The Check is in the Mail

Come join us for a very unique evening. We’ll be visiting the Tradesman Brewery in West Ashley near Earthfare. But before we taste the brews we’ll spend an hour with Beth doing yoga!! The yoga session will be an easy level of yoga with all equipment supplied. After an hour of stretching we’ll be rewarded with a 16-ounce glass of brew. You may even elect to stay a little longer and sample other brews they may offer.

Tom Yawkey, long-time owner of the Boston Red Sox and avid conservationist, willed his magnificent South Island Plantation to the SC Department of Natural Resources in what is considered one of the most outstanding gifts to conservation in North America. This property, located on three coastal islands at the mouth of Winyah Bay, consists of pristine marshes, wetlands, ocean beaches, long leaf pine and maritime forests. Over the years it has become a refuge for wildlife preservation, providing research, education, field study, and protection for endangered species. Entrance to the refuge is difficult to come by and strictly limited to groups of 14. We’ll carpool to the Georgetown area, walk across the pontoon bridge, then tour by van, stopping once to see the Yawkeys’ matching house trailers and retreat. We’ve run this trip again and again with good reason. Besides being a wonderfully informative tour, the shore and wetland scenery is magnificent. Bird and waterfowl migration is at its peak during the winter months, which will make this trip particularly interesting. Minimal walking; participants must be able to step up into the van. Bring water, bag lunch, and binoculars. Bugs should not be much of a problem at this time of year but long sleeves, pants, and repellent are recommended. Your fee is a donation to the Tom Yawkey Wildlife Center.

This is a great little tour—one of those ‘sleepers’ where you learn a lot and enjoy it as well. ArborGen is one of the largest providers of conventional and biotechnology-enhanced seedlings to the forestry industry. It develops high-value seedlings that significantly improve the productivity of a given area of land by enabling customers to grow trees that yield more wood per acre with greater consistency and quality in a shorter period of time. Our 1½-hour tour begins with a short power-point presentation about the company and its role in biotechnological engineering. We’ll then visit the lab where we’ll meet with researchers and lab technicians and see some of the projects they’re presently working on. Lastly, we’ll visit the seedling nursery where we’ll see the results of ArborGen’s commitment to apply technology-based processes to improve forestry in the Lowcountry and the world at large. This is a very well organized tour, and the company goes all out to both welcome and inform us.

A couple of us took this class at the Charleston Museum and had great fun. Not only did we learn the rudiments of basket making but also we came home with our own—albeit small—sweetgrass basket! Our wonderful teacher is Sarah Edwards-Hammond, one of Charleston’s finest sweetgrass basket artists and a 3^rd generation basket maker, having learned the craft from her mother and grandmother. She has taught basket making in schools, clubs, and museums all over the state and is proud to be an annual instructor for many years at the John C. Campbell Folk School, located in Brasstown, NC. Our class will be held in the Eagles Nest Art Room at the Lake House. All materials are included in the price.

Please refer to Trip #2 for a full description of this tour.

Alphonso Brown is a very busy man. With his extensive background in music (B.S. degree in musicology from SCSU graduate degree from Southern Illinois U.), he is choirmaster/organist for the Emmanuel AME Church on Calhoun Street. At Mother Emmanuel he directs 5 choirs, some of which are featured annually in Piccolo Spoleto and a host of other venues including concerts, television and even film documentaries. In his spare time, Mr. Brown leads lively Gullah excursions downtown on his 21 seat touring bus. This 2-hour trip begins and ends at the Charleston Visitors Center and takes you to numerous places on the peninsula where you’ll gain insight into the rich Gullah history of this area. Mr. Brown knows his stuff-he was born in the tiny hamlet of Rantowles, 12 miles south of Charleston, speaks fluent Gullah and is familiar with its traditions. We’ve run this trip several times before and always have a fun and lively time. Participants must be able to board bus

At 2:00 a.m. on February 9, 1864, 2,500 Union troops waded across Captain Sam’s inlet, marched across Seabrook Island, and attacked Confederate pickets near what is now the traffic circle at Freshfields. Over the next 4 days a fierce battle was waged up and down the full length of Betsy Kerrison Parkway. In July of the same year, 3,100 Union troops made landfall on Seabrook and faced a similar number of Confederates in the Battle of Bloody Bridge, which was fought in stages over 6 days covering the entirety of Johns Island.

Were you ever curious about early travel books?  Or which 19^th century flowering plants could be used for home remedies?  Or how books are conserved or bound? If so, join us for a tour of the Charleston Library Society. Our tour of the Library will concentrate on two areas: the Vaults and the Bindery.   In the Vaults’ Archives and Special Collections, we’ll have the opportunity to see a few of the rare, intact Aiken family collection of over 2000 volumes moved to the Library Society a few years ago from the Rhett-Aiken House Museum. The bulk of this collection was assembled during their travels throughout Europe. Among their acquired books are over thirty 19^th century travel guides, including John Murray’s Handbook for Travelers (after 1915 these became the Blue Guides) complete with foldout maps, locations of architectural attractions, local accommodations and where to shop. Other treasures include volumes of works by Shakespeare, Voltaire, Sir Walter Scott, Milton, Lord Bryon and many others. 

The Library Society is the oldest cultural institution in the south and the second oldest circulating library in America.  Its collections contain the correspondence of people of historic national significance, such as George Washington, John Marshall, Robert E. Lee, Henry Laurens, Charles Cotesworth Pinckney, and John C. Calhoun; the original handwritten manuscript of DuBose Heyward’s Porgy; books, pamphlets, and manuscripts regarding Southern agriculture in the 19th century; and an extensive collection of Southern colonial newspapers.  The items found in these collections provide insight into the story of Charleston’s past as one of America’s earliest urban settings.

At the Bindery, we’ll observe the intricacies and complexities of book binding, as well as learn a little about how books are protected and preserved. Note:  The Aiken Collection portion of this tour will expand and augment our knowledge prior to visiting the Rhett-Aiken House Tour (part of Historic Homes tour, SINHG trip #13).

Have you ever wanted to walk the Ravenel Bridge and just haven’t done it yet? Well you’re not too late! Our trip scheduled for October was cancelled due to Hurricane Matthew, but we’ve organized another for the spring. We’ll start behind the Charleston Fish House where we’ll catch the water taxi over to the Charleston Maritime Center. On this segment of the trip we’ll see the Ravenel Bridge from a water perspective. At the Maritime Center we’ll begin our trek over the bridge where we’ll enjoy a bird’s eye view of the Charleston area. A bottle of water will be provided for the trip.

This culinary walking tour offers insight into Charleston’s Upper King Street district and surrounding neighborhoods, showcasing four of Charleston’s culinary innovators who exemplify cooking in the New South. Except for HoM, where we’ll meet, the tour will feature different restaurants than those on SINHG’s tour in the past. The four restaurants featured are trailblazers in Charleston’s culinary scene, edgy and innovative, and the afternoon combines elements of a historical tour with a culinary adventure. A broad range of samples will provide insight into Lowcountry cuisine—enough food to make a meal for most! The price includes all food and non-alcoholic beverages tastings. This 2½-hour moderate walking tour will be on uneven sidewalks in historic Charleston.

This bus tour requires little walking and includes highlights of Hobcaw Barony’s 16,000 acres of history and ecology. A privately owned research reserve, the property represents every environment and every century in the Lowcountry. Naval stores, indigo, and rice production ended by 1905 when Bernard Baruch purchased the land. A native South Carolinian and Wall Street financier, he and other millionaires hunted ducks, deer, and wild turkeys on this winter retreat. Our bus will stop for a fascinating tour inside Baruch’s 1930 home where he played host to politicians (most notably Winston Churchill and President Franklin Roosevelt) as well as generals, newspapermen, and social icons.

Two historic Charleston homes, two guided tours: the Aiken-Rhett House Museum and the Joseph Manigault House while only twenty-four years separate the age of these two ‘urban plantation’ homes, each tells a different story.

We’ll begin our morning at Strawberry Chapel, a tiny 300-year old church beautifully set among huge live oaks and aged tombstones that abound in stories of mystery and intrigue. It’s the only remaining structure of the English settlement of Childsbury, and, as such, was absorbed into nearby Strawberry Plantation, hence its name. Our guide will be Church Warden, Dr. Robert Ball, who will take us through the chapel and grounds, and tell us about its history and some of the lore long associated with its name. Since the chapel is only open to the public four days a year for services, we’re delighted to be offering you this special, personalized tour.

Please refer to Trip #10 for a full description.

The U.S. Coast Guard is one of the five armed forces of the United States and the only military organization within the Department of Homeland Security. Since 1790, the Coast Guard has safeguarded our nation's maritime interests and environment around the world. The Coast Guard is an adaptable, responsive military force of maritime professionals whose broad legal authorities, capable assets, geographic diversity, and expansive partnerships provide a persistent presence along our rivers, in the ports, shore regions and on the high seas. Coast Guard presence and impact is local, regional, national and international. These attributes make the Coast Guard a unique instrument of maritime safety, security and environmental stewardship. Our tour will include: The Captain of the Port building, The Rice Mill Building, Station Charleston, Aids to Navigation Team (ANT) Charleston, USCGC Anvil, USCGC Yellowfin, Small Boats and Utility Boats, Sector Engineering, and the Sector Buoy Yard. This is not an easy tour to set up, but well worth the trouble. Tour attendees should wear comfortable shoes; please, ladies—no heels.  

Another historical tour with renowned Charleston guide Carol Ezell-Gilson, created for Seabrookers who want to know more! On August 31, 1886, at 9:40 pm, a magnitude 7.3 or 7.4 earthquake devastated Charleston. The quake was felt as far south as Cuba and as far north as Boston where church bells rang with the force of it. Countless brick structures and buildings on landfill suffered great damage. The waterfront wharves of the port city were in ruins. This two-hour moderate walking tour will take you back to the devastation through old photos and eyewitness accounts. You’ll learn of the city’s remarkable recovery after the disaster under the inspiring leadership of William Ashmead Courtney, one of Charleston’s most admirable mayors. Our tour will start and end at Washington Park behind City Hall at Broad and Meeting Streets. Moderate walking on uneven sidewalks

Please refer to Trip #10 for a full description.

Did you know that the oldest church south of Virginia is located right here in Charleston? No, it’s not St. Michael’s or St. Phillip’s, but Old St. Andrew’s on Ashley River Road just south of Bees Ferry. Built in 1706, Old St. Andrew’s has seen its share of prosperity and decline; today the congregation is as vibrant as at any time in the church’s history. The history of Old St. Andrew’s is a microcosm of Charleston’s past, from the colonial rice and indigo culture and the American Revolution to antebellum plantation life, the Civil War’s destruction, phosphate mining, the great earthquake, economic decline, and resurgence. Join us as Seabrooker Paul Porwall provides a fascinating tour of this historic church and its graveyard. Paul’s book on the history of Old St. Andrew’s, Against All Odds, will be available for sale (cash or check). The tour fee and book sales will support the church’s ongoing historic preservation. Minimal walking, some over uneven ground.

It’s been a long time since we’ve visited Magnolia Plantation Gardens, and mid-March should be the perfect time to see the azaleas and early spring flowers in bloom. Our morning begins with a 45-minute narrated tram ride during which we’ll glimpse native wildlife and learn about the diverse history of the plantation as we pass slave cabins, 19^th century rice ponds, and even a Native American ceremonial mound. Afterwards, you can take a self-guided tour—at your own leisure—of the magnificent gardens for which Magnolia Plantation is so well known. Lunch is not included in the cost, but you can buy salads, sandwiches, etc. at the Peacock Café.

This is a unique paddle that journeys both ‘up the creek’ and ‘down the creek’ from our landing. Up the creek we paddle past a 25 ft. high limestone cliff with caves, through the twists and turns of the tributaries of Wadboo Swamp where General Francis Marion had supply shacks. The banks are lined with subtropical vegetation. Down the creek we paddle through thousands of acres of abandoned rice fields, up a rice canal and view fish and aquatic life through a crystal-clear aquarium view just feet below our boats. The creek has a white sandy bottom and is surrounded by several osprey and bald eagle nests. Egrets, herons, cormorants, anhingas and alligators are commonly seen wading and feeding in the shallow, clear waters. This is a two-hour gentle paddle.

For those of you who were unable to join us for our tour of the newly renovated Gibbes Museum this fall, here’s another chance to visit this beautiful building and its outstanding collection. In addition, there will be a special exhibit of the paintings of West Fraser featuring 20 of his works: Painting the Southern Coast. We’ll also view works by Jacob Lawrence, an influential American artist whose prints explore African-American experiences and histories, conveying his observations of community life, work, struggle and emancipation. Our guide for the morning will be our own Ilse Calcagno who is a regular docent at the Gibbes. We will again have an excellent lunch at Eli’s Table, which is included.

Take this wonderful, personally-guided tour of the USS Yorktown aircraft carrier. This 90-minute tour takes visitors ‘behind the scenes’ to showcase the unique history of the USS Yorktown, affectionately nicknamed the ‘Fighting Lady.’ Visitors will have a chance to see the Yorktown’s anchor room (forecastle) up close and gain a newfound respect for the inner-workings of a WWII Aircraft Carrier. We’ll also see the flight deck, hangar bay, and tour the Medal of Honor Museum. Moderate walking.

How many times have you stared at the pluff mud or sand at the beach and sworn you’re looking at the tracks of what must be—good grief!—at the very least a wild ox or water buffalo run amok? You may well know the common, or perhaps, uncommon, species of mammals that are supposed to be here on Seabrook Island, but most of these remain elusive and shy of humans. The best and least disturbing way to understand these animals is to track them in their native habitat. We’ll spend the majority of this class outside looking for spoor and prints, learning how to identify them. Our guide will be David “Hawkeye” Gardner, Animal Tracker Extraordinaire and Director of Environmental Education at Camp St. Christopher. Come join us for a fascinating morning! Bring sun block, bug spray, hat and water. If you have binoculars, bring them too; if not, David has a large collection of good-quality Eagle Optics binoculars to share.  Your fee is a donation to Camp St. Christopher.

An annual SINHG favorite, this is the 70^th running of the Georgetown Plantation Tour! Sponsored by the good ladies of the Prince George Winyah Episcopal Church, this tour features pre-Revolutionary and antebellum churches as well as privately owned town houses and plantations. There will be a lot of walking—wear low-heeled shoes (for your comfort as well as the protection of old floors and rugs). For more details, as well as information about other tour events please check the website: www.pgwinyah.org. Due to the 1½+ hour drive time and the number of homes to see, this will be a self-guided tour. You can pick and choose which places you’d like to visit and enjoy the day at your own pace. Reservations are prepaid. No refund if a replacement cannot be found.

Join us for a cooking demonstration and tasting of timeless Greek classics with Chef Dani Manila at the Persimmon Pond home of Monique Boissier and Jim Sporn.  Steeped in history and tradition, these Greek favorites are most appropriate as cultures around the world celebrate the spring equinox and a new beginning.  Dani Manilia has been involved in the culinary world for over 30 years. She has taught culinary classes in Los Angeles, San Francisco, the south of France, Southern Seasons, and continues to teach at the Culinary Academy of Charleston. A world traveler, Dani now divides her time between the south of France and Charleston. Bring your own bottle of wine and enjoy the Greek cuisine while learning to make these Greek classics.

Come out and explore Donnelley Wildlife Management Area as few get to do—by bike! Ride through the Donnelley WMA with stops at selected locations to look and listen. Habitats include rice impoundments, longleaf pine forest, tidal marsh and isolated wetlands. This unique property, teeming with wildlife, is a perfect example of pristine ACE Basin ecosystems. We suggest you google Donnelley WMA and view the pictures that are posted. Total distance will be 7-8 miles at a very leisurely pace. This tour is not designed to be an aerobic workout! Bring your own bike (no skinny tires), a lunch, water, sunscreen and bug spray.

The H.L. Hunley, commanded by Lt. Dixon of the Confederate Navy, was the first submarine to ever sink an enemy ship, the U.S.S. Housatonic. Shortly after this historic event on February 17, 1864, the Hunley vanished into the sea without a trace. It was found resting on the floor of the Atlantic Ocean just outside Charleston harbor in 1995. Our tour will visit the Hunley Museum and hopefully the Magnolia Cemetery where the crew now rests.

The bus will leave from the Seabrook Island Real Estate office, and head to Holy City Brewery for lunch and samples some of their most popular brews. After lunch we will head over to the Striped Pig Distillery for an introduction of the distilling process, a tour of the distillery, and sample tastings. From the Striped Pig our bus will take us to Coast Brewery on the old Navy base for some more brews. So bring your growler and join us for a fun afternoon while leaving the driving to Brent and his team.

Min: 14 Max: 26 Cost: $65.00 (Lunch not included in price)
31. West End of the Peninsula Friday, April 7 9:00-1:00 Leader: Cindy

Carol Ezell-Gilson’s ‘West Side Story’ tour begins within the old walled city, viewing impressive public buildings and lovely churches. The route leads west to the block of misery for the ‘unfortunates,’ revealing the underbelly of the city and giving us a more complete understanding of Charleston’s history. The tour ends amidst large Victorian mansions built on sites of earlier structures destroyed during the Great Fire of 1861. We’ll end the tour in Carol’s courtyard where she’ll serve us light refreshments. This is a two-hour walking tour (about 1 mile) over what we all know to be Charleston’s uneven sidewalks! Wear comfortable shoes. Afterwards, you may wish to remain in Charleston for lunch on your own.

Always a favorite with SINHG members, the chefs at Charleston‘s Harbour Club will teach us how to prepare a grand variety of French specialties such as mushroom vol au vent, vichyssoie, duck with warm lentil salad and pot de creme. The aprons are furnished, so roll up your sleeves and enjoy a generous selection of wines while preparing scrumptious food during this hands-on class. We finish with a lunch we have helped to prepare!!

After 2+ years renovation, Mayor Riley’s dream of a state-of the-art Gaillard Center has come to fruition. Not only does the Gaillard have a superb concert hall—home to the Charleston Symphony Orchestra—but it also serves as the venue for many of the Spoleto performances and a variety of other programs. The Gaillard also houses many City of Charleston offices as well as facilities for exhibitions, banquets, and meetings. After we tour the facilities, you may want

The American College of the Building Arts is a four-year liberal arts and sciences college offering degrees in timber framing, architectural carpentry, plasterworking, preservation masonry, blacksmithing and architectural stone carving. It is the only college in America with this program. Previously we have toured their campus at the Old Jail in downtown Charleston. This is our first opportunity to visit their new facilities at the Old Charleston Barn. After our tour we’ll take a short drive to Barsa, a paella and tapas restaurant, for a delicious, included lunch. We hope you will join us!

Enjoy a fun morning paddle through Chessy Creek in the nationally recognized ACE Basin. The ACE Basin is home to a diverse group of plants and animals, including endangered and threatened species. On our paddle we’ll see Ravenwood Plantation. Remnants of the bygone era of the rice cultivation are in evidence with earthen berms, rice trunks, and abandoned rice fields. Bring a picnic lunch. This is a three-hour gentle paddle.

Beidler Forest, a 1,800-acre Audubon preserve, sits within the Four Holes Swamp, a huge matrix of black water sloughs, shallow bottomland, hardwoods, and deep bald cypress and tupelo gum flats. Here, ancient trees, an abundance of wildlife, and the quiet flow of black water lure photographers and nature lovers from all over. We’ve timed our visit to coincide with peak songbird migration—be sure to bring binoculars and cameras. Our morning begins with a brief orientation at the visitor center, followed by a guided tour along a newly completed 1.75-mile (wheelchair accessible) boardwalk. Walking is easy and there are many stops along the way. Lunch is not included, but there are picnic tables under the trees and we encourage you to bring something to eat. Wear comfortable shoes and clothing. Bring bug spray, although we’re told that the flowing black water keeps many flying insects at bay.

This Carol Ezell-Gilson tour tells the remarkable story of Sarah and Angelina Grimke, the first female abolitionist agents in the country and first American feminists.  The Grimke family was one of the most prestigious slave-holding families in Charleston.  The sisters' journey from privileged young women to abolitionists and feminists is a fascinating one. Their important work was lost to history until 2014 when popular novelist Sue Monk Kidd published The Invention of Wings, a best-selling novel that brought their story to light.  This tour separates fact from fiction and tells the fascinating saga of the Grimke family, a story with surprising twists and turns. This is a two-mile, 2-hour moderate walking tour. It will start at the Charleston Library Society at 164 King Street, just north of the corner of Queen and King Streets, and will end at Washington Park.

Please refer to Trip #16 for a full description of this tour. If you sign up for this trip, please keep both the original and rain dates clear.

Sea Island cotton is described as the finest cotton ever grown. The cultivation of this crop was accomplished in a variety of environments, including barrier islands such as Seabrook and Edisto. Sea Island cotton’s footprint is still visible on the landscape, as Shawn Halifax will demonstrate on our very own Jenkins Point. Shawn is Charleston County Parks Cultural History Coordinator.  He has over twenty years experience as an interpreter of natural and cultural history. Shawn’s Sea Island cotton presentation was very highly rated by the SC Master Naturalists when they met on Seabrook Island last year, and some of you enjoyed his presentation when you toured McLeod Plantation in April.  Easy walking and standing

Since we were rained out after Matthew we’re going to try again this spring. The renovations to the facility should all be complete by then and the inside tanks will be filled. So not only will we learn about the farming of marine organisms, which enhances commercial and recreational fisheries and production of fresh seafood for SC residents, we’ll see plenty of fish! This is one of the country’s largest and most sophisticated aquaculture research facilities and encompasses 25 ponds ranging in size from .25 to 1.25 acres, and a research building where we’ll see a presentation of the work being done here. After our tour, feel free to have lunch on your own in the Bluffton area or enjoy shopping at the Tanger Outlet Mall across the street. Your fee is a donation to the Waddell Mariculture Fund.

This Carol Ezell-Gilson tour will explore the adaptable and multipurpose history of Hampton Park starting at its initial beginning as Washington's Race Course where the wealthy plantation owners showed their thoroughbreds. During the Civil War, it was modified into a Union Prisoner of War Camp when the area inside the circular racecourse took on this singular purpose. Afterwards, the first Memorial Day was held on May 1, 1865 when black Charlestonians gathered to honor the Union soldiers who were buried there. Then, in 1901, Hampton Park was transformed once again when the Carolina and West Indian Exposition—the World's Fair of its time—came to Charleston! The story of the attempted 1822 slave rebellion will be discussed at the Denmark Vesey statue, erected just 2 years ago on park grounds. Our group will then visit the Citadel campus next door, to learn about the history of the Citadel Military College which arose from that attempted slave rebellion.  We’ll walk around the center of the campus and learn more of the story of the school and its military leaders. There is ample on-site parking. Carol Ezell-Gilson designed this tour especially for SINHG, and it involves a fair amount of moderate walking.

See fascinating treasures tucked away in the center of Charleston’s beautiful historic district. This two-hour walking tour led by Carol Ezell Gilson will take us into public buildings, graveyards and churches to view beautiful art—oil paintings, marble sculpture, funerary art, stained glass and architectural design. If possible, the tour will visit one of the city’s largest courtyards, hidden away and quite lovely. But this is not all—come see for yourself! Our tour starts and ends at Washington Park, on the northeast corner of Broad and Meeting Streets.

Every spring hundreds of thousands of Atlantic Horseshoe Crabs travel to the beaches and tidal pools of the Low Country to spawn. During this two-month period, these crabs are collected, taken to the Charles River Labs in West Ashley where they “donate” about 30% of their baby blue blood and are then returned to where they were found originally. This is all done because the Horseshoe Crab’s copper-based blood contains a chemical found only in the amoebocytes of its blood cells that can detect mere traces of bacterial presence and trap them in inescapable clots. Every drug certified by the FDA must be tested using LAL (Limulus amebocyte lysate), as do surgical implants such as pacemakers and prosthetic devices. Join us for a 1-hour presentation and tour of the Charles River Labs to view how the crabs are processed. Tour attendees should wear comfortable shoes. Ladies, please—no heels! 

Ahoy mates!  The last two trips to visit Deveaux Bank have been so popular; we’re offering it again this spring! The Pirate Lady catamaran will leave from St. John’s Kayak Tours off Betsy Kerrison at 9:30 am and take us to Deveaux Bank (the island off the coast by our Pelican’s Nest restaurant). After viewing the island from our boat, we’ll disembark via gangway to the beach and walk around the island exploring the shoreline. Along the way, we hope to see nesting and migrating shorebirds and some of the many dolphins that call our water home. Naturalist Kate Schaefer from the Coastal Conservation League will lead the tour.  Expect moderate to strenuous walking on the beach and through some tidal pools.  Wear comfortable shoes you don’t mind getting wet and bring water, sun block, and bug spray. And don’t forget your binoculars and cameras, too!

Paddle past Historic Ft. Dorchester on the Ashley River! Our group will launch at Jessen’s Landing in Summerville at Ladson Road. We’ll wind our way upstream towards the fort and beyond, then paddle back in time as we pass a grand old home of a bygone era, enjoy the shade of overhanging trees, and maybe even spot an elusive alligator. The Ashley River was once an important thoroughfare for the rice plantations that lined its banks. Spring flowers will be in bloom and birds will fill the air on this beautiful blackwater river trip. Afterwards, you may wish to visit the fort to view the ruins of the tabby walls and the village church or enjoy a picnic lunch. This is a 2-hour gentle paddle.

This tour will take place at the birthplace of South Carolina, where English settlers established their first permanent European Colony in the Carolinas in 1670. A small bus will take us on a tour to the Native American Ceremonial Site, the Original Settlement site, a reproduction of the Adventure Vessel and many more interesting spots along the way. All of this will be seen under the guidance of Historian John Hiatt. After the tour, feel free to visit the Museum, the Animal Forest and the Christopher Garden. There are picnic tables for those who would like to bring a picnic lunch.

Please refer to Trip #16 for a full description of this tour. If you sign up for this trip, please keep both the original and rain dates clear.

We are excited to offer a new tour focused on Odonates, the order of carnivorous insects, encompassing the dragonflies (Anisoptera) and the damselflies (Zygoptera). The Odonata form a clade, which has existed since the Triassic period. David “Hawkeye” Gardner, Expert Naturalist and Director of Environmental Education at St. Christopher Camp & Conference Center will guide this tour. Late May is the perfect time to be in search of Odonates and we’ll be using nets to catch and then release them once we have made a positive ID. David has documented more than a dozen species of Odonates on Seabrook Island. We hope to see at least a dozen of these during our morning, including the Blue Dasher, Eastern Pond hawk, Fragile Forktail and more! It’s always a good day when we hike through the maritime forest, dunes and beach, building our skills in identification. We welcome all levels experience.  Please note that although there are few hills of any size on Seabrook, we’ll be walking a total of about 1 mile.  Bring sun block, bug spray, water and binoculars.  If you don’t own a pair, David has a large collection of good-quality Eagle Optics binoculars to share.  Your fee is a donation to Camp St. Christopher.