SC coastal waters paddling and critters

We spent a week recently on Edisto Island. I thought I would share some of the Island’s charm. It is an enjoyable area to paddle.

Pat and I paddled out too Otter Island one day and through the marsh creeks another. Here are some photos of our paddle trips.

Paddled across the mouth of the South Edisto River to the cut between Pine and Otter Islands. On the way back we stopped on Pine Island for a snack break.

Oysters exposed at low tide. The tidal change run 5 to 7 feet. and the current between tides runs fairly fast on an outgoing tide at the mouth of the river.

Paddling the marsh creeks.

Notice the ancient oyster bar with oysters on top of oysters until they grew high enough for the marsh and river sediments to bury them with mud and Spartina growth.

My son-in-law loves to fish. I think he could catch a fish in a mud puddle. He would at least try if he thought there was one. The thing about saltwater fishing my Dad always enjoyed was the uncertainty of what you might catch, as opposed to fishing freshwater. your never know what you might catch.

Landed?.. a DJI Phantom 4 drone. Thought he had the bottom.

The major catch was whiting which are very good eating. One Pompano made it to the table. They are delicious! While the only flounder caught was too small to keep.

This Sea Robin (another unusual catch) is a small bottom fish that uses modified pectoral fins as legs to walk/crawl on the bottom. They can have sharp spines on their dorsal fins and gills that have a poison which can cause pain for a few days. In the photo you can see a small spine near the top of the gill plate. The dorsal fin is lying flat on its back

Probably most folks would be more concerned about the 20 to 30 small sharks he caught, He caught 5 different species in all while fishing. Catching a shark was an attraction that often would draw a crowd of kids.

This is a Bonnethead Shark they don’t get over 4 feet long and patrol the shallows crabs are a favorite meal. I had a couple swim up to my boat while hunting before realizing I was there and swimming off in a hurry.

The small Sharp-nosed Sharks were the most common

This is a Scalloped Hammerhead they can get up to 12 feet in length. When larger sharks took the bait and when their tail would hit the line it woudl break. When we used very heavy mono line as long leaders that kept the line from breaking. Lost a couple that way before changing.

This Finetooth Shark was the largest fish caught. they grow up to 6 feet long.

This Blacktip shark took revenge and bit my son-in-law while removing the hook. He was lucky it didn’t shake it’s head, so escaped with just punctured fingers,

Even though the Bonnethead shark is edible all sharks were released. At night some shark fishermen caught some really big sharks, but we weren’t trying to catch sharks until they started break our lines. Certainly not set up with rods and reels to handle really big fish. We think the drone that was hooked had been used to fly the fishing lines out from shore since the heavy rigs aren’t really made for casting, like a surf rod.

Looking for fossil sharks teeth.

Shorebird’s eye view of the beach one stormy day.

Saw numerous squadrons of pelicans one group numbered more than 60.

Laughing Gull.

Edge of the dunes.

Flowers just above the dunes.

Marsh Rabbit above the Dunes.

Back at the house we had a King Snake join the fun in the pool. which lead to an empty pool and me being called to remove it,

This Eastern Narrow-mouthed Toad also needed rescuing from the pool.

This Blue Bird seemed to enjoy watching the action at the pool.

We observed Cabbage Palm Moths gathering around some palms that looked like they were going to bloom.

This resulted in attracting a Great Crested Flycatcher

This bird has its eye on a potential meal flying in the left-hand corner of the photo.

Success!

I Saw this couple bring their Pringle 17 catamaran down to the beach, and helped them set the mast. Took a few photos of them sailing.

Don’t you just hate it when someone walks or flies in between you and the subject of your photo!!

Day turning to night.

Did a night walk on the beach and saw schools of what looked like very young Pompano feeding in the surf. They were very reflective in the light.

Of course there were the ever present Ghost Crabs out at night on the beach.

Headed back in for the night.

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Looks like a great week! Is the drone salvageable?

Electronics and saltwater are a bad mix. No, it had been in the water long enough for the camera gimbal to be broken in the current on the bottom. An outgoing tide and the river flow combined runs hard through there at mid tide.

Great photos, thanks for posting this.

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enjoyed the photos and commentary!

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Fantastic photos! But one minor correction on the Sea Robin’s size. We used to get them as junk catches on the half day fishing boats off of Barnagat when I was a kid.

Full grown they are not at all small or cute, they are heavy on the line and come over the rail as one of the uglier 12 inch or so fish you wish had not taken the bait.

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Yes, you are right, and some species of sea robins can be 2 feet long. The smallest adult species is about 4 inches long. I had to look that up as the ones I have seen are usually under a foot. Probably due to the habitats I have fished and the ones I have seen diving in the Gulf. I have very seldom caught one on the hook but did net them to sell to local tropical fish stores as a teen. I also didn’t know they were edible.

I was not aware of multiple species of these. Thanks!

Sea Robins are one of the fish that was considered not edible when I was a kid but seem to have undergone a change in status. Someone will eat these things. Same for Porgies, dad brought them home and used them to fertilize the hedge. Now you can buy it in fish shops.

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Wonderful armchair traveling ! Thank you for taking and posting your pictures… I never knew there was a cute Sea Robin. The ones here sometimes show up in lobster traps. They are bigger but Wikipedia indicates there are many subspecies. They can actually walk on a solid surface.

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Used to catch robin fish surf fishing in NE Florida. Strange looking fish.

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We also saw numerous deer even one almost all white one on Edisto Island, but I didn’t have camera in hand. A frigate bird was spotted, and I do have a poor quality text photo with it barely visible. The colorful Painted Bunting was seen, but not photographed.

Didn’t have my 360 camera running. A dolphin came up to look at me as I was returning to the Lady’s Island ICW launch no more than 20 feet from me. Went tail up and and blew bubbles as it swam under me. I’ll leave my camera on until I leave the boat from now on🥴.

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I just started playing with a One X2 360. Very innovative cameras. Lots of potential. Plan on using it on my Scamp sailboat, and canoe in the near future.

Another camera?

I have had it for a while. Just starting to bear down and learn how to edit it.