James Island

Yesterday, since Aiden woke up at the Ungodly hour of 6am, and proceeded to stomp all over the neighbors bedroom ceiling, I decided we needed to get out for the day. Way, way out. So we hopped in the car with the trusty GPS and headed to James Island to check out the park there. Since he woke up so early we ended up sitting in rush hour traffic, the only fools who hit rush hour when they don't actually have anywhere important to be.

It's a half hour drive, the farthest outside the city we've gone so far, and it's south-eastish from Charleston proper. It was gorgeous as we crossed the bridge onto the island, coastal marsh on one side and the ocean on the other. You can tell this is the sort of place where you're either really rich and live in a huge mansion with a dock or you live in the clapboard cabin that's been there since the revolution. One or the other.

We finally got to the park despite the twisty country roads, and it was much bigger than the other two we've seen so far. It not only has the standard playground/waterpark/dog park but it's got two camping areas, floating docks for crabbing and it's own marina area. We circled the park and even though I couldn't actually find the playground I figured we'd check out the walking trails.

We saw more turtles. Like I said before, they are everywhere.

Aiden also found some FWOGS!


And we even saw a few lizards.

Oh yes, this was a lovely and educational nature walk through the Charleston area wilderness until we turned the bend and started into the woods next to a pond. Then Aiden says "Mommy, stick!". I saw the stick too, laying across the path. And the stick saw me.

And I froze because OH MY GOSH A SNAKE. And it looked totally lethal and deadly and like it probably had ninja training. And Aiden is just holding my hand saying things like "Here stick! Stick! Come here stick!".

I did manage to get a picture before I got too freaked out since it wasn't moving and it was completely blocking the path and giving me a death stare. Finally a nice gentleman from the park service came strolling along and in what seemed like slow motion I said "NOoooo! SNNAakkkeeee!" and he stopped in time.

He looked at me and said "Ma'am, y'all just stay real still now. He should turn around", and he finally did. Then he said "You really should be avoidin' them snakes, cuz we got some whater-them-called...water moccasins...and coral snakes...so stay away from 'em cuz they'll kill you dead". Right, because I love snakes and seek them out where ever I go.

Anyway, we continued on our way even though I was so shaken up. And what do you know we came across another snake!!! This was was even bigger and black but he was coiled up on the far side of the path so I prayed and ran by. Which I now realize was probably dumb, but I know better now. Anyway, I now had to make my way back despite my TWO snake sightings and everytime the wind rustled the trees I thought snakes were about to drop onto my head and attack my carotid artery. They didn't.

After our very exciting walk we went home and it took me TWO HOURS because the GPS was temporarily on the fritz and I was so hopped up on adrenaline I missed all my exits. The end.