So to catch up last time I told you I was headed upstate to fetch Mom home and do some dog sitting and cut and fold Fat Quarters--used in quilting. (long story) The weather forecast was rain with Friday, March 4th, being the best day to go exploring so in spite of the damp weather I
Middle photo missing.
Wildcat Falls Middle (Ive seen the lower and yet to see the upper sections of this series of falls--this one Mom cant go to see but Idragged sprinted up the hill to see the middle section and next time I pass by I plan to hike to the upper section) This is a short drop with a LONG slide down to the lower section. (p 278 of the guidebook) then we headed to Table Rock to see the Carrick Creek.
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Carrick Creek Falls is perfect for Mom because its only 100 feet away from the parking lot!! (the reason I chose this one for this trip) This small waterfall is in Table Rock State Park one of 15 in this park..I have a long way to go to see them all...but as part of my ongoing goal of seeing as many as possible listed in the Waterfall Hikes of SC by Thomas E King--this visit to Carrick Creek falls means I can check off page 156 of the book. This is a 15 ft plunge falls. It was drizzling rain so we had to deal with light showers..later it stopped raining , Carrick Creek is not a big fall but it sure is pretty! Had some raindrops on my lens--
Then we took a drive west to Devils Fork State Park. The main thing there is Lake Jocassee--its a boaters paradise and a birders paradise also..
Only today it was gloomy and raining and we had no boat so in between showers I grabbed some photos..of the beautiful mountain lake shoreline...
I did see Common loons....they also kept their distance but I got a couple of fuzzy "I did see it" photos..not a new bird for me, but a surprise as I didnt realize they were here! They too wont breed here so I wont get to see that beautiful black head and white dots of the male in breeding plumage--
Wildcat Falls Middle (Ive seen the lower and yet to see the upper sections of this series of falls--this one Mom cant go to see but I
short Video
 Mom Bundled up |
| the small falls is in a beautiful heavy forest setting with a nice wading pool for a hot day! |
Only today it was gloomy and raining and we had no boat so in between showers I grabbed some photos..of the beautiful mountain lake shoreline...
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| the clay was so red after the rain, when its dry its more of a bricky red or pink |
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| thats a horned grebe swimming away from me-- |
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| kinda grainy as he didnt want to get close to me--wish they stayed for breeding plumage which is fantastic and I ve never seen! |
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| common loon-F the water is disturbed by the rain --- I saw all these gulls out on a sand bar, too far away for ID's I just like the way they looked...  If I had to guess I'd say RingBill Gulls--So that was it for that weekend I just returned from another trip up there and I saw another great waterfall, saving that for my next post... Peace  |
Love those shots of the falls Sondra.
ReplyDeleteThe shots of the lake remind me of the lakes here, at the Lake District.
Beautiful; especially like that first one.
Oh wow your photos make me want to go visit some waterfalls! I too was just thinking about how I never get to see loons in their fancy plumage... Not fair!
ReplyDeleteI can't even get good waterfall pictures in good weather! And I sure thought loons were only in the north. What a surprise.
ReplyDeleteSondra, I love all your beautiful photos. The Waterfalls are simply wonderful. The Loon and Grebe are special also. SC has so much to offer. You showcase it well!
ReplyDeleteSounds like you and Mum had a great time. Lovely photos of the landscape Sondra! Lake Jocassee looks a beautiful place. We call the Common Loon the Great Northern Diver, they sometimes turn up at Draycote but I have never been lucky enough to see one.
ReplyDeleteStunning series of waterfall shots. Such beautiful country. I'm sure your mom appreciated the day out!
ReplyDeleteGreat post == very nice that you found this lovely waterfall where it was easy for your mom to walk.
ReplyDeleteI love waterfalls -- I've said that I "collect" them (the kind of collection you can have when you live and travel in an RV). I have some great pictures but none as lovely as yours. Didn't even know there were so many in SC -- that sounds like a great book to have.