Being tired of the drabness of winter, we took a long weekend to the Georgia and South Carolina coast to catch an early glimpse of spring. Our first stop was Cumberland Island, a largely uninhabited barrier island just north of the Florida border. It is primarily a National Seashore, reachable only by ferry (below).

The island is covered in live oaks and palmettos.

When we arrived, it was overcast and very windy along the shore. The sand close to the ocean was firmly packed, but some of the loose sand from the dunes formed patterns as it blew across the beach.

The clouds cleared around noon, and the sun warmed the island considerably.

Cumberland Island was once owned by the Carnegie family. The ruins of their Dungeness manor are at the south end of the island. Wild horses roam freely, along with other wildlife such as armadillos and raccoons.

The next day, we went to Brookgreen Gardens, which is south of Myrtle Beach. Brookgreen was founded by Archer and Anna Hyatt Huntington as a garden and open-air gallery for sculpture.

Sculpture appears throughout the gardens as well as in pavilions across the property.

The azaleas were in full bloom when we arrived, providing a gorgeous backdrop for our photographs.

The gardens feature Magnolia Alley, which must have been spectacular when the trees were in bloom.

We stumbled across our next stop when we were searching for something to do the following morning before heading to Columbia. We stayed the night in Sumter, South Carolina, and found a green space called Swan Lake Iris Gardens on the map. Swan Lake is owned and operated by the City of Sumter and, as you might expect, is a haven for all eight species of swan.

When we arrived, the morning fog was still lingering on the lake.

The azaleas were in full bloom here as well as we photographed the swans on the lake.

Occasionally, one would swim close to the shore and pose for a photograph.

We could have spent hours taking pictures at the lake, and if we lived closer, we would certainly visit by frequently to see the scenery as the seasons change.

Our final stop was Congaree National Park, outside of Columbia. We followed the boardwalk, which is built over the swampy terrain that characterizes the park.

Then, we followed the Weston Lake Loop along a creek for several miles. Had it rained more during the past week, we may have been unable to take this route, as we suspect if floods frequently.

Like Swan Lake, the Congaree is home to cypress trees, which are surrounded by their characteristic knees.

(c) 2019 J. Atwater. All rights reserved.