SANTEE

Last Updated on September 12, 2023 by

We visited this refuge on three separate occasions, although our first was a happy coincidence and not by design. We were staying at the Santee KOA and it sat right on Santee Lake, the largest lake in South Carolina. The refuge is comprised of four distinct units, Bluff, Cuddo, Dingle Pond and Pine Island. Pay a visit to the Visitors Center for more information.

Santee by Water

After family left and took the tornadoes with, we had a day of very calm water and decided to chance a paddle. We put in and headed toward a marina we had seen on an earlier walk, but once we got to the marina we realized the lake seamlessly merged into more of a lagoon and then into cypress forest. We paddled right into the boundary of the National Refuge and spent the afternoon paddling in an around the cypress tress and Spanish moss. It still seems counterintuitive that these trees can sit in 6-8 feet of water and not drown or uproot.
Although there were moments of banjos in my head, especially after we passed what looked to be an abandoned houseboat, the uniqueness of paddling through the forest was enough to overcome any scenes from Deliverance. We spotted a few shore birds, but the most interesting was probably the Osprey helping himself to a huge fish about 30 feet up in the trees.

It was only after we returned from a great afternoon out that Angela told me we probably shouldn’t repeat the trip due to the fact that there is a high prevalence of water moccasin in the area who just so happen to drop out of trees in search of prey. Thanks Ang, but hey, at least she waited until we were safely home. You know I had to look that one up for myself and it turns out water moccasins rarely climb trees, but plenty of non-venomous snakes do. In my book, all snakes bring on a near death experience whether they bite you or not, so we won’t be paddling in the cypress forest again thank you very much.

Bluff Area

Our second trip was to the Bluff area of the Refuge with the specific goal in mind of seeing some wood ducks. Of course, they had already migrated north by mid March, so c’est la vie, a little forest bathing it was.

We did manage to score some history while out and about as the site encompasses a Native American burial mound which was in turn the site of a British outpost pre-Civil War and the site of one of the first successful sieges by the upstart Americans, led by the Swamp Fox, to send the British packing . If you are a birder during migratory season, this is a hot spot. Otherwise, you have to take what you get in the form of warblers, finches, and cardinals.

Cuddo Area

Our final trip was to the Cuddo area, about 20 minutes away. Our intent was to kayak a 7 mile stretch of the refuge following markers set out by the National Wildlife Service and circling the Plantation Islands. When we arrived at the ‘boat ramp’, little more than a chunk of grass mowed slightly lower than the rest at the edge of the water, there was a large sign clearly stating the route was difficult and for expert paddlers only. Needless to say I was intimidated right out of the kayak despite there not being any clear reason for the sign. After minimal prodding from Angela, she gave in and we opted to do some birdwatching instead.

Turns out, birdwatching in this part of South Carolina can be pretty exciting when you least expect it. While we were traipsing on down the firebreak trail in search of the illusive whatever bird, we stopped to try and see what was making noise in the marsh grass. Now, I’m not one for hyperbole, but 3 seconds after we stopped, an 18 foot water moccasin shot out of the branches behind us and into the water. I didn’t run but I might have trickled. We immediately moved out smartly away from danger only to encounter a HUGE alligator sitting in the path, facing us. Note, the sign says large – LIARS.

After some debate about how fast gators can move on land, we decided to ease on past to the fork and continue walking into the marsh. You would think after seeing 50 of them while we were at the Everglades, one more wouldn’t be such a big deal, but the ones in the Everglades just gave the impression of being used to humans and couldn’t be bothered. This guy, not so much. After VERY carefully continuing down the fire break path and giving ourselves time to get the heart palpitations under control, we had to turn around and run the gauntlet again. Did I mention we were both in shorts and flip flops because we were planning on kayaking? Took a page right out of the Mom and Auntie Jean Planning Guide for this trip. Despite having to navigate the gator, who had mercifully turned away from us, we did not encounter any more snakes and successfully arrived back at the car. Birds found – zero.

Now, briefly back to the Expert Kayakers Only sign. One can only assume it was due to the presence of large gators. Regular gators apparently only require some experience. However, for all of the kayaking we have done in our lifetime, I fail to see how navigating whitewater in any way prepares you for a gator encounter. Just my two cents.