The Seacow Eatery and a Walk at Edisto Beach State Park

 

The Seacow Eatery

    For this weeks blog we headed to the beach, Edisto Beach. On our typical beach trips, we tend to pack a lunch, keeping the cost down and most of the time we go in the off season when not everything is open. This was a bit different. We did our walk first, which can be found below and then headed over to the Seacow Eatery. I had already picked out what we were having for lunch, found their menu here: The Sea Cow Eatery. A Ruben sounded good and I haven't had one in awhile and it would be Otis's first time trying corned beef.

    We got to the Seacow around 12 and were lucky to find one open space in the parking lot. There are not a lot of places to eat on Edisto Beach, if you go especially at the peak tourist times of the year expect them to be busy. For the amount of people there, the order came out quickly and we headed back to the State Park to eat at the picnic area. Then it was to digging in. For a side we got the beer battered fries and it was excellent. To me it was reminiscent of food from an old school diner. It was a bit more expensive than your typical diner food, but I think that is to be expected in a tourist area where there are few food places. I would recommend this stop for lunch or diner based off of what we had. The food was made quick, good quality and tasted wonderful. That's everything we are looking for on these trips. 

   

    This was Otis's first Ruben and there were no complaints coming out of him. He got to sample pieces of the whole sandwich, slices of meat off of it and fries. Afterwards we took a second short walk, this time on the beach and then headed home. 

The SeaCOW EATERY

145 Jungle Road

Edisto Beach, SC

Edisto Beach State Park

    Edisto Beach State Park is broken up into two sections. One a forested section of Edisto Isalnd and the other is a strip along the beach. Both sections have campgrounds and the forested section has a nice trail system, for walking or bikes. We started at the boat ramp at the end of Oyster Row Ln. taking the Big Bay Trail to the Spanish Mount Trail to the Scott Creek Trail then walked across the causeway to the other section of the park at the beach.

    Otis at the Big Bay Trailhead, ready to go and already looking for squirrels. This path is wide, flat and well maintained. We had a number of bikes pass by, even family groups and had no problem getting off to the side while they passed. Other trails can be a little hairy with bikes and a leashed beagle, but this one had plenty of room for everyone. Even an electric skateboarder passed by us.

    Not far down the trail I could hear something running through the leaf litter on the trailside. It got Otis's attention too and we stopped and I tried locating it. It ended up being this Hermit Thrush that flew to a low branch and let me take its photo. There were not as many birds species as I was hoping for, we still had a decent diversity along the walk.

    It didn't take long before we were at the Spanish Mount. This, the very end of the Spanish Mount Trail is the remnants of a shell midden, a pile of shells discarded in this case by Native Americans. This particular midden has been dated to approximately 4000 years old. I thought I had read in the past that the reason this was called the Spanish Mount was due to a written account of it by Spanish sailors, however I can find no reference of that currently. All I can find now is how it got its name is a mystery. Time and mother nature have taken its toll on the mount and there is very little of it left. Archeological digs were conducted when it was realized the Wadmalaw River would consume it. You can see some remnants from the trail end, but nothing like it had been. 

    From a boat on the Wadmalaw River, you may be able to see more. From the lookout this is all you can see of shells. Otis and I may visit some other Native American sites that I know of for this blog. There are a few much better preserved spots with middens and at least one that Otis is allowed to visit.

    The view from the end of the trail. When I visit these sites I try to imagine what things may have looked like when they were occupied by Native Americans. No modern houses, a pile of bright white shells and an, a thriving society living in/with nature and abundance of wildlife. The now extinct Carolina Parakeet would have been numerous here and an annual migration of Passenger Pigeons would have darkened these skies. This and what we might loose next is the kind of thing I think about on our walks, pretty sure Otis just is thinking, I smell a squirrel. 

    A few places offer a place to sit and reflect along the trail. For us they were spots to try to snap a photo. The lighting was not on my side for this walk.

    This Palm along with Yellow-rumped Wablers and Northern Parula's were all foraging in the treetops along this walk. The Parula's were singing away joined by other birds I could not identify by sound. I am always learning, but bird vocalizations are not something I am great with. 

This walk is a good example of the typical forests found on barrier islands here in South Carolina. 

    Little Wood-Satyrs, Megisto cymela, were fluttering all along the trail. I only got to see two land this being one of them.

    There are a few small boardwalks crossing sections of marsh. Here Otis is looking for squirrels out in the marsh grass.

    A view from the boardwalk looking into the marsh. In spots like this you can sometimes hear marsh birds, the most common in these areas being the Clapper Rail. Nothing was heard on this trip, but I am pretty sure I have heard them on this trail before.

    Found these signs at two points along the trail. I am not sure what is going on at the park, but it looked like some sort of construction. I don't think they wanted people entering.

    This Swallowtail was the only other Butterfly I was able to photograph. Currently I am not sure if it is a Black Swallowtail, Papilio polyxenes or Spicebush Swallowtail, Papilio troilus. 

A Carolina Wren along the trail.

    The longest of the boardwalks getting close to the road. This was nearing the end of the walk and after this we just had to cross the causeway to the other part of the park. Though this section is out in full sun the majority of the trail was shaded, making it a perfect walk for a hot sunny day.

Edisto Beach State Park

8377 State Cabin Rd

Edisto Island, SC

One Last Stop

    Before going home we made one last beach stop along the South Edisto Inlet. Otis found some expired washed up Cannonball Jellyfish and got to rolling in them. Rolling in potentially smelly items is one of his favorite things to do. I knew from finding Cannonball Jellies before that he wouldn't be harmed by doing this. Jellyfish can be potentially harmful or in some cases even life threatening to dogs. It is always good to have them leashed when you go to the beach even if they are allowed to run. You never know what your pup might get into.

We hope you enjoyed the meal and a walk with us. Thank you for reading.