Smile and just keep swimming...: Carolina on my mind

We had a great time in the Carolina's.

Sunset our last night.

We thoroughly enjoyed watching the critters around the neighborhood. There were "odd" ducks and ducklings, several resident alligators, turtles, gecko and lots of frogs. Jake got too close for my comfort once, that I know of. And Annie got great pictures --- from a safe distance. I was very cautious walking Suzy and didn't let her get near the water. Cautious or paranoid, I'm not sure but we thankfully we didn't have any encounters.

<- Odd duck, or is it a turkey with webbed feet?

-> The ducklings were adorable.

Jake staring down a gator.

(No, I didn't like this one bit!)

Scary!

Not a small gator!

Annie took this one from a safe distance.

Suzy enjoyed the deck view, too.

Jack took his clubs and played at Ocean Ridge Plantation - Leopard's Chase. Here's a link to show some course info: Leopards Chase. It was voted one of the best in the area. We drove over the night before to be sure we knew where we were going early Wednesday morning. It was a good thing. We wandered around the plantation for quite a while before finding the right clubhouse. There are four courses and we easily found all but the one we were looking for. We found a much easier way home - through what I later learned was a construction entrance. I dropped him off a little before 7 a.m. on Wednesday morning. Jack was the second "group" to tee off for the day. He quickly caught up to a threesome ahead of him and asked to join them - but the East-coaster suggested he play through. He lost all but one ball. He saw two water moccasins. One on the cart path being dealt with by the grounds crew. And the other in the water when he was trying to retrieve a ball. He said it was nice but, "The course was very flat and didn't have a lot of personality." I guess there was a water feature on the 18th hole that was supposed to have a waterfall but it hadn't been turned on yet. One of the cool features of this course is they have bent grass greens. It was kind of hard for Jack to get excited about something all the courses he plays at home have the same type greens. He got done playing 18 holes by 10:15 a.m. and decided to play another 9 holes. He was stuck at the golf course until I returned to get him. All in all, he found a great deal and would play again for for that price but he wouldn't go out of his way and definitely not pay full price. The clubhouse also left a bit to be desired. While the other three courses had BIG, FANCY clubhouses, this one had a fancy-fied double wide mobile home. I wonder, since there were still many homes to be built in the close vicinity, if a larger clubhouse will be built someday? I'm guessing, yes.

Golf Day!

While Jack was golfing the kids and I went kayaking. It was our first time. Jake went solo while Annie and I got a double. It was... an adventure. We had to paddle out against the current for several miles. Yes, the ocean current. It was hard work and I was so thankful Annie and I were together! We saw live oyster beds, fiddler crabs, egret, and sea gulls. Our destination was Bird Island. (click for Bird Island info.) Our guides, Kari and Greg, helped us beach our boats and we were free to walk about the island for a while. The kids and I headed to the Kindred Spirit Mailbox. I had read about it and had wanted to make the trek. Had we walked down the beach from Sunset Beach, it would have taken over an hour but it was a short walk and were were there. I took a few moments and wrote a note - words of thanks and gratitude, as well as several prayer requests. The kids were less than impress and Jake was a bit anxious the group would head back without us. We ate a snack, played in the water and took a little rest before heading back to the mainland. The return trip was much easier, except for the jet ski's and boats causing waves. Jake took them like a pro. Annie and I... well, we took on a lot of water and returned soaked. :-) It was a fun trip but we were all E X H A U S T E D!

Jake avoiding live oyster beds.

Meandering.

Walking to the Kindred Spirit Mailbox.

Weather worn but worth the journey!

Heading back to the mainland.

We enjoyed going to the beach... in Myrtle Beach we sat in front of a large hotel with loud music and the most people. Sunset Beach is a quiet, isolated beach. There is a Pier but not a lot of other businesses. We went to Sunset beach a couple times. The second time the waves were pretty big due to the storm coming in later that night. North Myrtle Beach had free parking about every block or so and great beach access. Ocean Isle Beach has more of a small beach town feel with several little shops and restaurants. All had a different feel and it was our favorite. We didn't go there until our last day.