Goodwin Islands Paddle 8/21/2012

playground for paddlers with shorelines and marshes to explore and wildlife to marvel at. This wonderland beckoned to us as we arrived at Back Creek Park to begin our adventure this day. Paddling canoes were Ellis & Corbin and Bob A & Rhiannon. Kayakers included Bruce J, Margaret J, Jean, John, Bob M, Brian, Laurie, Tom, Bill B and Phyllis. After posing for pictures and receiving our safety briefing from Ellis, we began our paddle down the lazy waters of Back Creek. We saw osprey and heron along the way and much activity amidst all the Carolina scallop boats. We paddled through the Thoroughfare to our first stop at a friendly beach. The water was on the cool side but a few waded in. Despite the high tide it was a long way out before the water got deep. Rhiannon and Corbin engaged in water cannon battles with purloined super soakers. Bruce, Bob A and Corbin played Tarzan on a hanging vine. And Bruce tried to pole vault over a fallen tree. Everyone was 12 years old today.We took our time at this break but it was getting close to noon and we had to find our lunch beach. (This was only a snack beach.) We got back into our boats and continued on our sojourn. The water was remarkably calm, the breeze comfortably balmy and slightly overcast skies kept the temperatures moderate. It was a perfect day. We followed the shoreline on our right strung out like a colorful ribbon on the water. The lead boats pulled into a small cove and found a skinny strip of beach for lunch. They were hungry and weren't going any further! The rest of us continued on to find the true "lunch beach". Brian and Phyllis paddled out a little further and were rewarded with an escort of frolicking porpoises! They seemed oblivious to our pitifully slow craft. They led us out far enough though that we were able to spy our beach and we headed for land. Along the way a Sting Ray passed close to my kayak waving two fins at me!

The crowd eventually regrouped at this beach and spent some time exploring, looking for treasures, swimming and relaxing. Corbin tried out Jean's kayak. Margaret hunted for sea glass. Bruce built a teepee. And Brian just paddled and paddled and paddled. Phyllis passed out chocolate.

Eventually we had to leave our little island and we turned our kayaks for home. Some folks aimed for the far shore of Back Creek to visit yet another beach!! But we all made it back to our put-in at Back Creek Park. We loaded our boats onto our vehicles and headed for our final destination: ice cream at the Sno-Zone! A perfect end to a perfect day!

View Bill B's pictures (and make comments): https://picasaweb.google.com/b.billings/TuesdayAugust212012GoodwinIslands?authkey=Gv1sRgCIK6tcy2sInu_QE&feat=email