Category: SINHG

SINHG Trip to Riverbanks Zoo

Last October, our SINHG trip to Riverbanks Zoo and Botanical Gardens was cancelled when the rain gods decided to play ninepins and dumped 23” of the wet stuff on Columbia. We rescheduled for mid-April, and this time it was a perfectly splendid day. Zoo denizens were in fine fiddle and the gardens in full spring array.

We’re told a picture is worth a 1,000 words. What better way to describe our visit than to show you some superb photos? Here, then, are some fantastic shots taken by our own Mary Beth Joyce who used a simple point-and-shoot camera and zoom lens to wondrous effect. Enjoy!

zoogiraffe                    zoo.parrotrhino                zoo5gorilla

zoo3 zebra              zoo1

 

 

Submitted

Carol Bane

SINHG Dinner Cruise on Spirit Line

SINHG spirit cruise 4-16

Twenty-three SINHG members braved a rainstorm while driving to the point of embarkation for the dinner cruise on Tuesday, April 12, 2016. However, the rain gods were good to us: as soon as we started sailing, the sun came out and after a while we saw the most beautiful sunset.
The four-course dinner was excellent, and a good time was had by all.

-Submitted by Ilse Calcagno

 

SINHG Class on Reptiles, Amphibians, and Animal Tracking at Camp St. Christopher

SINHG Class on Reptiles, Amphibians, and Animal Tracking at Camp St. Christopher

Another fun SINHG trip! A small but interested group of Seabrookers took to the fields and hammocks of Camp St. Christopher to find out more about reptiles and amphibians as well as animal tracking. The group was led by Nature Denizen and Master Tracker David Gardner (Director of Barrier Island Environmental Education at the camp) in cahoots with our own certified naturalist and trip leader, Don Smith. The class began with David’s illuminating lecture about creepy crawlies after which the group applied—with good results—some of the things they had learned about animal tracking. Using sight and sound, and following animal prints, scat, and other identifiable markings, they managed to find and capture a baby alligator that was already caged in the classroom. Below are three photos: a group shot; David with his Egyptian Asp headdress; Judy Morr with David and pet Allie Gator.

(Photo Credit:  Don Smith)

-Submitted by Carol BaneCampStChris1 CampStChris2 CampStChris3

SINHG Visits Hampton Park

SINHG Visits Hampton Park 

On a beautiful day last week, a small group SINHGers tootled off to the Hampton Terrace district in downtown Charleston for a tour of Hampton Park. This is perhaps the best-kept secret in Charleston. Most people traveling by see only the soccer fields and Citadel Ball Park that border Rutledge Avenue. But if you take a moment to meander through the park’s shaded paths you’ll come upon a beautiful gazebo, large reflection pool surrounded by eight huge flower beds, fountains, statuary, etc. Our guide for the morning was Richard Williams, Hampton’s chief horticulturalist. Richard told us about the park’s colorful history and then led us on a tour of the grounds that included a stop at the greenhouses where all park flowers and plantings originate. It was a perfectly lovely day as evidenced by these photos taken by Amelie Geiger and Bill Bane.

-Submitted by Carol Bane

HamptonPark1 HamptonPark2 HamptonPark3

SINHG Kayak On Chessey Creek

SINHG Kayak on Chessey Creek

Early on a recent April morning, a plucky group of SINHG members armed with paddles and bug spray and led by Don Smith took off for the wilds of Walterboro. There they met their guide, Kathy Livingston of Nature Adventure Outdoors and set off for a splendid day kayaking the black waters of Chessey Creek. By all accounts it was a great paddle. The weather was picture-perfect and the scenery—with Cherokee roses in full bloom—quite lovely. We have too many photos of everyone to include them all, but below are a few of kayakers Cindy Mulligan, Claudia Porter, Robin Girardi, and Ted Henderer.

-Submitted by Carol Bane

(The photos are of Cindi Mulligan, Claudia Porter, CINDY MULLIGANRobin Girardi, and CLAUDIA PORTERTed Henderer,

 

 

ROBIN GIRARDI

TED HENDERER

Openings for Upcoming SINHG Trip to Riverbanks Zoo and Botanical Gardens April 13

 

ImageWe’ve had several cancellations for our trip to the Riverbanks Zoo and Botanical Gardens in Columbia on Wednesday, April 13, 2016.  This is a bus trip–you can enjoy a full day at Riverbanks and leave the driving to Capitol Bus Lines. This is a must-see opportunity–a trip you won’t take on your own, but will thoroughly enjoy. Please contact Carol Bane (843-768-9322 or willrooster@comcast.net) if you are interested.

Riverbanks Zoo & Botanical Gardens is located on the banks of the Congaree River just outside of Columbia, Riverbanks Zoo is rated as one of the ten best zoos in the United States. Situated on a 170-acre tract of beautifully landscaped property, the zoo specializes in showing the animals in their natural habitat: polar bears plunging into icy waters, elephants and giraffes grazing in pastures, lions sunning in the ‘Serengeti,’ and chimps in zoot suits roller skating beneath the jungle canopy.

For plant and garden lovers, HGTV has named The Riverbanks Botanical Gardens as one of the country’s top 20 botanical gardens. Featured are differently themed gardens—Japanese, water, woodland, bog, desert, etc. There’s no better time than spring to see this beautiful park.

We’ll board our chartered bus at 8:00 for the 2+ hour drive. The weather should be perfect for a comfortable 4-hour, self-guided visit—time enough to include a lunch or snack break at one of the many concessions or the delightful zoo restaurant. There is a regularly scheduled tram to transport you between the zoo and gardens. At 3:00 we’ll board the bus for the drive back to Seabrook. And just in case the weather’s not so perfect, the bus goes, rain or shine. Handicap accessible. The cost is $42.00 (includes tickets) and there is a Minimum of 35 people and a maximum of 38.

Submitted by Carol Bane

A Trio of Trips—SINHG in February

Cooking with Franco!  And that’s precisely what a convivial group of Seabrookers did on the evening of February 5th at the home of Jean and John Conyers.  It was a lively, BYO-apron occasion during which Maryann & Jim Bannwart, Patty & Rob Vandegraaf, Maureen & Ron Oberg, Lee & Warren Weber, George Reinhart and niece Kristen (who stood in for ailing auntie Doris) mixed, chopped, and diced under the able tutelage of our own Frank (Franco!) and Linda Cassara.  The menu for the evening included a fabulous antipasto, sweet-tart eggplant stew, tortelloni with sage butter, braised tuna steaks with capers—all capped off with an exquisite panettone bread pudding smothered with amaretto sauce.  Oh, and the vino!  Each course was—of course!—paired with a different wine.  While some guests were pelted with dinner rolls during the ensuing merriment, all who could remember the evening agreed that it was great fun and the food was delicious.  Copies of Frank’s cookbook A Week in Italy (Una Settimana in Italia) went home with all.

On February 9, a group of plucky Seabrookers braved strong winds, frigid 38-degree Eartquake trip 2-16weather and Charleston’s infamous washboard sidewalks to learn about the Great Earthquake of 1886.  This was a ‘first’ for our guide, Carol Ezell Gilson, who developed this walking tour especially for SINGH using archival earthquake photos, drawings, and newspaper clippings to illustrate this cataclysmic event. Much was learned about the massive quake—estimated at 7.0—which struck on the night of August 31, causing 60 deaths and massive damage to buildings throughout the city.  In 14 months the city was rebuilt using only private donations and no state or federal funding, thanks to the phenomenal leadership of Mayor Ashmead Courtenay and the courage and determination of native Charlestonians.  It’s a fascinating story.  Watch for this tour again—it’s one we’ll certainly repeat.

On Thursday, February 11 a small SINHG group headed downtown for a somewhat quirky Tidelines powder magazine 2-16lunch and lecture at the Powder Magazine—Charleston’s oldest surviving public building, built in 1713. Festooned in revolutionary garb, R. Alan Stello, Director of the Powder Magazine Museum gave a lively introductory talk about the rich past of the building, thereby encapsulating the history of Charleston as well.  Grahame Long, Head Curator of the Charleston Museum, followed with a less lively but nonetheless interesting discussion of his most recent book, Stolen Charleston, which describes the disbursement of the spoils of war—what Charlestonians had, lost, and retrieved.  Everyone left with an autographed copy of Grahame’s book, having enjoyed a good box lunch, knowing a bit more local history, and looking for Charles Manigault’s priceless elephant-head gold coin.

Submitted by Carol Bane