Huntington Beach State Park, Murrell's Inlet, South Carolina

 We made good time on Wednesday to the Chamber of Commerce in Pawley's Island where we picked up our registration packets for the Hammock Coast Birding Festival. We then continued north to Huntington Beach State Park where we were able to check in early at our campsite in the North campground. We set up camp and then took the nature trail near our campsite which passed by the nature center and continues along the inlet shore with plenty of ducks and shorebirds. We then took off to find lunch which was recommended off the Marsh Boardwalk with a string of restaurants. On our way we spotted our favorite hangout when we kept our sailboat at Georgetown Landing Marina in Georgetown while we were living in Charlotte, North Carolina.  Riverside Cafe did not disappoint with its free peanuts to shell at the table and craft beers and delicious burgers. We got the blooming onion to celebrate finding the place. After lunch we were ready to take a shower and head to the festival happy hour at Oceanfront Litchfield. They had a great munchie buffet and cash bar and we sat looking out at the Atlantic Ocean.

Welcome Center with the festival roseate spoonbill signs

The State Park visitor's center

Our wooded camps8ite

The octopus tree knocked down from hurricanes and rerooted

River City Cafe

On Thursday morning we had to get a very early start to drive to tour Black River Cypress Preserve in Andrews, SC. It was misty and cold but our guides took us along the manicured and landscaped trails as we spotted birds along the way. The preserve was established by the Boston Cubs owner to preserve the wilderness and be an educational center for private tours. From there we headed back to Georgetown  to our favorite Mexican Restaurant for a quick lunch before heading to Hobcaw Barony Preserve for our next tour.

Hobcaw Barony Welcome center displays

A van took us on tour to the marshlands

It was like an arctic blast on the dock

The historic homes

Long left pine rocket

Long leaf pine candleabra

Avian Conservation Bird of Prey at Atalaya Castle

Birds swooped over audience

On Friday it was another early start back through Georgetown and past Belle Isle Marine where we also kept our sailboat to the ferry across to the Tom Yawkey Wildlife Center. We loaded up on a bus an drove to the ponds and hiked along the dikes seeing lots of waterfowl and shore birds. We had a longer time for lunch to stop at our favorite Tony's Pizza before walking along the dock on Front Street. We hurried back to take a shower while it was the warmest before the next event. Next up was a naturalist talk at Huntington Beach Nature Center on the Coastal Plain's Best Anglers and walk along the observation deck. It was then time for dinner with keynote speaker Dr. Patrick McMillan at Pawley's Plantation.

Boarding the pontoon boat ferry across to Tom Yawkey Center

Welcome center

Mockingbird upset at his reflection

Beautiful wetlands walk

Downtown Georgetown

At the keynote speaker's dinner

Beautiful Front Street

On Saturday, the early tour at Brookgreen Gardens was fully booked so we had time for a leisurely breakfast at the old local Litchfield Restaurant. We then drove the short distance to Brookgreen Gardens for the Creek Tour by Barge. It was cold and windy but sunny and we had a great guide pointing out the waterfowl and old rice plantations. We then walked along the boardwalk to our guided walking tour of the Lowcountry Zoo Aviary at Brookgreen Gardens. We toured the two aviaries which were closed to the public before walking through the zoo and seeing the rehabbed animals up close especially the ducks. We then drove over to the Sculpture Gardens and wandered the grounds before driving back to the Georgetown Landfill for the Trash and National Treasures bus tour by the environmentalist where we saw wild turkeys missing out on the bald eagles and seagulls since the dump was closed there was not enough for them to bother scavenging. We dashed back to the campground for another hot shower before dinner at Inlet Affairs at Murrel's Inlet.

Bundled up for barge tour at Brookgreen Gardens

At the zoo

Inside the garden center

Inside sculpture courtyard

Inside sculpture bird exhibit

Out the window a wild turkey on the landfill

Wishful that we could ban single use plastics

Turkeys trotting

The beautiful muriel at landfill visitor center

On Sunday it was below freezing as we bundled up for the Huntington Beach Jetty Tour. Luckily Ranger Mike gave us a ride on the golf cart down to the jetty. We also walked along the beach and a service road to see the variety of shore birds and waterfowl. Our guide was excellent in showing us pictures and then putting the birds on the spotting scope. That was our final tour so we loaded up the camper and headed to Georgetown for lunch on the Front Street Dock at Blue Bayou Cafe which now occupies our favorite bar, the Big Tuna. We then headed south to Beaufort, South Carolina with time to spare before we could check in at Hiway 21 Drive Inn for the night.

Down the beach to the jetty

Lunch at the old Big Tuna Bar now Blue Bayou Cafe