Ashley River: Jessen's Landing to Middleton Place
In honor of St. Patrick's Day, about a dozen of us headed to Goose Creek Reservoir for our second annual St. Pat's paddle. At this time of year Goose Creek rookeries are asquawk with Ibis, Egrets, and Herons. This year, however, the 20+ mph winds suggested that we save this paddle for another day.
I arrived early and paddled down to the spillway. By the time I returned to the landing to find the others pondering their next move, I was soaked. Not really soaked, because on this chilly March morning I was properly attired in waterproof paddling gear.
Someone suggested that we head over to Jessen's Landing and paddle the somewhat wind-protected Ashley. Determining that the tide was favorable for a downstream paddle, most of us pointed our kayaks with vehicles asunder towards Jessen's.
As predicted, the ebb tide carrried us downstream from the landing. On the upper half of this paddle, the river is narrow and wooded with some development on the banks. Farther downstream, it widens as it passes through abandoned rice fields.
We found an unused launch where we stopped for lunch and a stretch before continuing downstream to Middleton Place.
Because the tide was a low water, the river bank and berm obstructed our view of Middleton. I've paddled upstream to Middleton from Leeds Avenue Launch and this provides a better view of the plantation because naturally, one rides the tide up and arrives at Middleton at high water.
Either way, this was a great paddle with good friends.
