Boat Ride on the May River with Captain Amber Kuehn October 15, 2025
It was a beautiful day on the May River with amazing Captain Amber. She is so knowledgeable and dedicated to preserving our area’s natural resources-- and always, entertaining! It was a great trip!
Here are just few things we learned:
-There are only 2 rivers in our area: The New River and the Coosawhatchie River. Even though we call our waterways rivers, they end at land and do not flow into another waterway, so they are not rivers.
-Because the May River is not a river, the tides do not carry pollution into it.
-Beaufort County has the most marsh grass in the country. Read this article by Amber Kuehn:
-Dolphins can’t chew so they eat lots of small fish they can eat whole.
-Eagles are not killing osprey to eat them, but want the fish that the osprey catch.
-Because there are no rocks in the low country, you may see deer by the water licking sea grass to get the salt nutrients.
-Pluff Mud was originally called plough mud as the mud was used as fertilizer. Link about pluff mud:
https://www.bluffton.com/pluff-mud-stinky-stuff-lowcountry-marsh/
-The dirty foam you see at the beach is decomposing spartina grass and other organic matter that the wind blows towards the shores.
-This is how the Fiddler crab got its name: The way the male crab waves his larger claw to attract a mate looks like he is playing a fiddle.
-There are lefty and righty male fiddler crabs. If they lose a claw, it may grow back on the opposite side.
-The little round balls of dirt near fiddler crab holes are made by the females and filter the sand.
-In low tide the oysters look dirty and brown as they keep a layer of mud to stay cool and keep insides moist.
-Beaufort county is actually sitting on what used to be the ocean floor. There is a large fossil bed as the river approaches Hilton Head and large Megalodon shark teeth and bones have been found. See pic.
-All oysters start out as males for one year, then most become female
https://www.oneearth.org/five-astonishing-facts-you-didnt-know-about-oysters/
In 1970, Jacques Cousteau came to Hilton Head to learn about Hilton Head’s unique dolphins and their strand feeding. Amber is quoted in this article:
https://www.islandpacket.com/news/local/community/beaufort-news/article291528110.html
Sun City Environmental Club Workshop 4Rs Activity: Re-use
Road trip to Ridgeland SC to Visit Thrift Stores and Lunch in Town
June 19, 2025
What: Visit 4 thrift stores Agape Thrift, Barkin Basement, Fresh Start Healing Hearts and Gypsy Moon
Lunch will be at 12:30 at Eat and Sweets, Ridgeland. They charge 3% if paying with a credit card. https://eatsandsweets.food/
When: June 19th, 2025 Time: 9:15-be home by 2:00. Travel Information:
If carpooling:
-Meet at 9:15 in the parking lot at Pickney Hall by Del Webb and Sun City Lane
-Car pools leave at 9:30. Arrive at Agape Thrift, 159 Church St, by 10:00AM.
If not carpooling:
You can take 95 and follow Google Maps to Agave Thrift -159 Church St. Arrive at Agape Thrift by 10:00AM. Store opens at 10:00.
Once at the first store, you will receive directions to the following stores. Parking is available at each store.
Bring: Bring shopping bags for all the treasures you will find
We can take up to 20 people and will maintain a waiting list after we reach that number.
Please let us known if you need to cancel by June 16th
If you have any questions or need to cancel, contact:
Suzie Hilborn- suziehilborn@gmail.com or Rosemary Smith- rtsmith133@gmail.com