Kayaking today in the Carolina marshes!

Carl and I have on loan from a friend (Thank you!) for the next 5 weeks a 2-person kayak to try out.   So this morning, with the tide and the wind to our advantage, we began our paddle early from the family dock on Schooner Creek (James Island) heading through the marshes towards the lighthouse on Morris Island.
  
                           


  Well, due to time limitations and the distance, we reconsidered our destination in mid-paddle.  And as we were discussing our options, we heard an unusual chattering from the marsh.  What was that?  It was not like any of the bird calls with which we were familiar.  So I trained my binocular on the edge of the marsh and caught a glimpse of brown fur.  A mink!  And he was trying to break into an oyster!  When he spotted us, he glided back into the marsh, but continued to chatter so we were able to follow the noise.   But before we could continue tracking the mink, this little Marsh Wren popped out to check us out!    

Marsh Wren -- photo by Carl Miller

Moments later, we slowly slipped in front of a tiny little side creek where we spotted our mink in the open on the mud bank!

Mink!  -- photo by Carl Miller

With the tide beginning to turn, we decided to turn around and head back to the dock and explore some of the tiny creeks along the way. 

Black skimmer over Pluff Mud -- photo by Carl Miller

Least Sandpiper -- photo by Carl Miller

When we were about 200 yards from the dock, we saw what appeared to be bottle-nosed dolphin herding fish at the edge of the mud bank another 100 yards ahead.  Hoping to be able to photograph them, we paddled in high gear towards them.  But apparently, our paddling hard must have distracted them, because as we approached and began scanning the bank where we last saw them, they surfaced 25 feet to our port side.  They had come over to check us out!  Beautiful!  A photo op was missed but I still have the memory of it.  We will keep trying!  Following the paddle, we finished off the morning with a delicious swim!  Life is sweet on Schooner Creek!