that ran parallell to it, and an abundance of sunshine were visible to our left through a stand of trees.

With a promise of returning soon, we went inside.

Fans of history, in particular, NC History or of the War Between the States ('tweren't nothing civil about that sad event) will enjoy the Fort Fisher Historic Site. Behind the Visitors Center are three mounds—the remains of the old fort that once protected ships spiriting supplies to Wilmington's port. From the NC Historic Sites website:

Until the last few months of the Civil War, Ft. Fisher kept North Carolina's port of Wilmington open to blockade-runners supplying necessary goods to Confederate armies inland. By 1865, the supply line through Wilmington was the last remaining supply route open to Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia. When Ft. Fisher fell after a massive Federal amphibious assault on January 15, 1865, its defeat helped seal the fate of the Confederacy.

www.nchistoricsites.org/fisher/fisher.htm

Inside the Visitors Center are numerous displays, photos, and even a fiber-optic battle map recreating the heroic efforts to (from the Confederate standpoint) keep the supply line open so they could end the d*#n war, or (from the Union perspective) take the fort, cut off supplies, and end the d#*n war.

The war ended four months later.

You don't have to be a history buff to enjoy the Historic Site. A short trail circles the mounds, with an oak forest on the north side, and marshlands on the south. Warning, I forgot to reset the exposure compensation on my camera, so the colors are a bit odd:

At the end of the trail, we spotted another memorial, and the Atlantic Ocean, across the street:

After a quick visit to the bookstore inside the Visitors Center, we crossed the two-lane street and soaked in the view:

A satisfying start to our day. But we longed to get closer to the water, so we headed down the road to the Fort Fisher Recreational Area. However, we plan on returning to this spot soon. An elderly North Carolina native with ninety-one years behind her expressed her desire to see the ocean one more time. With convenient parking and a level path—not to mention a terrific view—this seemed the perfect spot to take her. We look forward to sharing this moment with her in the immediate future.

For more information on all attractions at Fort Fisher, go to www.pleasureislandnc.org/fortfisher.asp

Now That Was Fun

2010-03-20T20:26:00.000-05:00

We're back after making a short stop at the very impressive South Mountain State Park. I have much to share, but here's a little preview of what's to come:

I can't wait to go back.

On the Road--Still

2010-03-19T18:05:00.000-05:00

I haven't forgotten about the final Fort Fisher post or this blog. For the past week, I've been stuck in a hotel that had little to no Internet service. Beyond frustrating.

But we're almost home, so I'll have the Fort Fisher Historical Area post up soon. In addition to the history, there's a nice little trail down there, and when coupled with a trip to the Recreation Area and the NC Aquarium, it rounds out the day quite nicely.

Until then, the plan is to make a stop at South Mountain State Park in North Carolina. Originally, I had my eye on Chimney Rock—the view of Rumbling Bald and Lake Lure is fabulous—but I couldn't verify all trails had been cleared from recent winter storms. Next time.

Have a great weekend at whatever Carolina destination you choose to go. And if you're not sure where that might be, check out the labels to the right (below), or search for a state park:

North Carolina: http://www.ncparks.gov/
South Carolina: http://southcarolinaparks.com/

Fort Fisher Part II: NC Aquarium

2010-03-11T18:28:00.000-05:00

A trip to the North Carolina Aquariums has been on our "To Do" list since we moved to the coastal plains. I put it off solely because I prefer to be outdoors. But we couldn't pass up the opportunity to visit during our Fort Fisher outing.

Featuring aquatic life along the Cape Fear River Basin, the aquarium at Fort Fisher has two levels of displays, including a large ocean tank that extends from the first floor to the second. Here we saw a shark and sting rays swimming around with a variety of other marine life, and a dozen or so children watching with wide-eyed wonder. After checking out all the displays and wishing we could go snorkeling, we stopped by the gift shop before taking a stroll around a scenic courtyard. Several patrons there expressed surprise at the size of the establishment, but a visit coupled with trips to the Recreation and Historic areas definitely rounded out our day.

The entry fee at the time of this writing is $8.00 per adult, but we purchased the family membership for $50.00. This not only gives us free admission to the aquarium at Fort Fisher, Pine Knoll Shores (along with hiking trails there!) and Roanoke Island, but also to the North Carolina Zoo, Sylvan Heights Waterfowl Park, Western NC Nature Center, Riverbanks Zoo in Columbia, SC, the Greenville Zoo in Greenville, SC, and zoos and aquariums across the nation (see Membership Page for specifics).

And I like the idea of popping into one of those attractions whenever we're in town.

For more information on North Carolina Aquariums, go to https://www.ncaquariums.com/

Fort Fisher Part I: State Recreation Area

2010-03-02T15:37:00.005-05:00

Thanks to the recommendation of, and outstanding photos taken by fellow CarolinasAdventures member, Skip, (click here to view gallery) we recently traveled to Fort Fisher on aptly named Pleasure Island, located just south of Wilmington, North Carolina. Wedged between the Cape Fear River and the Atlantic Ocean, Fort Fisher offers plenty of beach, but we quickly learned there's more to see on this sliver of land, and we're already making plans to return.

We made three stops during this visit, including one to Fort Fisher State Recreation Area. We pulled into the paved parking lot, and stopped at the Visitors Center to look around. According to NC State Park's website, the rec area has over six miles of beach, which I later learned extends south along a bay called The Basin, clearly seen on Google Maps or Google Earth at 33.952189,-77.941132.

View Larger Map

You'll notice a line on the western edge along the Cape Fear seems to enclose The Basin (which includes Zeke's Island and an island called No Name.) From the NC Park's website, I learned this is a long, manmade jetty called "The Rocks", which was built in the late 1800's. To read about its original purpose and history, go to www.ncparks.gov/Visit/parks/fofi/history.php

Skip mentioned exploring The Basin by kayak. Until we do, we'll have to take the Fort Fisher-Southport ferry to get a closer look at The Basin.

But that's a future visit. On this day, anxious to get out after long months of cold weather, we crossed the boardwalk and strolled down to the beach. While far too chilly to stick our toes in the sand, we did enjoy the sun, the waves, and watching plenty of the rec area's native inhabitants enjoying the beach life:

That alone is worth a return visit. But fortunately, both the Fort Fisher Historical Area and the NC Aquarium Fort Fisher are a short distance from the beach. More on that in upcoming posts.

For more information on Fort Fisher State Recreation Area, go to www.ncparks.gov/Visit/parks/fofi/main.php

ACE Basin: Honorable Mentions

2010-02-23T18:22:00.004-05:00

I don't often blog about Carolina destinations that we miss during an excursion, but since I hoped to provide a good overview of the ACE Basin, I can't dismiss these locations until later.

Edisto Beach

Located on the southern tip of Edisto Island, Edisto Beach, is, as their website says, "one of the few uncommercialized, family-oriented beaches left." During all-to-brief visits in past years, we spotted few restaurants and zip hotels. Lodging is in the form of rentals: condos, townhomes, and beach homes. "The tourist for the island, not the island for the tourist" is how one of my characters described it.

So why go? It's beautiful, isolated, and it's the home of....

Edisto Beach State Park

Our goal is to rent one of the cabins at Edisto Beach State Park and explore the trails by foot or bike, spend hours on the beach (click here for live webcam shot) and search the shore for sharks teeth.

Colleton State Park

Just north of Walterboro, Colleton State Park offers a nature trail, picnic grounds, ballpark, and, according to the SC Park's website, ideal paddling opportunities. See their website for more information.

Givhans Ferry State Park

According to the SC Park's website, Givhans Ferry "boasts a well-regarded mountain bike trail, shady campgrounds and well-kept, rustic cabins that offer a peaceful stay in the rural Lowcountry woods...The park is part of the 56-mile long Edisto River Canoe and Kayak Trail, and is at the end of a popular 21-mile downstream paddle from Colleton State Park. Givhans Ferry State Park is also known for its limestone river bluff and sinkholes."

See their website for more information.

Old Sheldon Church Ruins

Though it suffered damage during the Revolutionary War and the War Between the States, the hauntingly beautiful remains of Sheldon Church still stand near Yemassee. Click here to see photos and to read about the church's tragic history.

We traveled to the ACE Basin to learn more about the area. While I walked away without knowledge of its estuaries and vital importance, I did learn the Basin has much to offer in terms of outdoor activities. I hope to spend more time there in the future.

Snow!

2010-02-16T15:18:00.000-05:00

Last week, snow fell in forty-nine American states. Portions of eastern North Carolina received anywhere from one-to-four inches or more. The second such storm in a month, the winter event quickly became the subject of Tweets, blog posts, and Facebook statuses, and it seemed everyone took pictures. Thanks to Twitter and FB, I saw photos of snowy landscapes from the Blue Ridge Mountains to the Outer Banks, and down to South Carolina's Lowcounty. Of course, I took a few as well. Why waste a chance to practice photography?

Birds left more than empty shells near a bird feeder:

The "blizzard" shut down the local state park.

Rivers and black-water swamps decked out in white.

But some didn't seem to appreciate the finery.

I may need more practice taking pictures under such extreme lighting conditions, but hopefully, opportunity will wait a year. I enjoyed the snow, but I'm looking forward to the sight of wildflowers covering fields and roadsides, and taking long walks through Carolina woods.

ACE Basin National Wildlife Refuge

2010-02-10T12:10:00.002-05:00

We enjoyed our trips to Hunting Island State Park and Beaufort, but we had much to learn on this adventure, and I hoped to do that at the ACE National Wildlife Refuge.

Unfortunately, the day after we arrived in the Lowcountry, the sky burst open and a deluge drenched an already soaked land. Several low-lying areas around the Carolinas were either under a flood watch, or experienced flooding. Consequently, when we arrived at the refuge's Visitors Center, we encountered locked doors (apparently, they weren't expecting visitors on a cold rainy day in January. Clearly, they don't know us.) We also noticed deep mud puddles dotting the dirt roads. Without the Durango, we didn't have the clearance or the four-wheel drive necessary to tackle that hurdle.

Not that it helped us in the past...

I wish I could have walked inside the Visitors Center. From preliminary research on the Basin, I learned a South Carolina treasure is hidden in the heart of the refuge, and the pictures didn't prepare me for the sight of a historic plantation house surrounded by enormous moss-laced oak trees.

I love old plantations. Not for the tragic history they often represent, but because of the architectural wonders they usually are, and Grove Plantation House is a beauty. Surrounded by dozens of those majestic oak trees, it's one of those sights you need to see in person to appreciate. European ownership of this area dates back to the days of, or just after, the Lord's Proprietors. The land was originally granted in 1694. However, according to the refuge's website, the house was built in 1828.

I also had to get inside to get my hands on much needed brochures. Detailed information on the refuge is hard to find. It's mentioned in Coastal South Carolina, but I learned little more than wildlife, including numerous endangered species, live within its 11,000 acres.

Unable to glean facts from a field trip, I had to turn to the Internet. The primary sources I found (aka, the refuge's website!) indicate the refuge is a great place for birding, hunting and fishing (see website for information, restrictions and any applicable fees). A trail map shows numerous paths suitable for touring the refuge on foot, several of which skirt ponds.

NOTE: Summer and early autumn are NOT the time to go hiking through Lowcountry woods, thanks to ticks and mosquitoes. Without personally checking it out, I can only assume the best times to visit are spring and late fall, and in the winter on a clear day.

The ACE Basin National Wildlife Refuge consists of two units, the Edisto Unit, which is located near Adam's Run, and the Combehee Unit, located off River Road near its intersection with Hwy 17A. For more information, including directions, check out the following websites:

www.fws.gov/acebasin/
www.fws.gov/southeast/pubs/acebasin_gen.pdf

Beaufort, South Carolina

2010-02-02T17:06:00.002-05:00

New Bern, Murrells Inlet, Charleston, Greenville (SC), and the Blue Ridge Parkway are a few of our favorite Carolina destinations. We visit when we can, to explore and to soak up the beauty that makes each of those places unique. But when I need a hideaway, a place to decompress after a conference or a long stretch without a vacation, we head off the beaten track to the unassuming coastal town of Beaufort, South Carolina.

Resting on a curve of a river by the same name, Beaufort (pronounced "Bu-ford" in SC, according to the nice police officer who didn't arrest me for playfully slapping my husband after he said "I told you so") is somewhat centered in a cluster of sea islands situated between Charleston and Savannah. Within that cluster, Parris Island sits to the southwest, and Hunting Island, the southeast. While not technically within the ACE Basin's boundaries, Beaufort was a must stop on our ACE tour.

Why?

With fat palm trees, tendrils of moss hanging from old oaks, tidal creeks visible from various streets, hotels and restaurants, shops, a charming downtown lined with attractive stores and homes, carriage rides, and boats lounging in the harbor near the waterfront park off Bay Street, Beaufort is an exotic getaway with the creature comforts of home. And my word, you should see the place in spring. Pink, red and white azaleas compete with an abundance of tulip magnolias that bloom throughout the city. It's breathtaking.

It isn't bad during the rest of the year, either:

Though we've visited Beaufort several times, we've yet to explore the winding backwaters of the Lowcountry. When I tweeted our intentions to visit the city, a fellow Twitterer recommended kayaking. Lack of time and the heavy rain that fell shortly after our arrival dashed that hope. Next time.

Conveniently located near the ACE Basin, Hunting Island, and Parris Island, Beaufort is less than an hour from Hilton Head, and about one hour from Savannah, GA. For more information on Beaufort, including a bit about their history, go to www.beaufortsc.org/ and www.beaufort-sc.com/history/

Hunting Island State Park

2010-01-27T10:55:00.005-05:00

The ACE is the land within the horseshoe formed by the Ashepoo, Combahee, and Edisto rivers. Carolina Bays pock the northern section of the region1, but along the coast, waterways twist and wind, branching and spreading into the land like tree roots. It is, as the Marine Resources Research Institute calls it, a land of "sea islands, marsh islands, and barrier islands that are interlaced by estuaries, extensive salt marshes, intertidal areas, and oyster reefs."1 The result? Islands spaced beside one another like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle in progress. In an odd coincident, in places, the topography somewhat resembles this canopy of pine that we spotted along the trail:

Within this "Sea Island Complex"1 is Hunting Island. Once a hunting ground for private citizens3, this lush barrier island is now a state park, and it was the first stop on our ACE tour.

Having visited Hunting Island SP in 2005 or 2006, going in we knew to expect a Visitor's Center with a pond and real-live Lowcountry alligator, a marshwalk, and a beautiful lighthouse. We found all but the alligator, but spent little time at most of these attractions. Our goal for this trip was to learn more about the park, and to do so by hiking.

Hunting Island SP has several hiking trails. Two main trails form a long oval, with smaller trails connecting the two at various intervals. From the Visitor's Center, we started on the Maritime Forest Trail, a mixed forest of palmettos and pines, moss-covered oaks twisted with time, with a forest floor covered with what looked like fan palms.

About a quarter mile into the hike, we cut to our left, to the Lagoon Trail. This path runs parallel to a man-made lagoon, where we spotted a pelican flying overhead. A scenic stop on this very scenic route.

We continued on toward the cabins. While at the Visitor's Center, I learned the park no longer accepts reservations for the cabins, as the erosion so prevalent in the coast is quickly claiming the area around the structures. In Coastal South Carolina, Terrance Zepke indicates Hunting Island is eroding both at the northern tip of the island, and at the central beach. Before reaching the path that would take us to the cabins, we cut to the right, crossed the road, and took a tour of the Marshwalk.

Once past the gazebo, we continued on to the tidal creek, where we watched egrets soar over the marsh.

We doubled back and took the Maritime Forest Trail, searching for wildlife as we hiked back to our car. SC's state park site states Hunting Island has "an array of wildlife, ranging from loggerhead sea turtles to painted buntings, barracudas to sea horses, alligators, pelicans, dolphins and deer, raccoons, Eastern diamondback rattlesnakes and even the rare coral snake (I did not know that). We saw an abundance of squirrels, a pelican, and a lone woodpecker. But the forest was a sight to see, and we enjoyed our time on the trail.

But our time at Hunting Island wasn't over. We couldn't leave without seeing the lighthouse.

According to Zepke's Lighthouses of the Carolinas, this structure was built in 1875, and was moved once to avoid erosion. Today, visitors not terrified of heights can walk to the top of the lighthouse for a small fee.

In addition to hiking, boating, bike riding, camping, picnicking, kayaking, or spending time on the beach are other activities one can enjoy at Hunting Island State Park. For more information, including entrance and camping fees, go to www.southcarolinaparks.com/park-finder/state-park/1019.aspx

Hunting Island State Park (SC)

1. http://www.dnr.sc.gov/marine/mrri/acechar/esenviro.htm
2. http://www.beaufortcountylibrary.org/htdocs-sirsi/sea.htm
3. Coastal South Carolina: Welcome to the Lowcountry, Zepke Terrance (Pineapple Press, 2006) p 217

South Carolina's ACE

2010-01-19T23:21:00.001-05:00

There is a place of intrinsic beauty, where a lattice of watery tendrils bind the land. There, time idles while a heron takes flight and soars above the marshes, and the sea gathers the rivers like a mother, her young. There, the song of the Gullah is heard in the breeze that caresses the tattered moss hanging from gnarled trees.

It is a haven for majestic creatures in need of refuge. For those who long to feel the Lowcountry in their blood. It is South Carolina's exotic ACE Basin, and I have the privilege of spending three days here to explore, relax, and breathe the qualities that make this region so unique. During our visit, I hope to see lush Hunting Island State Park and the banded lighthouse that keeps watch over SC's southern shores; Beaufort, my favorite waterfront hideaway; Edisto Beach State Park, and the ACE Basin National Wildlife Refuge.

It's far too to much to see in three days, but when I'm in this special place, I want to absorb what I can and take those memories home. This is the heart of the Lowcountry, an estuary of critical importance. This is what I love about South Carolina, and I'm pleased to take you along.