PeeWee Travels: February 2013

February 1 to 28, 2013

It was time to try our first extended winter holiday. January 31st, we left at 6 a.m. and after a 12 hour drive through a mixture of sun, snow, whiteouts and slush, we stopped for the night in Virginia on the south side of the Appalachian Mountains. Then a 6 hour sunny drive on Friday put us at the Hilton Head Beach and Tennis Resort for our 4 p.m. check-in time. The cosy and well equipped condo with an ocean view would be our new home for the full month.
The sub-tropical beauty of the island enhances the numerous private gated communities called "Plantations". All commercial venues keep a low profile as they are tucked into natural surroundings. The 12 by 5 mile island offers a beautiful sandy beach that can be walked or biked for it's full length on the Atlantic Ocean side. We rented bikes for the month which are well used on the 40+ miles of paved level pathways. Day trips had us exploring the historic town of Bluffton just off the island, Savannah, Beauford, Port Royal, Parris Island, Hunting Island and Charleston. Several nature preserves were a feast for the eyes and lens with their abundance of birds, alligators, flowers and vegetation.

The photos that follow are highlights from some of our experiences.

Friday, February 1, 2013

Welcome to our "new" winter home.

The comfortable condo with an ocean view.

Balcony view.

View of the tennis courts.

Boardwalk from the resort......

to the beach....

the beach....

Starfish left behind by the tide.

Great Egret on the hunt.

Hiking Pinckney Island National Wildlife Refuge.

February sailing the Intracoastal Waterway (ICW) on Skull Creek.

Wednesday, February 6, 2013
Outing to the end of the island in the Sea Pines Plantation which is a gated park which charges $5 entry fee. Spent the day exploring historic sites and finished with supper at the Land's End Tavern.

Exploring Harbour Town Marina at Sea Pines Plantation.

Not much traffic at low tide. The racing sailboat Stars and Stripes is here.

A well protected harbour.

Flower or vegetable garden?

Low tide as seen from the lighthouse.

Grace swings from a magnificent Live Oak tree.

The main attraction is the red and white lighthouse.

The nearby Stoney-Baynard ruins of a former plantation house built in 1793.

My favorite beach bum.

Our first dolphin sighting from the beach.

South Beach Village at dusk.

Fish supper at the Land's End Tavern.

Neptune sundial at Shelter Cove Marina.

Saturday, February 9, 2013

A day trip to Hunting Island which is a State Park and offers a campground, nature centre and many hiking trails and was about an hour's drive. The campground which is right on the beach and under palm trees was appealing. A great outing.

A day exploring the beach and trails on Hunting Island. Erosion is a major beach problem.

Effects of erosion collapsed this house last November and all furnishings were left behind.
Any offers?

A reflective moment, or just tired?

Hunting Island Lighthouse, at 132 feet and built to be portable, which was a good thing,
since it had to be moved 1.3 miles inland in 1889 to it's current location
because of beach erosion.

The 167 step spiral staircase.

Very well maintained by volunteer staff.

No end to the tree sculptures. The islands marshes were used for the Vietnam War
scenes in the movie Forrest Gump.

Sand sculpted by toppled palm trees.

Not so high and dry anymore.

Photo shoot on the beach. Looks like work to me.

Oyster boat.

Rickety dock.

Colourful nets.

A fishing boat past it's prime.

Evening light tells the truth.

It must have had quite the history.

Sunday, February 10, 2013

Attended church service at the First Presbyterian Church.

The snowman at the "Snowbird" station at the Presbyterian Church's
Welcome Centre, was just a reminder of home......glad we're here!

Surf fishing at sunset.

Day's last low over palm trees.

Vibrant colours from a long exposure photo.

Plovers

Eastern Bluebird.

The sign says it all.

An 8+ foot female alligator sunning at one of the ponds at the resort. Grace knows to
keep her distance.

Thursday, February 14, 2013

Visited the historic town of Bufford, which is just across the bridge from Hilton Head. Thursday is market day and fun to check out the local offerings. Walked the old part of town with a visit to the Oyster Factory and purchased a pound of shrimp. Over 20 churches in this small town.

The wooden Church of the Cross, built in 1857 is one of many historic
landmarks in Bluffton.

Grace tries out the pulpit.

The old church is striking from all sides.

The Bluffton Oyster Co. is one of South Carolina's top 10 oldest, continuously operating
business, and is the oldest cannery factory still in operation in the state.
It's located on the May River.

Flowers and Spanish Moss.

Thursday market in Bluffton.

A familiar name for Grandma Grace aka GG.

Live tree sculpture art.

Oyster fishing boat on the May River.

This would make a great oyster shell jigsaw puzzle.

Not enough elbow grease can bring this guy back to life.

A home-cooked shrimp Valentine dinner.

Friday, February 15, 2013

A sunny day prompted us on a day trip to Savannah with first stopping at the Savannah National Wildlife Refuge and then touring the historic city, where the waterfront is the main attraction.

The Savannah National Wildlife Refuge offers a four-mile wildlife observation route
which can be driven to view the waterfowl and alligators. In the 1850's as many as 13 rice plantations
were located in this area. The current 6,000 acres of freshwater dike-enclosed pools are now managed
for migratory waterfowl and wading birds.

Little Blue Heron.

Soaking up the sun.

Remains of old rice field trunks which controlled the water levels in the rice fields
dating back to the 1700's.

Spanish moss and a dash of red leaves.

Cypress Swamp

The visitor-nature centre did an amazing job with the displays and information.

We spent an afternoon taking in the sights of Savannah. The Savannah Cotton Exchange
building is one of many historic sites to see.

Grace admires the three-masted Barquentine "Peacemaker" ship.

When under sail, it sports 14 sails.

An amazing Brazilian hardwood interior.

One of three masts and only a line or two.

Now where is that winch handle?

From small tugs.......

to large ocean going container ships.

Old waterfront storage buildings were converted to trendy shops and eateries.

Saturday, February 16, 2013

A cooler, wet and windy day was spent exploring Parris Isand which is an active Marine Corps training facility. Access is free but drivers license, insurance and ownership are required to get past the guard station. Very informative museum. Hiked under blustery conditions (one of us) the nature trail and they even had a small RV park there. Watching the marines training was a unique experience. Yes Sir! No Sir! Ending the day with a visit to Port Royal.

An interesting outing to Parris Island which is the Marine Corps Recruit Depot.
The 13-week rigorous training for males and females is the
first stage of their marine career.

The Parris Island Museum provides a wealth of information on the history of Parris Island,
the marine recruitment training since 1915 and it's military evolvement over the years.

Two stories of detailed history.

Uniforms throughout the ages.

Walkway along the nature and history trail.

Remains of a crashed Brewster Buccaneer which crashed in 1943.
Both pilots survived.

The famous Iwo Jima Monument on the base.

Drill sergeant looks for perfection.

Training on parade square.

Beautiful park and boardwalk trail in Port Royal.

Grace braving the chill at the top of a three-story look-out tower on
the Battery Creek.

A lenghty boardwalk.

Beaufort River at low tide.

At full low tide.

Sunday, February 17, 2013

A beach biking day.

Can keep our eyes on our bikes from balcony.

Leaving the beach after riding miles along the water. It was a 5 hour bike ride.
Poor Grace.

Monday, February 18, 2013

A cool day, so checked out the Coastal Discovery Museum. A five minute drive. Very interesting displays, boardwalks and trails explaining the history of Hilton Head.

Boardwalk under a hugh Live Oak at the Coastal Discovery Museum.

A section of the X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle that washed ashore.

Knarled branches of a sycamore tree.

Nature photography display inside the museum

That southern look.

Thursday, February 21, 2013

The weather was supposed to be the best for a while, so decided to make the two hour drive to Charleston.

Walking the Battery along the water in Charleston.

The Waterfront Park with it's fountains and manicured gardens.

Grace takes in the beauty.

The magnificent United States Custom House building.

Grace toured the Old Slave Mart Museum. In the mid-1800's, slave traders came
to this place to buy and sell enslaved African Americans.

Tree-lined brick sidewalk.

A modern art galley.

The formal meeting room of a chapter of the National Society of the Daughters of the
American Revolution within the Old Exchange and Provost Dungeon building.
It was constructed from 1768-1771.

US stamps anyone?

Tour guide explains the plight of pirate prisoners in the dungeon.

Wall as they were in the late 1700's......

and still in great shape.

Displays in the Great Hall.

The Old Exchange and Provost Dungeon building.

Old stately mansions on East Battery Street.

Sunday, February 24, 2013
The sun is out and it's time to take advantage of the perfect day with a bike ride on the beach and then the paved trails. Riding the beach on the solid sand is easy. Had a rest at Shelter Cove Marina which was very quiet. Finished the five-hour ride back along the beach which has been the busiest that we have seen so far.

Crossing the only small stream on the beach seems to take full concentration.
At high tide, all that can be seen here, is under water.

A very obliging Great Blue Hero.

A boardwalk with a view of Shelter Cove at low tide.
Grace is always on the lookout for the local wildlife.

Nothing yet!

The Veterans Memorial at the Shelter Cove Community Park.

Lots of activity all along the beach.

Barefoot and fancy free.

Following the incoming waves of the rising tide.

Keep those feet dry.

A little rest stop before heading back.

A Ruddy Turnstone.

Feeding Ruddy Turnstones.

Resting on the rocks.

Tuesday, February 26, 2013

We woke to a heavy rain and a very windy morning but by 10:30 a.m. the sun came out and it was time to check the huge surf breaking on the beach. Then we hiked through the Audubon Newhall Preserve and ended our day with happy hour at Palmetto Bay Marina.

Balcony view.

Quite the roar as waves broke on the beach.

Even too rough for the surfers.

Common Terns.

Several trails to choose from at the Audubon Newhall Preserve.

A small boardwalk.

The trail led around a pond.

One of two pond residents we saw.

Trail led through Loblolly Pines and Fan Palms.

Fan Palms

Very tall and straight Loblolly Pines.

The very rough patchy bark of the pines.

Late afternoon light highlights the Spanish Moss.

Marsh at Broad Creek.

Finished the day with a happy hour at the Palmetto Bay Marina.

Wednesday, February 27, 2013

Wandering the beach we came across a crab trap that had washed ashore from the strong high tide and set two crabs free. Biked the afternoon away ending at the north west side of the island at the Skull Creek Boat House. (all are iPhone photos)

Grace stands back.......

but not for this one.

Cork art sign.

Muddy shore at low tide.

On the ICW.

Boardwalk from the beach to our condo.

Thursday, February 28, 2013

The day started late with a final bike ride through the private Port Royal community (we snuck in) and checked out the historic Fort Walker site. Returned the bikes and Grace finally got to sit by the pool to soak up some sun but certainly not for swimming and one last walk on the beach for me.