The Kayak Gods Smiled Upon Me

It has been 258 days since I moved to South Carolina and I have finally been to the coast to sea kayak. It took a visit from an old paddling partner (old as in I've known him a while, not old as in senior citizen) but the curse is broken.

Saturday Paul and I went to Charleston Harbor and paddled around Charleston and Mount Pleasant. The day was typical paddling weather for the two of us, overcast and rainy. It took over three hours to get to the coast and we only spent a little under four hours on the water, but it was worth it. Below is a shot of our path with Google Earth. We saw pelicans, skimmers, herons, and harbour porpoises. This egret was poised on a shrimp boat and turned to pose just as I was taking its picture. The launch site on Shem Creek was just upstream from some of Charleston's shrimp fleet. It was interesting to see commercial shrimp boats tied up on the creek next to million dollar homes. It really had a nice charming feel to it, being so close to the water, the boats, the docks, the birds, the smell of the sea. One of the interesting landmarks in Charleston Harbor is Fort Sumter. It is the site of the first shots fired during the American Civil War. The fort has an interesting story behind it. We didn't stop (instead we ate lunch on the beach in front of Fort Moultrie across the mouth of the harbor) although the boys in the local paddling shop assured us we could. (I have to say stopping in to talk to the locals about currents, put-in spots, and the area in general was well worth it. They certainly sent us in the right direction and even suggested a spot called Vickery's as a spot to eat.) Next time we're there maybe we'll take the ferry and visit the fort properly. At Vickery's Paul and I both had the Low Country Saute. It was fantastic. I've never had grits that were so good. It was basically crab, shrimp and crayfish, sauteed in bourbon butter and poured over a large helping of grits. The whole thing was topped off with a couple of deep fried oysters. You couldn't have asked for a better meal after a hard day on the water. Along with a nice salad and a bottle of cider it was pure heaven. Of course no visit to Charleston harbor would be complete without a float past The Battery, or Battery Park as it is officially known. It is a historic district in Charleston known for its proximity to the harbor and the beautiful old homes. The place is very popular with tourists was very nice from the water. The last thing we did as we left town was stop at a little fish market right on Shem Creek. The place smelled just like the markets at home. I got some flounder and some fresh peeled shrimp (which were both great the next day for supper-thanks Jane). It reminded me about how one of the things I miss the most about Nova Scotia is the seafood.