Author: roneverdij

so I left you at the beach, ran back thru mosquito alley and hid in the car, what to do. I was told that the main attraction was a beach completely covered in dead tree trunks, this wasn’t it. so I took a leisurely drive to the other side of the island, hoping the skeeters wouldn’t think of that. It also was still real early so when it gets hotter the skeeters seek shelter. So that was my logic. The skeeters had other plans…..my dutch blood was delicious as always and they got word from the lighthouse skeeters that a juicy treat was on its way. Oh…. the beauty of skeeter social media. Parked the car at the Nature center and found the trail to the promised beach, No skeeters in sight, good sign….little did I understand about Skeeter trapping systems. So I walked about 5 minutes down the path and felt a little cute prick on my leg.. looked down and 20 pairs of skeeter eyes were looking up smiling smugly at me. I hit them! and my leg resembled a freshly plowed strawberry field, but not forever, I ran! that did it, a few bites later I arrived at a long pedestrian bridge bathing in yellow early morning light. To my left I saw the waves crashing thru the dead trees . Arrived ! who cares if I need a quick transfusion, the adrenaline will kill the skeeters and get me even more excited. Weird , no more  skeeters on the beach site , too salty and hot. I shot some decent pictures and Ran back! Stopped by the Nature center , they opened at ten and supplied free bug repellent .So much for getting up early. The nice lady was wearing a snake around her neck. It’s head was making it’s way down her decolleté. Lucky snake.  She seemed excited to see a fresh tourist . I took a long road back , stopped for a delicious Gumbo with shrimp

and Sausage, checked out the Gay fisheries, and bought a plank!. Great day,

on my way back I stopped at a beautiful trail going deep into the marshes. Hidden on the other side of a small densely wooded hammock was a second walkway to the river meandering thru the rough grasses. A large deck was at it’s end ,two people crabbing and enjoying an early morning beer.” I LOVE SALT AND CRABS AND MARIE” I read on the mans arm, Marie loved the same and Jonas. They had two frozen raw chickens thawing in a bucket and the first catch of the day in an iced cooler. Two beautiful Blue crabs, 5 inches (4″ is the legal limit).

I didn’t measure as they had fillet knives that reflected the southern sun laying nearby. I left them in the now sweltering sun and made my way back to the car, where I met another family , mam with stroller and two more kids under 4 , they asked me how the crabbing was , as I was carrying a large tripod and bazooka lens attached. I told them it was OK and the crabs were biting. They seemed happy.

I’m getting better, up at 5:45 , walk the beau, pooped the beau and of I go. This time I want to make it to a far away unknown state park. Hunting Island state park, got there by seven, sun peeking from behind the clouds, out of my left eye I catch a speckle of pink, brakes on and backing up. Lucky me, a small flock of rosette spoonbills. Sneeked up on them and was lucky to get some early morning light on them. Very exciting 🤪.The lowlands are 90% marshlands , narrow rivers moving with the tide, fiddler crabs plating their tunes and oysters trying to keep their head above water.

$5 to get into the park, see the lighthouse first, first mistake, no bug repellent. Ok legs full of bloody sucking spots, itching but on the beach no skeeters. So the waves were magical and couldn’t get enough of shooting them The beach was deserted, wild , natural and spooky . Dead palms are scattered all over the beach, Irma’s path , I found out later ,crossed this area half strength , but devastating enough to not ever want to see full force.

Next set will be in a separate post so I can get more Hits, so smart!!

up at 7 , walked the BEAU, fed him and planned a drive to a seashore state park. Never made it , got stuck in Port Royal and Beaufort , two small towns sunk deep in the marshes of the low country. Shore front mansions have  300 feet long walking docks to get to the water at low tide, high tide hides the oyster beds and grasses. Mud fields and oysters stuck to branches show their face when the tide dips down . I found a nice nature trail in Port Royal with a stern warning  : look out for Gators ….Cause “A FED GATOR IS A DEAD GATOR” ???   Im sure I have my love for nature from my mama, she still swoons when she sees a bird, any bird, so this post again has a few birds in it, just for her. 

on to Beaufort, pretty little town just north of Savannah and 60 miles south of Charleston. Hugged left right front and back by tidal waters , streets lined by oak and Spanish moss , stately houses guard the shorelines , rocking chairs sit still on the wrapped around porches. You can hear the ice cubes making sound in pitchers of ready to go ice tea with green mint leaves. Ladies in long white frilly dresses take a seat and rock the chairs, dapper dressed gentlemen wipe their brows with a folded hankie. ah, imagination what a great thing. The porches were bare , residents hiding from the heat checking on the portly tourist with the camera from behind their frilly curtains. shu shu, go away leave us in peace. We’re ghosts of a era long gone.

Check them out, the ghosts, they are there behind the windows or in the trees , maybe sniffing the oleander or another barely legal weed. hmmmmm. The mystical south.

Hi mam, here are some more bird pictures, we know you love the birds. See you very soon in Davie again. Stay away from the pond , gators are hunting ! Love You!😏

Blue skies, 80 degrees and less then 100% humidity, sounds like a great  day to visit savannah. Crossing the bridge from Hilton head , a right turn to Blufton and rural South Carolina is in front of us in all its southern spender. Magnolia ‘s the size of cauliflowers, Spanish moss on the trees and wires are guiding us to the Charming City on the Georgia coast. We cross the bridge over the Savannah River, park the car and enter the touristy area of the town. Sugary candies, a staple of the south, Pecan’s bathed in delicious, called pralines. Popcorn in a thousand flavors and a delicious chocolate bath to dip your toes in and s……. them 

so what’s nice about savannah, according to one shop-owner, the people are crazy which is a plus, you can drink on the street , not outta glass but out of plastic . There is a well shaded square at about every city block. Old oak with luscious moss draped on them. Fountains galore and the ghost of Kevin Spacey walking the streets. We took a leisurely stroll down Bull street, The main , non touristy , street cutting the city in two equal halves. Beautiful old antebellum houses, gardens of eden and a square park every other block. Here are some photos.

we stopped by the only open church in Savannah to wash away our sins, we were done quickly. 

O yeah , we started our walk with a juicy Bloody Mary, Olives and okra !

As if Florida isn’t low enough.

so I left you with some wonderful impressions of “made up country”, (even the springs were fake, can you believe it!!??) drove 300 miles on  i95 past Savannah hung a right from the highway to a small island called Hilton Head. Nice !,

Our site is on the water facing Pinckney Island state park . Birds and more birds, Hang on, pictures to follow. This RV camp we are at is a bit different,  all the spots are privately owned and rented when not in use. They cost about $70,000.00 and you make some income from renting them out when you are not there, imagine having four of these around the country in beautiful locations. go with the seasons and have your house (Lady Cayenne ) in the most beautiful places at the best times of the year. HMMMMMMMM….. who knows . So here are some pics of the Birds!

So much for the birds , next was a little exploring of the 26 square mile island. Deidre and Cayman stayed put and I drove to the other side of the island. Now imagine a place that is as close to perfection can be , as clean and well designed as imaginable, You have to be a golfer or a boater or a bore to live there, the place is called Sea Pines. Pay $6.00 to get in so you can shop and dine, maybe use the beach if you clean yourself first and wipe your feet. No kidding though , this is the place the professional golfers go after the Masters to relax and hit a round. All the houses are the same color , they Blend in with the Spanish Moss and old oak trees. Just driving around is a treat. My first visit was a Horsefarm . Beautiful as in the movies, Friendly people and nice place to spend an hour looking around and sipping ice cold lemonade on the front porch rocking chair .