Judy P's Tickle Trunk

……or Paddling At Huntington Beach Park, S.C.

When we were leaving our Cape Hatteras campsite our neighbour asked “Where ya goin” next?” “Huntington Beach Park.” “Oh” he said “there’s gators there!” so I was a little nervous about paddling in the salt water inlets. Turns out it wasn’t the gators that I had to worry about, it was the oysters. Yes, gators have more teeth than oysters and can certainly run faster but the park staff assured me that they are mostly dormant this time of year and no one has been attacked or eaten by a gator in the park. Yet. So we were heading out with our gear when I paused to admire an egret; still hadn’t gotten used to seeing large white birds standing elegantly on one leg.

Your classic everyday Huntington Beach Park egret.

The tide was out and it was then I noticed the oyster beds for the first time.

Your classic everyday Huntington Beach Park oyster bed.

This was supposed to be the maiden voyage for my ‘new to me’ inflatable kayak. I don’t think so! The edges of those little critters could slice hard tack. So I saved my breath, and the new kayak stayed in the vehicle with me while Lance went for a paddle in the Pokeboat. He finished and I took my turn, heading straight for the nearest flock of birds.

A mix of birds resting in the shallows.

I was glad I didn’t bring the inflatable when on several occasions I scraped bottom getting out into the deeper water.

Once I got into the channels in was calm and quiet and very good paddling. You’d never know that Myrtle Beach with all its crazy tourist traffic was just around the corner (I was still having trouble considering myself a tourist at his point).

The calm in the channels was deceptive as there was a good breeze blowing.

It was easy to sneak up on the resting birds.

Wonder what this heron was contemplating.

And I got my first real good look at a pelican. Peculiar looking creatures.

Dozing or sulking?

A thoroughly enjoyable and uneventful paddle – just the way I like it. Huntington Beach State Park is definitely on my list of places I would go back to, especially considering that I didn’t get eaten by a gator.

© Judy Parsons 2015

Blog entries will be sporadic for the next little while because the internet service at our current campground is terrible. Grrrr.