Took a ride up to The Fly Barn before the rains moved in. I finally got the skiff under the cover of the barn and in a ready position for a good cleaning and readiness. I still have to get these two registered here in South Carolina which I have come to learn is a PItA. SCDMV handles the trailers and SCDNR handles the boats.
While up there I installed some motion detectors and cameras just in case someone wanted to sniff around when I'm not up there. With the neighborhood now filled in it's good to have a bunch of sets of eyes on the place. I stopped Town Hall to apply to the water and sewer departments to get those services up and running. It was funny when I was explaining to the two ladies which property it was and one referred it as, "Oh, the fence".
Ah, the fence. Or the fortress as some may describe it as. I got a visit from the Town's Zoning Officer today and we walked the property and I shared with him my plan of getting it into compliance. That will include moving one section and and then cutting it down from the current six foot height down to four. The above section that's considered the back of the property can remain at six foot, Thank God. But I'll angle down the last section from six to four feet. I got an estimate for $1,200 from the guy who built it to do the work but this is something I can do. How hard could it be? We'll see about that. I hope to start next week and have the relocation part be done before we head back to New Jersey in the beginning of October.
I again had to laugh when I Googled The Fly Barn, Ridgeland, and saw what AI or whatever computer data base spit out. On this search they referred to the place as, "... a private, classy multi-use outbuilding...", and, ... "a private retreat after outdoor activities like local fishing".
No doubt AI shares my vision for the place although I don't know how "classy" it will be in the end. After the morning there I headed over to the river for some low tide scouting. On this trip I decided to park way away from the puddles and soft sand that had become saturated with the recent rains and hard east winds which pushed the high tide water up on the sandy road. I wasn't getting stuck again that's for sure.
As I took the walk down I could hear the clatter from the fiddler crabs walking to find safety in their protective burrows. These are the crabs redfish seek when there's enough water up on the flats. While I have seen a lot of flys tied with imitation claws I don't think they're necessary here.
These aren't the crab flies we toss on sandy bright colored bottoms. It's heavily vegetated, muddy, and most times off color. Dropping temps and the winter months bring the gin clear water where flys are more visible.
By the time I got done the wall of water (rain) in the distance was making its way to me. I didn't care, and it actually felt refreshing, as this was more of a fact finding mission than a fishing trip. Most of the time I've spent here has been two hours before and after the flood tide so it was interesting to see the structure along this beat. One things for sure when these waters get muddied, they get muddied.
With the water low to incoming I was able to see where the oyster beds are located. They're mostly the points along the beach with muddier and grassier runs in between them. One things of sure, without good foot protection, or if one of your boots were to fail, you'd be in a bad way.
And if you were to take a fall here, coupled with that daily 81 mg baby aspirin you take, you'd bleed out before the ambulance could come and save you. Razor sharp doesn't describe these enough.
One of the best things I was able to learn was the importance of identifying the feeder creeks to the flats. Again, I've been there on higher waters but seeing it at low, still with water there, identifies the highway that brings bait and bigger fish off the main river to the skinnier water flats.
The above image shows that area on a wind driven early incoming. I stuck my fly rod tip down to see how deep it was and it's likely 2-3 feet so getting to the other side will require a kayak, tube, or a quick swim.
And like most days when it monsoons, it clears, and then the sun comes out. I was able to pull Theresa away from opening boxes and organizing to head over to one of the pools. We usually go around 7-ish and today was more of the same. We spent some time in the hot tub before a dip in the pool, and then, a tour of the gym. Yes, I was in the gym.
When people hear about Sun City and the fact that 10,000 people live here they get visions of people tripping over one another. Well last night was like most nights. Empty. We were literally the only people there, and it was open. We thought we must have been missing something, like a free concert, barbecue, or money give away, somewhere else. Nope just a regular night in paradise.
We've only been here for about two weeks and if I hd to describe the overall feeling, just weird. Not the place. Not the people. Just kind of like a fish out of water. They say it takes time to get settled in and organized, and then more time to get your flow going. I do think there is a difference between living, while still working, in a 55 and over community and just plain flat out retiring. We both need, and want to work, so maybe that'll help with the weirdness we are both feeling.