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At this last stop at Congaree Swamp, Rudy and Jim find another Sweetgum tree, which grows very well in this wet, muddy environment. A record size Willow Oak tree, toppled over by the wind, knocked...
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Sandy soils – At this stop, we see Southern Magnolia trees, which help keep the sandy ground stable. With this one magnolia tree, Rudy and Jim find holes left behind by beetles, and woodpeckers which...
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At the same stop, vines and flowering plants can also be seen growing in this area. We see Yellow Jessamine, and Toadflax.
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Hurricane Hugo damage revisited – Here we see further evidence of damage caused by Hurricane Hugo. The tall canopy trees like pines, oaks, and palmettos have been stripped bare. Nature is slowly...
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At the same stop, Rudy and Jim find more plants typical of barrier islands: Devil’s Walking Stick, Prickly Ash, and Buckthorn. In a shady area close by, Rudy and Jim find a resting Eastern Cottonmouth...
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Osprey birds and Bald Eagles can also be seen nesting in this wildlife refuge.
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The Dike – Vast fields of Cord Grass populate this area. The fresh water impoundments, with much lower levels of salinity, are perfect places for shore and sea birds such as Yellowleg birds, Black...
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Rudy and Jim catch a full sized adult alligator sneaking around the area, and also find a Four-Lined Rat snake, also known as a Live-Oak snake.
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Great Egret birds, whose nests were initially destroyed by Hurricane Hugo, have flocked back to the island to rebuild their homes.
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“Ghost Beach” - Rudy and Jim further assess the damage to the island by Hurricane Hugo. The pines and live oaks at the shore line are gone, but the Palmetto trees survived. The water is slowly eroding...