#11 South "Carolina In My Mind..."

Simply Wet And Muddy Property- that was the primary impression I got as we passed over the border into South Carolina from North Carolina. Swamp lands and sand and more sand and we weren’t even near the coast but about 50 miles north near the middle line of these two states. Wuzzup? It seems this part of the eastern US was covered by the ocean about 50 million years ago so that rich calcium reefs and old sand beaches were left as the continent rose and the ocean receded. Now one finds these geologically lower lands to be the areas where water accumulates. Much of the watersheds in this part of the eastern US run in a southeasterly direction from the Piedmont, an area between the coastal plain and the Appalachian Mountains. Just before we entered Lake View, the first town we saw in SC, we were halted by what we thought was a huge swamp. Turns out it actually was a lake but it had the requisite cypress trees and Spanish moss. Backlit by sunlight and shimmering in the shadows the effect was a show stopper for us.






We soon came to discover that this state is an interesting mixture of slight ground swells or ridges, where the pine forests and most towns and villages are located, to the multiple ponds, puddles, lakes or whatever, that all looked like swamps to us. Now we admit that we were turned off by the prospect these wet areas were going to be all that we would see but as we stopped and really looked about we began to appreciate the subtleness of the place. Little Pee Dee State Park was our first campground where we started to see this muted natural beauty as we camped next to a small lake. This small 835 acre park is named after the Pee Dee Tribe that gave the Park and this part of the state their names. The slow moving Little Pee Dee River is known as a blackwater river while other rivers are known as brownwater rivers primarily because of colors that come from the decomposition of the surrounding vegetation and minerals. These are fascinating areas for canoeists and kayakers who can paddle these watery forests of tupelo and cypress trees enjoying the moss-softened silence.






We scooted westward to Poinsett State Park for our next camp. This park was one of many that those infamous CCC boys developed in this state so there were stone walls and buildings plus the lovely ruins of a grist mill.








That experience of walking around and appreciating the environs at our campground was the perfect precursor to our next adventure at Congaree National Park. I will simply quote from the NP brochure to give you the best insight to this remarkable ecosystem: “Along the meandering Congaree River rests Congaree National Park, a world of primeval forest landscapes, champion trees, diverse plant and animal life, and tranquility. This 22,200- acre park protects the largest contiguous area of old-growth bottomland hardwood forest remaining in the United States. Until the 1800’s there were more than 52 million acres of floodplain forests in the southeastern United States – with more than one million acres in South Carolina alone. In the 1880’s the lumber industry began harvesting these forests. Many remnants that survived the ax and plow were drowned by reservoirs. In less than 50 years most of these great bottomland forests were decimated.”






Congaree’s trees escaped this logging activity due to the difficulty of logging in wetlands plus the efforts of early conservationists like Frances Beidler and Harry Hampton. In the 1970’s when logging again threatened the area’s giant trees, a public outcry led Congress to establish Congaree Swamp National Monument in 1976 and to declare it a National Park in 2003. Most of the park is a designated wilderness closed to motorized transportation of any kind but there is a marked canoe trail down Cedar Creek and the most amazing two plus mile boardwalk.






Cokie was disappointed she could not get far enough away from the Champion Trees to photograph their splendid size and height. As good as she is she couldn’t walk on water to get the right perspective! I’ll try to convey what it was like to experience walking the boardwalk right at water-level next to the base of some of the tallest trees on the continent: Laurel Oak at 22.08 feet in circumference and 130 feet tall, Loblolly Pine at 14.66 feet around and 167 feet in height or a Swamp Tupelo at 15.7 and 132 feet respectively. These are among the trees designated as National Champions by the American Forestry Association. A champion tree is one that is judged to be the largest of its species based upon a standard formula or point system. Tree height, circumference and crown spread are the basis of the point system, plus the tree must be native or naturalized to the US. Congaree boasts six National Champion Trees in its boundaries with an estimated 25 in all including the State Champion Trees.





This floodplain ecosystem is among the most diverse forest environments in North America boasting more than 80 species of trees, 170+ bird species, and 60 amphibians and reptile species and 49 fish species making it a rare living laboratory for scientists and researchers from the world over. We met wonderfully helpful and informative Rangers and volunteers (thank you, Gail) who without exception expressed their love of the place they felt honored to be able to work in. For us the silence and tranquility was one of the best gifts of our visit. Plus, it is our hope that these photos will also show how the small bits of sunlight that manage to work their way down through the thick sky-touching canopy, create a visual magic that transcends language – a picture truly is worth a thousand words!







Many months back when we were traveling along the Savanna River on our way to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park we had made the acquaintance of two lovely people, George and Juanita Kelley and their Scotty buddy – Murphy. They were gracious enough to invite us to come visit them in their lovely home just north of Columbia. We enjoyed our visit so much that we didn’t even get the camera out to take pictures! Our apologies to the Kelleys and to our fellow trekkers, but mostly to Murphy who was an affectionate and funny little host who knew we needed some puppy love!

We truly wished that we could have stayed longer and done more in this wondrous state but weather and warmth now dictated our wayward wanderings. (Wow! W’s!) It was westward now toward Georgia with a few days to catch up with mail and housekeeping in Aiken State Natural Area about 30 miles east of Augusta, GA. This 1067 acre park boasts four spring fed lakes, the slow, meandering South Edisto River plus swamps, bottomland hardwoods and dry pine forests. This is another CCC project of the 1930’s but distinct for having been built by an encampment of African Americans.







It was so long to the Carolinas and westward into Georgia and the Ocmulgee National Monument, site of 12,000 years of human activity. See you there!