Eastern Carolina Trip Reports
Fungirl and I canoed together for the first time in March of 99 on the beautiful Black River. Against all odds, our relationship survived. A few months later we traveled to Merchants Millpond State Park and paddled there. In March of 2002 we did an overnight canoe trip on the blackwater Edisto River in South Carolina. In September of 2002 we paddled at Horseshoe Lake, one of North Carolina's few natural lakes. In April of 2008, we visited the area again, car camping and hiking at Jones Lake State Park and canoeing a section of the Cape Fear River. In November of 2003 we joined a large group for an overnight trip on the Lumber River near Laurinburg. In February of 2004, we had a misadventure paddling on the scenic Uwharrie River. That fall, we paddled the remote Meherrin River from Emporia, Virginia, into North Carolina. In May, 2008 we spent the weekend at White Lake. I took advantage of the opportunity to paddle solo on the South River. Photos. We returned to White Lake in May, 2010 and I paddled the section of the Black River from Wildcat Road to Ivanhoe. Photos. In May, 2013 we returned to White Lake. On that visit I paddled the eastern arm of Horseshoe Lake. Photos.
Fungirl and I had wanted to visit the Outer Banks for years. We finally got our chance in April of 2003. We spent a week down east, with four days of canoeing included in the trip. We started our trip by paddling the Whiteoak River in the swamps near Swansboro. Afterwards, we paddled out to Bear Island and camped for 2 nights on Hammocks Beach. We then traveled up through the Outer Banks. Along the way we visited Cape Hatteras, hiked on the sand dunes at Jockey's Ridge, and walked through Nags Head Woods. We finished the trip by paddling in the Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge.
In March, 2012 I did a rare hike in the eastern part of the Carolinas. Skip gave me a tour of the Green Swamp, a Nature Conservancy property southwest of Wilmington. Photos. In June, I returned to the Green Swamp with Christy to look for Pitcher Plants, Venus Flytraps, and Orchids. Photos.
In March, 2018, Christy and I spent a weekend on the coast. We spent Friday night in a hotel in Swansboro. The next morning Christy did a 50 mile bike race on gravel roads in the Croatan National Forest. Later we camped at Cedar Point. I did a short hike there, and that evening we did another short hike on the Lily Pond Nature Trail. On Sunday we kayaked around Huggins Island in Hammocks Beach State Park. (Photos)
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| The Black River | Lily in Horseshoe Lake |
Please remember to Leave No Trace!