Page 53 - September 2019

B y boat, Charleston is a 60-mile

fun-filled, aesthetically pleasing
jaunt from Beaufort. Boating
between these two charming
seacoast cities deserves a spot on anyone’s
bucket list.
Regardless of your starting port, the ride
goes through the heart of the ACE Basin,
a prolific and expansive wildlife refuge
(350,000 acres of natural area) teeming
with pristine sea islands and rare and
endangered wildlife like peregrine falcons
(the fastest animal on the planet), American
oystercatchers (exquisite foragers) and
loggerhead sea turtles (who are on pace
to have a banner year in terms of nesting
sites). Not to mention plenty of bottlenose
dolphins. And more manatees than ever
before! Department of Natural Resources due to The main body of land in the estuary
Unless your boat’s powered by oars, the the higher than normal salinity levels found is Otter Island, one of the most active sea
ride between these two Antebellum cities in estuary’s catacomb of rivers and creeks. turtle nesting sites in the Lowcountry. Open
is a cinch. Using your onboard Global These salty waterways, called sea fingers, to the public year round, this undeveloped
Positioning Satellite just follow the Magenta provide a breeding ground for a bonanza of 5,000-acre oasis boasts miles of pristine
line, the Intracoastal Waterway, north from interesting wildlife. beachfront. If you ever wondered what it
green ICW Marker 239 (The Downtown feels like to gallivant around on your own
Marina of Beaufort) to green ICW Marker private island for a day Otter’s your perfect
1 (the Charleston Harbor). Electronics fail opportunity. Camping is allowed by permit
so have handy a paper chart, the National from November 1 to March 31.
Oceanic Atmospheric Administration Across from Otter is Morgan Island,
(NOAA) Chart 11518 Casino Creek to a.k.a. Monkey Island. This sea island is more
Beaufort River. known for its colony of free-roaming Indian-
Don’t shed your life vest just yet. origin rhesus monkeys than its contribution to
Because to rush through this wondrous part coastal research.
of the Lowcountry is tantamount to fast- Understanding who owns the island and
forwarding through your all-time favorite the monkeys, how many of the pink-faced
movie. Approximately twenty miles north animals exist, and why they’re even there
of Beaufort, where the land, sea and the is about as easy as grasping the in’s and
Coosaw River converge (an area that will photo courtesy of Ocearch out’s of international tax law. To that end,
look and feel like the middle of nowhere), Morgan is off limits to the public. However,
is the ACE Basin’s crème de la crème: Remember the 3,500-pound, 16-foot its systems of creeks and tributaries are fair
the St. Helena Sound estuary. It is one of white shark, Mary Lee? Biologists believe game. Anchor in Morgan Creek and lunch.
the most prolific estuaries on the Atlantic. great whites, along with other aggressive With a little patience, you may spot a few of
It is vigorously protected and studied shark types, birth their pups in these nutrient- the monkeys up in the trees spying on you.
by biologists from the South Carolina rich waterways. Near green ICW Marker 157, South
Edisto River, is the mouth of Alligator Creek.
The one-mile creek cuts across to the other
side of the river. Here’s the ideal spot to veer
off the beaten path and immerse yourself
in the resplendence of the ACE Basin. As
its name implies, one may see a dozen
or so enormous slithery reptiles sunning
themselves on the creek’s pluff mud banks.
You’ll see dolphins, if it’s low tide, and you’re
lucky, you may spot a school strand feeding,
a behavior where dolphins corral baitfish
up onto the banks to feed. Bobcats and
foxes are also common in these parts. As are
unique birds like the colorful and melodic
Painted Bunting, the stilted long-necked
wood stork and other wading birds.
Equidistant between the cities are a pair
BeaufortLifestyle.com | September 2019 53