A collection of photography and exploration focusing on Upstate South Carolina and beyond.
Last week it was announced that a new preserve has been established under control of SC Department of Natural Resources. The new public space, called the Tall Pines Wildlife Management Area, will be open to hunting, fishing, and hiking. Located in Northern Greenville County along the banks of of the South Saluda River, the property … Read More “Buried in the Tall Pines” »
Early settlers seemed to have a fascination with reusing old names. The US is full of place names with the word “New” appended. In some places they didn’t even bother with the “New.” This longing for a hint of European homeland was the case with several of the ghost towns along the Savannah River – Hamburg, South Hampton Lisbon, Petersburg, New Bordeaux, and Vienna. On this unseasonably warm February day I decided to paddle out and see if I could find any remnants of the tri-city area of Lisbon, Petersburg, and Vienna, now located under Strom Thurmond Lake.
I haven’t really gotten back to my paddling routine since returning to the east coast. When I saw that my friends at Tri-County Blueways Paddlers were heading back to the Old Santee Canal, I jumped at the chance. It also turns out that with my new church duties this would be my last Sunday paddling excursion for quite awhile.
I had done the research. I’d read the book. I was ready to head out and find the angels sold by William Oliver Wolfe’s monument shop in Asheville, made famous by his son, Thomas Wolfe, in his novel Look Homeward Angel. Joining me would be fellow explorer Alan Russell.
Look homeward Angel now, and melt with ruth.
And, O ye Dolphins, waft the hapless youth.
I’m still trying to catch up after a whirlwind holiday travel season. Given our upcoming activities, I’ll probably be trying to catch up for the next month or so. Regardless, while we are in Florida we like to get out into nature as much as we can. This holiday season we were able to visit Kissimmee Prairie, the Stick Marsh at the Sebastian River Preserve, and several beaches.
The Christmas Dinosaurs have been put away and the trees taken down. We’ve been catching our breath before ramping up for the next round of madness. The past couple of weeks have been a whirlwind. There were paddle trips, swamp outings, drum circles, and we even celebrate a major milestone. All of this, while wrapping up 2018 and seeing in 2019 in grand fashion. Over the next several posts I’m going to try to summarize the Winter Holiday happenings.