Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

Republicans seem to think life begins at the candlelight dinner the night before.

Radicalized white males who support Trump are pitching a tent in the abyss.

I would try pessimism, but it probably wouldn’t work.

rich, arrogant assholes who equate luck with genius

Democracy cannot function without a free press.

Today’s gop: why go just far enough when too far is right there?

People identifying as christian while ignoring christ and his teachings is a strange thing indeed.

You are either for trump or for democracy. Pick one.

The way to stop violence is to stop manufacturing the hatred that fuels it.

There are consequences to being an arrogant, sullen prick.

The republican speaker is a slippery little devil.

If you tweet it in all caps, that makes it true!

No Kings: Americans standing in the way of bad history saying “Oh, Fuck No!”

Our messy unity will be our strength.

Anne Laurie is a fucking hero in so many ways. ~ Betty Cracker

Historically it was a little unusual for the president to be an incoherent babbling moron.

When do we start airlifting the women and children out of Texas?

Speaking of republicans, is there a way for a political party to declare intellectual bankruptcy?

The revolution will be supervised.

When your entire life is steeped in white supremacy, equality feels like discrimination.

Celebrate the fucking wins.

Republicans want to make it harder to vote and easier for them to cheat.

Republicans are the party of chaos and catastrophe.

White supremacy is terrorism.

You are here: Home / Photo Blogging / On The Road / On The Road – ljt – Botany Bay

On The Road – ljt – Botany Bay

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On the Road is a weekday feature spotlighting reader photo submissions.

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What an extraordinarily beautiful place!  “…where nature reclaims itself, wildlife flourishes, and impermanence is exemplified.”  I can see why you called it magical.  ~WaterGirl

ljt

Though I rarely comment, I am always ‘here’, especially for the beauty and respite you all share in ‘On the Road’. This is my 2nd round of sharing memories–the first time I struggled to select only 8 of the thousands of photos I took during an 8-day whirlwind trip to 8 national parks in Utah/Arizona. Several folks asked for more, and I promise I will send more from that trip, but this time I wanted to share a special place closer to home.

Botany Bay Heritage Preserve/Wildlife Management Area is a protected 4,600 acre preserve on Edisto Island, about 45 miles south of Charleston, South Carolina. Botany Bay was opened to the public in 2008, and we’ve been visiting at least once a year ever since. It’s a magical place that is difficult to describe, where nature reclaims itself, wildlife flourishes, and impermanence is exemplified.

On The Road - ljt - Botany Bay 7
Edisto Island, South Carolina

There is a 6-mile driving tour of the entire property, but the highlight is the ~3-mile length of barrier island seashore. To get there, you walk a half mile trail/causeway over marsh and through densely wooded hammock.

On The Road - ljt - Botany Bay 6
Botany Bay Beach, Edisto Island, South Carolina

The beach is an ever-changing ‘boneyard’ of dead trees.

On The Road - ljt - Botany Bay 5
Botany Bay Beach, Edisto Island, South Carolina

Never the same, even the tidal ebbs and flows reveal dramatic changes.

On The Road - ljt - Botany Bay 4
Botany Bay Beach, Edisto Island, South Carolina

Serenity.

On The Road - ljt - Botany Bay 3
Botany Bay Beach, Edisto Island, South Carolina

This was on Christmas Eve in 2008. It was overcast, misty and mysterious. Definitely an other-worldly feel that day.

On The Road - ljt - Botany Bay 2
Botany Bay Beach, Edisto Island, South Carolina

I have hundreds of shots of twisted, intertwined, sun-bleached and surf-sculpted limbs and roots.

On The Road - ljt - Botany Bay 1
Botany Bay Beach, Edisto Island, South Carolina

Natural porthole.

On The Road - ljt - Botany Bay
Botany Bay Beach, Edisto Island, South Carolina

I’m obsessed with capturing the patterns and designs in nature–in the sand, water, clouds, seashells and flora. One of my favorite finds — The Starry Night on a sunny beach.

Reader Interactions

27Comments

  5. 5.

    donatellonerd

    so beautiful. especially the last one. especially interesting with my 25% SC heritage …

  6. 6.

    Phylllis

    It’s an incredible place. Not just the beach, but the drive through the remnants of the plantation as well, including what’s left of an old tabby oven where the slaves did all their baking.

  8. 8.

    Raven

    The last time we were there we had a mini-meetup with a wonderful lurker who lives on Edisto. Hi if you are out there!

  9. 9.

    TS (the original)

    @Sab:  So did I. Was thinking I was about to see pictures of where I grew up on the shores of Botany Bay (Australia).

    This Botany Bay looks so beautiful, I’m wondering which one was given the name first?

  11. 11.

    Raven

    @TS (the 

    The Bleak Hall and Sea Cloud plantations remained in the Townsend family until 1933, when they were bought by Dr. James C. Greenway, part of the Lauder Greenway Family, who combined them to form Botany Bay Plantation.[12]

    In 1968, hotel and real estate magnate John E. “Jason” Meyer bought Botany Bay. An enthusiastic outdoorsman, Meyer bequeathed the 4,630-acre (1,870 ha) plantation to the state of South Carolina as a wildlife preserve, but stipulated that should he predecease his wife Margaret, she would retain the use of the property. John Meyer died in 1977; his widow remarried as Margaret Pepper, and remained on the plantation, continuing to manage and improve the property for conservation purposes, until her death in 2007. In 2008, the property was opened to the public under the name “Botany Bay Plantation Heritage Preserve/Wildlife Management Area”, managed by the South

  13. 13.

    Raven

    Initially the name Stingrays Harbourwas used by Cook and other journal keepers on his expedition, for the stingrays they caught.[6] That name was also recorded on an Admiralty chart.[7] Cook’s log for 6 May 1770 records “The great quantity of these sort of fish found in this place occasioned my giving it the name of Stingrays Harbour”. However, in the journal prepared later from his log, Cook wrote instead: (sic) “The great quantity of plants Mr. Banks and Dr. Solander found in this place occasioned my giving it the name of BotanistBotany Bay”.[note 1][7]

  14. 14.

    TS (the original)

    @Raven:  Thanks for the links – I guess  the Australian Botany bay is somewhat an older name being given by James cook in 1770. I’m sure it was beautiful when Cook saw it, but sadly polluted by the time I was there. We did, however used to swim in the area, probably not realising the extent of the pollution.

    Initially the name Stingrays Harbour was used by Cook and other journal keepers on his expedition, for the stingrays they caught.[6] That name was also recorded on an Admiralty chart.[7] Cook’s log for 6 May 1770 records “The great quantity of these sort of fish found in this place occasioned my giving it the name of Stingrays Harbour”. However, in the journal prepared later from his log, Cook wrote instead: (sic) “The great quantity of plants Mr. Banks and Dr. Solander found in this place occasioned my giving it the name of Botanist Botany Bay”

    Edit: And while I was doing that – so were you – great minds and all that

  17. 17.

    TS (the original)

    @Raven:   I’d married! and moved north by then. I would think you may have come into Sydney Harbour rather than Botany Bay – the latter was not a safe harbour & the first British settlement came ashore in Sydney Cove (1788) but I could be wrong.  Or did you fly into Sydney for the R&R?

    I was swimming in Botany Bay in the 1950s. There were sea walls built to form rock swimming baths where I learned to swim

    But it wasn’t the true Ocean shores of the wonderful pictures above.

  18. 18.

    ljt

    @Raven: Yes, it’s me! Hi! Let me know if/when you make it back to Edisto. Hope you’re enjoying Florida (and you’re not in the path of the coming storm).

  23. 23.

    kindness

    Looks beautiful.  I can’t help but think of the Star Trek version when I hear the name Botony Bay.  I’m dating myself but…

  24. 24.

    Salty Sam

    Beautiful photos, thanks.  We passed Edisto Island last October on our journey from New England to Puerto Rico- the ICW meanders through the tidal channels just north of it.  Our biggest regret was that we were pressed for time and could not stop. Your photos just intensified that regret, so thanks, I guess.

  25. 25.

    arrieve

    Such beautiful photos! I hate the South Carolina climate, but maybe in the winter, in that magical time when we are able to travel again, I will have to see Botany Bay for myself.

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