Feb. 24, 2023

A morning kayak and a look at our camp spot.

As we paddled, I kept looking at these rocks… wonder if I could be a first assent?

It’s a heart and maybe the Aries symbol

Feb. 23, 2023

An anniversary camping trip

The first place we wanted to set up, just as we moved in, a fisherman showed up, even offered us $100 if he could have the spot (must be a hell of a honey hole) we let him have the spot, didn’t take his money and headed out for a late paddle.

A peaceful evening

Aug. 27, 2022

Kayak Day. We choose a day on the French Broad River with class I and II rapids. The first set flooded my boat and I had to beach it and dump, we repeated this a couple times but what and awesome day on the river. (I shot mainly video for a Backroad Capers episode TBA)

July 1, 2022

Camping with the McNabbs are days packed and great food. They fed us breakfast, we paddled, worked on a an axle, swam….

Dutch oven bread

and their version of shrimp boil

and every night ends with games.

March 6, 2022

When we took out yesterday, a fisherman asked if we were scared in kayaks with all the alligators… we of course said no and decided we needed to find them. We switched sides of Lake Marion and put in at the Sparkleberry Swamp Landing in the Santee National Wildlife Refugee. With a name like Sparkleberry Swamp it must have alligators.

And I spotted one, normally James and Elizabeth see everything first, but not today.

We argued about it’s size (the men thought it was bigger, like always?) but look at the tail, and that isn’t the end, it’s eyes are in the small water opening on the left side of frame. I still say it was over 12 feet.

The swamp doesn’t open up that way Beth let us know.

After an evening around a fire and Long Island Ice Teas, James and Beth decided the Flippac needed their Aurora Borealis Light. It works great in the tent, but too bright to sleep under.

March 5, 2022

Our friends James and Elizabeth had tire problems and were stuck in South Carolina waiting for new tires. Of course we headed down to camp with them. Kayaking in the swamps at the end of Lake Marion.

On top the bridge

And under

Oct. 10, 2021

Mistakes were made, people got wet…. very wet. https://youtu.be/qJm6vqzy59Y

June 21, 2020

Happy Father’s Day. I started early with a bike ride, fixed a lawn mower, then James, Elizabeth and I headed to Morrow Mountain State Park for a hike and picnic before kayaking.

The summit road was closed, so we hiked from the bottom.

Along the way we met a couple walking their cat on a leash.

I can’t take James and Elizabeth somewhere that doesn’t have a waterfall…. Moccasin Creek Falls on Falls Reservoir

For those who know the paddle, the dam was releasing water and the spillway was sending water over the rock island… the water was faster than I have ever seen it. I really thought there was no way we were going to make it to the caves today, but Beth was determined. We tried the right side, Clay attacked the middle and finally Beth said we had to go up the left bank, portage over the rocks and then all we had to do was cross the river – sounds easy enough. I was sure I was going to be swimming again like the last time I tried to make it during a release, so no pictures, I put everything away.

After long effort over the rocks we made it!

Nobody was flipped and Beth got to paddle into the cave.

June 14, 2020

Up early and back to the river

Paddle up Dorchester Creek

Through a tunnel

more wildlife

To the honey hole for shark’s teeth

June 13, 2020

James, Elizabeth and me loaded up and head south. A weekend escape to hunt for fossils.

After reaching the boat launch for the Stono River we started out against the tide and after crossing the river the first thing we see is a wild pig on the shore.

and she had baby pigs!

then we headed into Hut Creek. No fossils were found on this waterway.

Do you see the alligator?

I floated right to it!

On the way back we saw two more wild pigs!

But we headed to another drainage ditch in Summerville and had success.