Having a Time of It

We spent the w-e enjoying a beach house duplex at Sunset Beach. Though it is part of the NC shore (just barely though since you can see N. Myrtle Beach from some spots of the beach), it has the wide, gently sloped white sands of the SC beaches I grew up with. The water was a bit too cold for me to swim, though some of the hardier souls in our group took advantage of the warm sunny days to do some boogie boarding. Holly and I made do with beach runs and fried seafood and kayaking in the sound. We saw many good birds including one large bald eagle perched high in a tree on the other side the sound as well as numerous oyster catchers swooping around the waters edge. Our group of ten managed to eat, swim, play bocce ball, bird watch, kayak and cook together. Sharon reserved an upstairs/downstairs duplex, and we had plenty of bathrooms and queen beds to go around. We ended up with 2 kitchens, too, of course, which really simplified mealtimes, especially the evening we all cooked together (gaucamole and chips then grilled red snapper, boiled shrimp, grilled veggies, broiled asparagus, followed by ice cream and fresh strawberries). Though it kept threatening to rain and thunderstorm at various times during the w-e, the bad weather held off until Sunday night. It was still pretty windy this morning, but the worst of the rain had past. Before we left, I got in a good run, enjoying the beach almost to myself. It was an excellent day to watch the storm clouds roil by and to feel the pull of the tide on the sand beneath my feet. Others were out vetting their new raincoats and other waterproof gear, while I enjoyed the contrast of the post run warmth and the cold pelting raindrops. It was something else.

Though several folks made comments about our antiquated whitewater boats, which we took to kayak in the sound, we had a perfectly good time getting in and out of the marsh creeks and alleyways made by the reeds. Neither of us paddle enough to justify spending money on new boats expressly for sea kayaking or more accurately marsh kayaking. (The boats we have are free- a price I like alot, as my father likes to say...) Here are some photos from that trip. Top-me, Middle-Holly, Bottom-Holly with single, Laurie & Julia with their canoe