chuckography

"Lake" at me now...

This is my one-picture stylized image of Lake Marion.

It was my first time on the water there.

Even off the water, I had not been here before.

Joan Perry, a good friend,  had invited me to join a group for BBQ and a boat ride out to Church Island.

I knew there were trees (Cypress) sticking up out of the water but I had not thought about the shorter ones that were slightly under the water.

Yikes.

We all were on the lookout for birds sitting atop these stumps to warn the skipper there was danger ahead on this "3-hour trip."

I should not have worried. The Captain was Wayne "Cat Fish'n Fool" Vining, a veteran fisherman.

He also was watching the screens of a depth-finder and, I guess, a stump-finder.

Joan had told us he takes out fishing parties but also groups of non-fishing types like we were.

She had hired him and mentioned we were interested in Church Island and its history.

"Hey, I ain't no historian, jes' a catfish guy. With me, you're not fishin', you're fish-catchin'."

We gathered for a group shot after walking around on Church Island.

The church was de-sanctified as the water rose when the dam was built and the lake formed.

Oddly enough, the cemetery was spared and we walked among headstones dating back to the 1800s.

The large island can't be reached by car, only by water.

A local young lady in our group remembers when her grandparents long-time family land was taken through eminent domain. 

I recalled reading about the danger of ticks when walking through tall grass.

I was prepared though with my hiking boots and long pants that were snug around my shoes.

We inspected each other before we re-loaded onto the pontoon boat. (It was NOT named the S.S. Minnow.)

There were no sightings of bugs.

Did see several trees that had been struck by lightning.
What an awesome display of power!

Bet it made quite a racket when the bolt(s) met the tree.

The group wandered around for quite a while at the cemetery. There was a marker where the church had stood.

There was an enclosed area with multiple plots for two families.

Joan found one headstone with no first name. Just the word "Baby." A sad reminder of young deaths.

The tree with the missing pieces of bark reminded me of some trees in a scene in  Charleston at Trident Tech.

Various areas represented a town in Ohio for the Mr. Mercedes 10-part series now playing on AT&T Audience network

Three tall palm trees stood at the entrance of a "hospital" building. We extras milled around inside, playing roles as doctors, nurses, visitors, and patients.

On a break, I wandered outside and saw the three palms had been covered with a 20-foot high fake oak tree bark. The "oak" was topped with palm fronds, but the camera did not aim that high. Haha.

I rode out in a comfortable chair, up front on the boat. My small camera often held high.

Fascinating scenery.

The lake water was down a bit we were told, so the bulbous "bottom" of the Cypress trees was very obvious.

I had seen Cypress "knees" before but don't recall seeing this array of so many distinctive-looking ones.

There was a bit of boat traffic on the lake.

My zoom lens and fast shutter speed captured one that was heading toward us.

It threw an impressive wake.

The zoom lens made it look much closer than it really was.

My Mom and Dad used to trailer their 14-foot aluminum boat up to this lake and Lake Murray.

I can picture my Dad cranking up his trusty 40 hp Evinrude!


I hope they had stopped at Sweatman's Bar-B-Que while in the area.

That's where the group met on the outskirts of Holly Hill at 1427 Eutaw Road.

Joan said they now are open Saturday and Sunday and usually are packed.

My full plate showed me why it was so popular featuring dine-in, take-out, and catering.

It was a fun-filled day ashore and on the water.

And the food was so good, one of the group stopped for a take-out meal before driving back to Charleston.

Lunch AND dinner at Sweatman's had crossed my mind too but
instead, I drove back home, planning to stop and visit my brother in Sangaree.

His wife suggested several delicious snacks and desserts but I figured I had topped off my tank with enough calories for the day.

Not very much exercise riding around on a boat!

I also wanted to take another look at a "billboard sign" that had been painted on the side of an abandoned trailer.

It was a pet-owner seeking justice.

I hope he finds the SOB.

(Click on the photos and links for more details.)

Wore my wide-brimmed hat and sunblock.

I make my bi-annual visit to my dermatologist next week and she always asks.

Thanks for spending some time on my 3-hour boat ride that ended well.

This pontoon boat did not even have a name but a great Skipper.

Labels: 40 hp Evinrude, Cat Fish'n Fool, Church Island, Cypress trees, eminent domain action creates a lake, Joan Perry, Lake Marion, Lake Murray, lightening-struck, Sweatman's Bar-B-Que

posted by chuckography @ 1:10 PM