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| Short Paddle on the Coast for Wild Horses |
The first weekend of October brought a chance to run down to Beaufort, NC, for some photography. The weather was absolutely perfect, and the plan was to take Calico Jack's passenger ferry from Harker's Island over to Shackleford Banks for some photography of the wild horses on Sunday morning. It's a trip I'd been planning on taking for at least three years, and now it was finally going to happen. Then on Monday the idea was to paddle from Beaufort across Taylor Creek to the Rachel Carson Estuarine Reserve for some photography of the wild horses there too, and hopefully some birds.
Shackleford Banks
Shackleford Banks
Shackleford worked out pretty well. Again, the weather could not have been any more perfect, and a new friend, Bob Decker, showed me around the east end of the island for some great opportunities to get photos. I thought I was well prepared for this trip, but I soon found out I was over packed and under prepared. I felt disorganized, and was concentrating too much on seeing and learning to wrap my head around my photography. I got a few good shots, but I brought back a lot more learning from the trip than I did photos. I will be better prepared for the next trip, and I assure you I will be returning.
Shackleford Banks
Shackleford Banks
Besides his experience and knowledge of Shackleford, Bob is also something of an officionado when it comes to the Rachel Carson Estuarine Reserve. He spends a lot of time there photographing from his kayak, and brings back some exceptional images. Unfortunately, he was tied up on Monday when I had planned to go to the reserve, but he shared a lot of good information with me so I could make a fruitful trip on my own. The tide was wrong Monday morning for my trip over by kayak, so I didn't end up paddling out into the tidal flats for birds or horses. My only paddling consisted of a 500 foot crossing of Taylor Creek that separates the Beaufort waterfront from the islands of the reserve.
Rachel Carson Estuarine Reserve
Rachel Carson Estuarine Reserve
I hauled out my kayak and stashed it up high so the incoming
tide wouldn't get to it, then grabbed my gear and headed out
on foot to find the wild horses. Bob's directions were spot
on, and I soon found the horses way out on the tidal flats grazing
as he'd told me I would. This put me shooting into the sun,
so I didn't do much photography, and spent my time watching
the horses to learn what I could of their habits. About noon
they suddenly took off galloping west across the flats, so I
grabbed up my gear once more and tried to shadow them to see
where they were going. After a 10-minute hustle I found them
coming out of the flats and settling into grazing on the edge
of the island, working in and out of the brush and across the
dunes. The horses did not seem at all concerned about my presence,
and I was lucky enough to get some neat shots of a couple of
stallions duking it out.
Rachel Carson Estuarine Reserve
Rachel Carson Estuarine Reserve
Rachel Carson Estuarine Reserve
By mid afternoon I was quite satisfied with my success, and decided to call it quits. I had a long drive home from the coast waiting for me so I could get back in time to unpack and get settled for some sleep, as I had to go to work the next day. I WILL be heading back there for more, and will need to plan it for the tides to hit at the best times for light direction and good access when I head out in the kayak. Having a guide to maximize the trip is a good idea if you are considering heading out for kayaking at the Rachel Carson Estuarine Reserve to see the wild horses and other wildlife there. I happen to know Bob offers some workshops/guided kayak tours in season. You can check out his web site for more information at Carolina Footprints.
Update: Since this trip to the Rachel Carson Estuarine
Reserve and Shackleford Banks, I have made subsequent trips,
where I had the opportunity to paddle the coastal marsh at Rachel
Carson. After my latest trip I wrote an article which is posted
on www.NCWildHorses.com. Please take a look - My
Wild Horse Safari on the Crystal Coast.
Rachel Carson Estuarine Reserve
"If you're not paddling, you're not getting
anywhere."
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| Article
Listing |
- Welcome
to "The Casual Kayaker"
- My
Rating System
- (B.
Everett) Jordan Lake - Farrington Point (northwest finger)
- June 18, 2011
- Paddling
in the Great Smoky Mountains, Jackson County, NC
- Bear
Creek Lake, Jackson County, NC, June 29, 2011
- Lake
Glenville, Jackson County, NC, June 30, 2011
- Wolf
Creek Lake, Jackson County,NC, July 1, 2011
- Kayaks,
Water, and DSLR Cameras - How I Manage Mine
- Our
first kayaks
- (B.
Everett) Jordan Lake, NC 751 area, July 16, 2011
- Hauling
My Kayaks - A Little Do-It-Yourself
- Waiting
out the weather
- Short
Paddle on the Coast for Wild Horses
- (B.Everett)
Jordan Lake, return to NC 751 area, November 19, 2011
- (B.
Everett) Jordan Lake - Farrington Point to Morgan Creek
- April 1, 2012
- (B.Everett)
Jordan Lake, White Oak Creek marsh, April 7, 2012
- (B.Everett)
Jordan Lake, Vista Point - north, April 14, 2012
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INTRODUCTION
When
I first began kayaking I found a most helpful blog
by Tom Haynie that aided me greatly in finding and
choosing new flatwater locations. His blog was infinitely more
detailed and useful than anything I found on kayaking forums.
I quickly resolved to share my own impressions of locations
I've visited, including details I believe to be important and
helpful, in hopes of providing practical information to others.
I sincerely hope you find something useful and helpful here.
(For more location reports visit Tom's blog at backshortly.wordpress.com)
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Kayaking
Links
Paddling.net
- More Locations
Paddling.net
- Launch Sites Map
Download
Google Earth (free)
My Other Web Sites-
CarolinaWildPhoto.com
CarolinaOuterBanks.com
NCWildHorses.com
GossamerTrilogy.com
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The
Casual Kayaker -
Location reports of my flatwater kayaking
