Edisto Beach Tour

Botany Bay Ecotours

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Edisto Tour News and Notes

Send us an email with your own comments about your Botany Bay experience and have them potsed here!

WE HAVE NEW PROGRAMS FOR SUMMER 2010 INCLUDING EXCLUSIVE SEA TURTLE PROGRAMS AND FREE TALKS AND WALKS! CHECK THEM OUT ON OUR "PROGRAMS AND PRICES" PAGE.

Above: Morning Quiet, a painting by Margaret Lawrence inspired by a trip with Botany Bay Ecotours. Read her description of the trip in the center section of this page.

Below: Artist Margaret Lawrence and friends.

BOTANY UPDATE...Here's what's been happening at Botany lately...

Late Fall : Juvenile white ibis are feeding in the high marsh. Cormorants and pelicans are diving near the beach, we even spotted a loon on Sunday. The spartina is turning from yellow to brown, but it's still beautiful.

Early Spring: The robins arrived weeks ago promising a return of spring. The frogs are calling at night and the shorebird migration has arrived, so spring must be on the way!

Late April: The river otter successfully had her pups and moved them from her den site to their pond. It was incredible to watch her carry them one by one in her mouth to the water. The painted buntings are here and singing their territorial boundaries along with the mocking birds, blue birds, chuck will's widows and others. Along the creek, whimbrels and dowitchers are lining the shores at low tide.

Summertime: We're seeing dolphins mating, sea turtles and terrapins in the creeks and beaucoup whimbrels and dowitchers going to roost while we take in the sunset.

Autumn: It may be hard to believe, but the signs of Autumn are already arriving. The birds are off their nests now that the young pelicans, woodstorks, night herons and many more have fledged. We're seeing the fledglings and adults feeding in the marsh. The cloudless sulphur butterflies are starting to wing by and the marsh grass is just beginning to seed.

Botany Bay Ecotours Is Growing!

Our customers have responded to our content-rich, experiential learning style. What this means is you like getting out on the water with us as much as we enjoy taking you! We're responding to the demand by adding other guides with the same love of the outdoors AND love of sharing it with others. We've also added a new boat that will be ready next spring for families and groups up to 12 people. Thank you for joining us.

First Mate Lil' Foot was found in the middle of Hwy 174 in Feb 2009. She has become an integral part of our customer service team. Jack joined us on a dolphin tour and became buddies with Lil' Foot. His mother sent this photo and wrote that Jack still talks about Lil' Foot every day. I'm happy to report that Lil' Foot is still talking about Jack too. If Jack ever wants to come join us, we'll make him head of marketing!

Visitor's Log

"Meg, It was a memorable morning on the boat heading out in hopes of seeing dolphins feed. I can still feel it and see it when I close my eyes and remember that time. What I saw was early morning light and colors, the sun illuminating the marsh grass in a magical way. What I experienced was a deep peace as we floated, watching the birds, the grass, the water, 4 friends on the boat quiet for a very long time, transfixed by the magic and serenity of early morning . Thus the title of my painting, Morning Quiet. And the bonus of course was seeing the dolphin as we headed back to the dock!"

-M. Lawrence, Yarmouth, ME

"Meg is an extraordinary ecotour guide. She is extremely knowledgeable, kind, fun, warm, and enthusiastic. She is a fountain of information and has the ability to tailor her knowledge to any age or interest group. She is very safety conscious, but also allows one to learn in a relaxed, hands-on way. It is clear that Meg is dedicated to the environment and the creatures around her- and this way of being transfers to those she leads! And Botany Bay is gorgeous, unspoiled and has great energy. I could spend many days with Meg on Botany Bay!"

-P.C. Sellars, Asheville, NC

"Your integration of historical, cultural, biological, and ecological information made the tours outstanding. My husband and I fell in love with Edisto on our first trip and continue to return. It is a real pleasure to get to learn so much more about the area. You do great work!"

-T. Whitesides, Sciences Division (Biology), Central Piedmont Community College, NC

“Meg made our tour entertaining as well as educational. As a non-biologist, I was able to understand and appreciate this area after a tour with her.”

-H. Fujita, Nara, Japan

"Botany Bay is my favorite place on the Planet! Meg's gentle guiding style allows you to truly embrace what nature has to offer. She helps you create a receptive presence with the primitive beach, giving you an amazing experience that will nurture you every time you think of it."

-L. Morris, Asheville

"I REALLY enjoyed your tour last week. I think you are the best guide we've had on our quarterly trips with Beaufort Kayak Tours over the years. You are the most informative guide, you related to your audience, kept a good pace, talked with us individually, and are very witty. I would enjoy a trip with you again. Every day I give Teresa a new fact I learned that day."

-C. Kirk, Beaufort, SC