Nature is amazing

Reportedly the oldest thing -- living or man-made -- east of the Rockies, Angel Oak is a live oak tree aged approximately 1,500 years.  It is native to the low country and is not very tall but has a wide spread canopy. Lumber from the live oak forests in the sea islands was highly valued for shipbuilding in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Towering over 65 feet high.   Today the live oak has a diameter of spread reaching 160 feet, a circumference of nearly 25 feet, and covers 17,100 square feet of ground. Its limbs, the size of tree trunks themselves, are so large and heavy that some of them rest on the ground (some even drop underground for a few feet and then come back up), a feature common to only the very oldest live oaks. It has survived countless hurricanes, floods, earthquakes, and human interference.

We did purchase a picture of the tree so those who visit us next year will see it on the wall.  We also went to Caw Caw Interpretive Center.  it is an old rice plantation that has a very diverse landscape.  The hiking trails were the best we have been on. We will be back to see more of this area.  We looked for Alligators, snakes  and other wild life but did not come across any.  it might still be a bit cool for them to be out and about.

After lunch we headed to one of our favorite places, Mt Pleasant Point.  there is a beautiful pier that we had not walked to yet and the Sweetgrass Museum.

Eric took this picture right in front of our campground of a dolphin, there were two of them playing or looking for food.

Now for the food update.   yesterday we went to a local place, it was an upscale place, (couldn't tell by the outside).  We started with cheesey biscuits, (no hushpuppies at this place), Eric had fish and chips, flounder and great french fries. I had a wonderful pasta dish with shrimp, sun dried tomatoes and a light alfredo sauce.  the food was very good but we were looking for more local type food.  today we went to a local fish place, the hushpuppies were OK, (not the best), the she crab soup was OK, (again not the best), the fried shrimp was a bit better than OK but again not the best, the oytsters were not as good as we have been having and the clam strips were not good.  so all in all it was not a memorable eating experience.  So far we have been spoiled by getting great food.. so it was bound to happen..  We did pick up a couple of Oyster knives.  hoping to get invited to an oyster roast.  if not then we will have our own!!

the campground is full for the coming weekend.  even a couple of tenters.  weather is suppose to be 70 by Friday, we are finally getting some heat and above normal temperatures.