Handy, Moby and Low Tide

Wednesday November 28, 2012
Site 83 Hunting Island State Park, South Carolina

 

Low tide leaves a wide beach and tide pools.

The Duckie brothers like Tide Pools.  They aren’t big enough to contend with ocean waves.  So we take them out for a swim on our beach walk today.

 

 

When they waddle out of the water, a new friend shows up to meet them.

 

 

 

What a difference 6 hours makes.

Remember the raging “River Jordan” that we had to wade through a few days ago?  That was near high tide.  Here it is at low tide.  The tides are 6 hours apart.  Even the Duckies can hardly swim in it now.

 

 

Not much problem making it to the other side.  No “wade in the water” today.

 

Every time I walk this stretch of beach I see so many interesting things.

Hunting Island is well known for its Loggerhead Turtle nesting grounds.  Turtles nest during May all over the Sea Islands and the efforts to protect them are strong.   We see one of the cages used to protect a nest.  It has been left on high ground.  I’d love to be here for the month of May but at $31 a night, that’s too much of a strain on our budget.

 

 

 

Very near the nest cage we see what we think is the lone remaining cabin rental.  I swear there was a no trespassing sign although I don’t see it in any of the pictures when I look at them later.  Sign or no sign, David has to check it out. Nice ocean front spot at this point.  Probably the furthest back from it originally which is why it is still here, or is at least for now.

 

 

These huge driftwood trees are as smooth as if they were sanded.  I guess a tree that doesn’t really move can’t be said to “drift” so what do you call a tree that is now in the ocean during high tide but just hangs out on the beach looking white and feeling smooth during low tide??

 

 

Looking more closely, I call it beautiful. 
Nature’s patterns. 
Just amazing!

 

 

 

Based on these shadows, I’m seeing that it looks like it’s time to head back.

 

 

 

Beach foam?  Beach bubbles?   I asked Mark at the Nature Center.  He says it’s actually brine from the waves.

 

Wonder whose great idea this was??

 

Obstacles on the beach.  How to get around or over or under.  Not so bad at low tide.  Imagine at high tide.

Note to self to try this walk at high tide.

 

We make it back to the” River Jordan” Crossing.  David takes this picture from “the other side”.

 

My legs are just long enough!  Reminds me of Itasca State Park in Minnesota where I straddled the mighty Mississippi. 

 

Near the campground, more of Nature’s just amazing patterns.

 

 

There is no end of great people watching on the beach at low or high tide.