4 replies to this topic

[mattknepley]

Over the past week and a half, family adventures have taken me to Hilton Head Island (and back) three times. It was a lot of mileage, but it was also a lot of fun. An added bonus was during each trip I managed to sneak in a little fish geeking and bird nerding. I am very poorly versed in any marine, brackish, salt marsh, or swamp type aquatic life, so was very excited to experience these habitats.

Following Dustin Smith's trip report I made a stop at Bahama Swamp. It lays directly on my path to HHI, and access is easy. But at first it is a little intimidating. Here's why.





I finally worked up the courage to wade into the water a couple feet and was very happy to find the footing was solid. The water was coffee brown, but at least the bottom didn't suck. (Uh, you know what I mean.) Keeping a sharp eye out for crocagators I worked a short stretch of stream. The main channel provided a gravid pirate perch and a bluebanded pygmy sunfish, Elassoma okatie. Okatie was new to me!




A pool left behind by receding high waters was filled with the smallest gambusia I have ever seen, as well as another new fish for my life list, Heterandria formosa. Those H. formosa are some cute little buggers. Little being the key word. I think the largest one I caught topped out at ~1/2"! The other, also a male, was a little smaller.




In addition to fish, I found a good size tad, the largest cray I have ever seen, and these eight-legged treasures in almost every net.





I only had the time, and nerve, to stay for a hour. Maybe next time I will be braver. And not alone...

Another really great place I got to explore was Fish Haul Creek Park, on the "heel" of sneaker-shaped HHI. Fantastic birding and aquatic geeking are available. Fish Haul Creek makes its short run through marsh to the Atlantic. This is where my id skill set fell apart faster than my NCAA bracket. First visit was at high tide. I was able to figure out who these guys were...




The next visit was at low tide, with vast expanses of exposed sand, tidal pools, much more of Fish Haul Creek, and mud flats available for playing in. Guess which one our dog found first...



There were tons more horseshoe crabs to be found. Other crabs include the abundant hermit crabs, and this fellow. I have tried to look him up, but had no luck. He was found in a pool way out on the sandy flats. My guess is it's a deeper water species that somehow got stranded inshore. Have no real idea,though. Any input?





I'm about out of postable picture space, so Part Two will finish this off.

[mattknepley]

Stephen, that okatie was very vivid when it first was seen in the net. Faded after that, but even so I doubt it was in full color, going by pictures I've seen. But still, one of the prettiest fish in the state, for sure. No, Dustin sure didn't mention the crocagator that gave him a swim-by. Did he bust out a crocagator evader dance? I'd pay money to see that.

Thanks for the crab id, Gerald.

Casper, for a second there I thought you were unleashing some more of your world famous haiku...