March 3, 2016 Colonial Dorchester State Historic Site

People walking across the grounds of this historic site are not wearing clothing for a day's walk or picnic. Instead they are dressed formally in dresses, suits and ties. They gather at the obelisk, an ancient brick structure of two stories in height with arched passages through it.  A wedding is taking place.

I am looking for the interpretive trail and ask a woman exiting her car with her brown and white English Spaniel, Bradley.  She points to the tabby fort and tells me to walk into it and through it out the other side and I will find a trail along the Ashley River.  The trail ends abruptly by the lovely green river.  There is a cormorant perched on a rock or piece of masonry in the flow.  Another dog walker (she has a Shitzu and a Yorkie) tells me in a New York accent, that the trail goes another way beyond the fort, but it goes into the woods and she was afraid to follow it.  I try that one and it also ends abruptly by the river.

Here, without trails, there is the old tabby fort, built in the 17th century, an architectural dig of the old town, picnic tables and a restroom, the brick obelisk, beautiful trees and the green flowing river.

I leave to find my way South towards Beaufort and in the outskirts of the town of Summerville, now clogged with traffic, there is a sign, advertising " GATOR RABBIT AND BUFFALO BURGERS.  There is no restaurant to be seen.  I take 165 for about 15 miles to the hamlet of Ravenel.  Along the way, pink and purple azaleas are in full bloom.

On Hwy 17, a small car passes, proclaiming on its back window:  "I Kayak, Therefore I Am".