good paddling spots in south carolina coast off charleston

[Guest guest]

Hi has anyone been paddling along the south carolina coast? I'm going there shortly for a trip, and will be south of myrtle beach for a few days then in Charleston. Love more remote areas & ocean kayaking, but not big waves/surf. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

[Shane]

Depending on your tolerance for drive, there is a very reputable outfitter in Georgia.

www.seakayakgeorgia.com

If that is too far, I'm sure they would be willing to give a recommendations to help you.

_Shane

"Would a knife help protect you against a ‘curious’ shark? I don’t know but I would like the option." - Trevor Gardner

[Guest guest]

Thank you for the info, I will check it out!

[Guest guest]

There's a good guide book out for sea kayaking the Carolinas. The title is "Sea Kayaking the Carolinas". I think Amazon sells it for ~$12. Should be able to find it on the Barnes and Noble site as well.

Plenty of good coastal trips for North and South Carolina. I would paddle the sheltered trips in my canoe when I lived in NC (before I moved north and learned to sea kayak). As I recall, it also has advanced trips as well (circumnavigation of barrier islands, etc.).

- Richard Beckham

[eneumeier]

Hey Richard!

Good to hear from you. How do you like paddling in the Gulf?

Liz N.

[Guest guest]

Paddling on the gulf? Hard to say - only been down there once. :-(

One of my professors commented that the first year of Ph.D. school is a "character building experience". If that means no free time, he's right! Haven't even been able to lurk on the board for the past several months (must say, the new website is quite nice). Really only had a chance to check it today because I had to wait for a numerical simulation to converge (translation: had to stare at the computer screen for hours). Classes end in a couple weeks, and I hope to be able to get on the water more frequently this summer.

I will say this about paddling the Gulf: water's warm. I'm never going to complain about cold New England water again! (Except for during the fall, winter, and spring, of course.) When I made my one trip to the Gulf last August, I got hot while paddling (bright sun, neoprene sprayskirt, several inches of foam insulation - a.k.a. PFD). Figured: "No be deal, I'll just roll." Always worked up there in New England. But would you believe it? The water felt warmer than the air! Came up hotter than before the dunk - not the desired result. It appears that in the long run I'm going to have to rig up some sort of solution. Thermoelectric devices attached to the boat and powered by solar cells, perhaps.

Anyway, I imagine that paddling season is starting to take hold up there. Any cool trips in the works? I have to live vicariously for now.

Richard Beckham

Gig 'em!

[Alan Moyer 34]

We had a great day of paddling going out of Shem Creek in Mt. Pleasant, just north of Charleston. The put-in is near the Shem Creek Bar and Grill (a great post-paddle stop) at 508 Mill St. There is ample side-street parking near a boat launch. A short paddle takes you past the shrimp fleet and into the harbour. You can (very carefully) cross the shipping lanes to Ft Sumter (we did not) or stay too the NE part of the harbour and go to Sullivan Island. There is also a "fingernail" island great for shelling and noted for shark teeth fossils. Don't remember the name but the locals will. The outfitter we used in 2002 doesn't seem to be around, but as I am writing this I found another: check www.coastalexpeditions.com. Their address is 514 Mill St, obviously right by the above mentioned put-in.

Hope this helps,

Alan