We have been promising the girls since I got pregnant with Mera that we would take them to the beach when Mera turned three. So when the summer of her third birthday started to approach, we made good on our promise. We decided to go to Kiawah Island, which is off the coast of South Carolina, about 45 minutes from Charleston. We made reservations in December, so there was a six-month wait from the time we knew we were going, to actually boarding the plane. I would say I was way more excited than the kids, but they didn't really know what they were in for. I LOVE the beach, and not for the reasons some love the beach: the sun and sand. I love the beach for the ecology, the dead animals, and the slimy crawlers that can be found, the birds we don't have where I come from, the shells, and the people you meet on the beach who all have their own stories.
We left at a reasonable hour on a Saturday, and the flights all went well. We were late getting out of Tulsa, and had just enough time to make our connection in Atlanta. The kids did great, but it was a long day. Here they are on the shuttle to the car rental place. I dressed them all alike so they were easier to keep track of.
The first thing we did was check out the beach. I am so glad I took the camera down, and was able to catch them seeing the ocean for the first time. I will admit I was also smiling ear-to-ear. The sun was going down, so we had the golden light over us as the girls felt what it was like to get chased by waves, and then chase them back into the sea. It was one of those perfect moments that we'll never forget.
We actually went back up to the condo and put our suits on and spent about an hour that night playing on the beach. Notice how sparsely populated the beaches get in the evening; that's one of the things I love about Kiawah. When the sun goes down, the stars come out in ways that you really can't imagine. They seemed so close as we chased ghost crabs. The girls got really good at spotting those speedy critters. D and G even mustered the courage to pick them up. Their claws are small but sharp! If you look at the photo below, our condo was the middle building. We could see the beach from the master bedroom, and the balcony.
We had a full kitchen and ate most of our meals in. There was a little bar where the kids could sit, while I cooked and served, and they really loved that. They ate all their meals right there talking to Matt and I, which was so nice. When we got to town, we went to the grocery store and bought everything that makes you fat and happy. We didn't think we could possibly eat it all, but we did in a hurry. It was fun to go to a nearby grocery store that was pricey, but was fun to wander through. In that little touristy area, there's a slew of cute little shops.
As full of life as Kiawah is, there are plenty of dead things...we saw a lot of dead horseshoe crabs, and I was even able to catch a live one just before it got dark. The kids really dug getting to see one alive, touch it and talk about all of its parts.
If anyone was cranky, it was usually Mera. She just wanted to be held, and I think she had a hard time grasping what was going on. She would have fun in the moment, but she was pretty clingy.
We did an ocean seining outing with a group of marine biologist that was geared toward kids, and the big ones really enjoyed it. D and G event got in the ocean and helped them net a bunch of critters.
There are lagoons all over the island, and most of them have alligators in them. We didn't spend too much time around the lagoons, but we did go for a walk one morning and spotted an alligator. There was also a really neat, but tiny, nature center just around the corner from our condo. Darby got to see a guy feed a rattlesnake.
The kids were on a no-schedule schedule which is NOT like me, but was really nice for a change. They got to watch TV and eat when they wanted, and not nap (which only back-fired a couple of times).
We enjoyed low tide the most, because it created large tidal pools in the sand, which were great for creature hunting and swimming in. The girls made a couple of friends who they played with on more than one beach visit. When they weren't making giant dribble-sand castles, they would take a boogie board out in the ocean and try to surf. They always had on their life jackets, so we never had to worry about them. They had a blast with their new friends. It was also nice to hang out with adults who shared our love for just hanging out with our kids at the beach.
Darby found a sea cucumber in one of the pools. This girl was right there with me when it came to critter hunting. I don't think the kids realized that I have just as much fun as they do when it comes to critter hunting.
There may have been some naked lounging, but it wouldn't have been vacation without it.
This is the view from our porch towards the ocean.
Darby and I got to go kayaking together one morning, and we found several different species of crabs. Here she is holding a baby blue crab. Then Matt and Georgia went on the same trip after us. I was so jealous that they got to see a dolphin just a few feet away from them. The dang thing even chased a fish up on the shore and gobbled it up right in front of them. Matt said it was one of the most amazing things he'd ever seen. Even the tour guide was astounded at how close the dolphin was. The dolphin looked them right in the eye then bolted off. Incredible.
This is what the beach looked like one morning while I was running. Empty.
We rented bikes and Mera had a little seat on the back of mine. She liked it for a little bit, but one morning I took her on a long ride and she kind of got bored. One of the highlights of the trip was taking a family bike ride on the beach. Matt got some funny video of us cruising up and down the beach.
And here is the condo from the parking lot. Our group of condos were all made with cedar shingles and were so rustic and pretty.
This is the collection of shells Darby and I gathered on our kayaking trip. By the end of the trip, we had so many shells that we had to only bring home the best ones. They really are beautiful.
Some pictures of the condo.
We also took a boat ride in the river that makes Kiawah an island. We go to see a dolphin and a living sand dollar. So cool.
I got to do a little cast net throwing. Didn't catch a dang thing though.
In a bucket on a boat. On this trip, we took a boat out with a tour guide who was fascinating. The girls got a kick out of when he sped down the river. There is so much to learn about sea life in Kiawah. There is a ton of protected marsh land that is teeming with life, including oysters and birds that dive-bomb into the ocean to nab their prey.
Family photo op.
Georgia and I snuck away one day at nap time and rode our bikes about a mile down the beach. We stopped at a little shopping center and had an ice cream treat. The wind was in our favor going out, but coming back it was too much for G, so we had to cut up to the asphalt trails and get back that way.
We got desperate one evening when Darby had not napped, so we took a drive and made a stop at the Angel Oak. This is one big tree y'all.
While we were there, tropical storm Angela rolled through, so we took that opportunity to spend some time in Charleston. We went to the Center Market and did some shopping.
After that we hit the kids museum to let the girls run. This is them shopping in a fake grocery store. The museum also had a medieval section that the girls loved, and a pirate ship.
The next day it was still raining, so we headed back to Charleston to go to the aquarium, and we had so much fun. It is a really amazing place. This is probably my favorite picture from the whole trip. So telling. This is them in an exhibit of some near-extinct monkees. The aquarium there is one of the largest in the world. The sea turtle is feisty and they have to restrain it from stealing the sharks' food. And Darby clearly had a ball in the gift shop.
On the way back we got to see this little guy jay walking.
Again the kids did great on the way home. we had a little delay coming out of Atlanta, but they handled it well.
I loved spending time away with my little family. I can't wait to do it again.
