I recently took a quick road trip to visit friends in North Carolina and Virgina. I broke the first leg of the 13 hour drive roughly in half with an overnight stop in Santee, South Carolina.

I spent the following morning exploring Santee National Wildlife Refuge located on the north bank of Lake Marion. After the crowded beaches of sunny Florida, having the entire place to myself was incredibly pleasant.

Not only does the refuge preserve acreage for wildlife but, I was surprised to learn, it also protects two important historic sites. The Santee Indian Mound remains the largest ceremonial and burial site yet discovered in the region.

Something that tall on the coastal plain obviously afforded a good viewpoint, a fact the British Army did not overlook. In 1780 they established Fort Watson atop the mound in an effort to control South Carolina.

Continental Army troops attacked the fort on April 5, 1781 but were repulsed by the well-positioned British cannons and sharpshooters. You could say the Brits had the upper hand. But never, ever doubt American ingenuity.

Determined to overtake the fort, Major Hezikiah Maham designed a thirty-foot tall log tower. The structure was built nearby, placed on wheels, and moved into firing range of the fort during the night of April 22nd.

With their height advantage gone, the British could no longer protect the sides of the mound and they surrendered by the end of April 23rd. The success of the tower was replicated several other times by the Continental Army and is part of the reason we don’t speak the Queen’s English in this country.

The early evening before Hurricane Elsa swept by was quiet and calm at the jetty. This man and his faithful dog stopped by to try their luck. With only one fisherman in attendance, these Snowy Egrets were most attentive, but sadly, all were sorely disappointed.

Spotted this while on my evening beach walk recently. The entire contraption was about four feet tall – definitely not your average beach accessory!

There was a young couple nearby but they were absorbed in each other so I didn’t dare interrupt. But I was certainly left in a state of wonderment.

Never a dull moment on my favorite beach. If anyone knows what it is, I’d love to learn more about it!

Spotted this immense and laden mango tree on my way home from a park this past weekend. I made a u-turn just to take these photos. The tree absolutely dwarfs the house! I wonder how old it is? I’d be a happy girl if this was in my yard!

He was hoping to catch one last wave but his family was calling him away, so he just stared wistfully out at the water for a few minutes. I don’t surf but I fully understand how hard it is to leave the beach! 

I found this tiny gem (less than an inch long) on my doorstep this morning. There’s been a pair of Blue Jays visiting my yard regularly, they are quite fond of my bird feeder but even more so of the bird bath. I clean it daily and fill it with fresh water, which they take turns frolicking in.

I wonder if this token was from them? They have been known to do such things. I’ll be on the lookout for more treats in the future. For now, Poubelle*, will have a spot on my kitchen windowsill where she can watch the Blue Jays every day.

*Poubelle is French for trash can. It was also a friend of mine’s nickname during her childhood (given with affectionate by her grandfather). Besides, it’s a fun word to say!

This morning, I answered a Facebook plea for volunteers to help clean up a nearby island. I tend to pitch in when I can but I’ll be honest, the added enticement of a boat ride made me even more eager.

Both Tampa Bay Aquatic Preserves and Keep Pinellas Beautiful teamed up to host this event. I was familiar with KPB’s work but it was my first time learning about TBAP (they are mainly in charge of submerged areas but in some cases of high priority, they manage islands, too).

Our worksite was a three-acre island with the incredibly romantic name of BC 21 (Boca Ciega Bay, near marker 21). Our job, removing flotsam and jetsam, was made a bit easier since a crew had already cleared out invasive trees, like Brazilian Pepper and Australian Pine.

We collected over 1,000 pounds of trash in just a few hours, clearing the entire western side of the island. The debris on the eastern side of the island will have to wait for another day. Fittingly, for the upcoming holiday weekend, I found some stars and stripes related items.

Once the rainy season starts (hopefully soon), TBAP will be back out to plant native species, restoring the tree canopy for migrating birds and other animals. Speaking of wildlife, we crossed paths with a couple Marsh Rabbits and a shy snake in the mangroves while out in the shallows, a young dolphin was learning to fish from its mom.

Not a bad way to spend a morning!