Edisto

Tucked away among the live oaks of SC’s coast, Edisto Beach State Park is an ecological paradise. Less than an hour after checking into our cabin, we watched a great horned owl stalk a squirrel in the treetops overlooking the salt marsh. Later we saw deer, raccoons and watched in astonishment as a small dolphin breached next to a pier on the estuary near the cabins.


A pristine beach lined with postcard quality palms and littered with bookcase quality shells make Edisto a magnificent gem in the daylight hours. But sometimes only the night reveals the true magic of a place. When the sun goes down in the marsh darkness is king and sight is nearly useless. Those patient enough to allow their other senses to kick in will be rewarded. The marine scent and the moist air are servants of the Atlantic wind. She whips and plucks and zips and tears through the estuary, tossing palm fronds and spanish moss about, composing the eerie soundtrack of the live oak forest. Some nights it’s a flute solo, other nights its an endless crescendo.


We stayed in the state park cabins on a 3 day trip in mid November of 05'. I have camped in the park before during the summer but it is severely overcrowded. Reservations are a must. Edisto is a nesting site for loggerhead turtles so it can be worth the crowds to come during hot weather. Spring and Fall may prove to be a better time for fishermen, kayakers or those seeking peaceful solitude. Whenever you go, Edisto will be a sight you won’t forget.


Cabin info - cabin specifics are listed on the state park site but what they don’t tell you is that they are way off the beaten path are nestled in the live oaks on the banks of the salt marsh. There is a small fishing pier and there are several good spots to launch a kayak. The sandy road is nearly a mile long, is great for bikes or hikes and has access to nature trails.

Camping info - the ocean front campground is almost too good to be true. Grassy patches among the palms and oaks are bordered by the estuary and forested dunes. There are little weathered paths through the trees to the beach.

Remember, where ever you decide to stay CALL AHEAD for availability or reservations... This place is popular.

Contact - Edisto Beach State Park for info
Links

Kayaking

Brown Mountain Lights

Brown mountain, in NC's Pisgah National Forest, has been one of the South's greatest mysteries for centuries. There is no argument on the existence of the lights; the debate begins when you start asking about their origin.

I took a ride out to the popular overlook on hwy 181 one fall afternoon with my wife Marii and my sister Carole. I don't believe any of us actually expected to see anything other than a mountain and a mess of trees, but it was something to do.

We parked my old F-150 with the tailgate facing Brown Mtn. right as the sun gave up the day. The night was just plain cold. Carole started playing with my video camera's night vision as Marii and I pretended to enjoy some mighty chilly pork-n-beans.

Much to our surprise we started to see a couple of lights over the summit. We all thought they were airplanes. Carole and I started filming and pretending (for the camera's sake) that the lights were THE Brown Mtn. Lights. The redneck comedy voice overs continued until one of the lights bobbled its way slowly down the face of the mountain as the other zigged and zagged about in the tree tops. We were actually filming the famous orbs of legend. (hillbilly's will catch on even if it takes us a bit longer).

The lights were gone as quick as they appeared and we were left wondering just how lucky we were to witness them. We didn't wonder this long for just as I was settling back down on the tailgate with my frozen Van de Camps a car pulled up. We watched as the man in the car set up a tri-pod for his very impressive camera. We exchanged hellos and he then informed us that he had spent many nights watching for the lights. "How many times have you seen them?" Carole asked.

"None, and you?" he replied. I started to feel a bit guilty as Carole told him we saw them about a minute before he arrived. Turns out the man was a photographer for a magazine and knew alot about the lights and what to look for. I showed him our clownish footage on our camera. He confirmed that we had captured on film (in our first 10 minutes) what he had been trying to catch for quite some time.

pics here are actual vidcaps of our trip to Brown Mtn

Cool BML Links

http://www.brownmountainlights.com/

http://www1.appstate.edu/dept/physics/caton/BML/BML.htm

Lake Jocassee

Jocasse is a man made body of water in upstate SC. Duke Power finished the lake in 1974. Since then Lake Jocasse, surrounded mostly by Sumter National Forest, has remained pristine. No commercial development ruins the view and there are very few homes along the shore. Devil's Fork State Park, just off SC highway 11, is an outstanding destination for kayakers, fishermen, campers and those just looking to slowdown and breathe for a spell.

My wife and I have been visiting the park for years: camping in the summer and fall, or relaxing in the highly recommended villas.
We love the place so much we were thinking of naming our first child Jocasse... turns out HE was a David...lol

Lake Jocassee Facts:
home to the Jocassee Pumped Storage Hydroelectric Station built in 1973.
the dam is 385 ft high and 1,750 feet long.
the lake holds 7,500 acres of water and has 75 miles of shoreline.

Links

click title at top for area history

For info on accomodations checkout Devil's Fork State Park

Lake Jocasse Photo Gallery

Carolina Living Article

Jocasse Outdoor Center

- map(pdf)

Cane Man

This is a poem I wrote about my father. He was a local craftsman who was well known in our area for making unique yet beautiful walking sticks.

Many called him...

the cane man.

Cane Man

Ducking through the laurel caverns

to the bank of the creek

where it has to go but we don't

only fighting our way to see whats there

bends and turns past gothic root castles

grabbing at me I grab one and swing across

across the babbling always going somewhere

shifting the mica shining sand

but always here he's always here

I smell the plants that smell like skunk

In the air I smell his sweat in the air

a country sweat that holds specks of bark

and sawdust to dark arms that pull his saw

through the laurels that will be canes

it's a cool sweat as arm hairs brush my cheek

when he lifts me to his shoulders

I hold onto his forehead

he can still tote the saw and drag the sticks

ducking through the laurel caverns

Dad... he's always here

searching for the perfect walking stick

along the bank of the creek

it maybe growing gnarled and knotty

we never found it...

he knows where it is now

august 2000

Mount Mitchell

A view from Mt. Mitchell, NC
tallest peak east of the rockies

At 6684 feet, Mt. Mitchell stands tall as the subject of NC's first state park.

I was lucky enough to land my first job as a cook in the park's restaurant (MMSPR),

and I love this place like it was family.

Webcam

Mt. Mitchell Photo gallery

some other great Mt. Mitchell links

http://www.northcarolinaoutdoors.com/places/mountains/blacks.html

http://www.summitpost.org/show/mountain_link.pl/mountain_id/412

http://www.main.nc.us/BMCP/mitchell.html

Washout in the highlands

I took a ride through parts of the Pisgah forest during the remnants of hurricane Katrina. The wind was stiff and the deluge of rain flooded many of the high mountain creeks in the area. The streams added more water to the already fat rivers and I saw several racing violently into the valleys and escaping their banks in some spots.