Catching up over the last few months....

The last few months have been totally wide open for me, and I have had time to finally sit down, catch my breathe and get my blog up to date. This year and especially the last few months have been such an amazing journey from seeing and paddling new waters, to learning more about myself to really connecting to the Lord, my savior. I am truly blessed for all of the talents and abilities he has granted me. I am very thankful for my life, my wife and two glorious daughters, my mom and family that surround me, my close brothers...thank you all for your support and encouragement. A huge and special thank goes out to Wilderness Systems Kayaks and Adventure Technology Paddles for allowing me to be apart of the Pro Staff Family, it is totally my honor.

In late September Nita, my mom, and myself broke away for a week at one of my favorite places here on earth, Pawleys Island. There are many, many reason why I love this area of the world, but one that really stands out to me is, this is where my Dad and I made many lifetime memories that I will always cherish. I was able to beat the rain one day while I was there and raced out to the IC Creek that surrounds the island. I was super excited about getting out in my Wilderness Systems Ride 115 AA and exploring the waterways.

 

I quickly landed a few Lizard fish and was steady exploring the creeks. Meeting up with Johnny Wingfall and talking with him about costal living and fishing was priceless. As I moved north up toward Litchfield Beach I eased back into a long and winding creek, it was like something you see in paddling magazines, heck you might have. I tossed out my orange jerk bait and slam I was hooked up on a really nice Flounder. This Flounder turned out to be my personal best at just over 20 inches and a touch over 5 pounds.

Since getting back form PI ,I have been on a steady adventure almost twice ever month. Dave Davidson and myself lead our hiking group at Brookwood Church up through Jones Gap State Park to Rainbow Falls, up the Ol Boy Scout Trail to Pretty Place, and back to the park entrance. This was a very nice 8 mile hike with unreal views and fantastic fellowship.

 

Next on our list of adventure was Lake Greenwood for our first time ever. Kris and I struck out at the crack of dawn and made our way to an amazing day out paddling new waters. I was very shocked at the beauty of Lake Greenwood, it was nothing like I have ever heard. I was able to land 5 fish off of the first dock I threw at. I was wild, I landed about a 4lb. LMB, 1 Crappie, and 3 Bluegill. If I di not catch another fish that day I was happy. We paddled up to a very beautiful old bridge, and fished for some crappie, but no luck. The bridge made a fantastic backdrop for some quality photos.

 

Our last two big trips have been down to my new favorite place to paddle, explore, and fish...the breathe taking Sparkleberry Swamp located just outside of Sumter, SC. Sparkleberry Swamp is formed from where the Wateree river flows into the upper most part of the Santee Water System on Lake Marion.

I was a little cool in the early morning but the fish were hunger, trying to get nice and fat for the winter. We did an hour or so of exploring, and then we came upon a huge area of small lily pads that remind me of Angus Hole. So I relied on my trusty pink floating worm, and it did not fail. Landed a few small bass, and Kris was staring to figure out the Bluegill and Shell Cracker bite.

We decided to go in for a quick bite of lunch and finish setting up camp, and the swamp was calling our name. We could not wait to get back out, and boy we were not disappointed. The Bluegill and Shell Cracker fishing heated up, it was insane. We could barley keep Red Worms on our Ultra light rods before another strike would hit, and then another one. The action was no stop for four hours and the bases of the cypress trees were producing huge fish and big, big numbers. We finished up a spectacular day with 57 fish, and I landed another personal best, a beautiful Shell Cracker that weighted in over 2.5lbs.

We had such an amazing time at Sparkleberry we were right back down there three weeks later. This time we meet up with Tommy Granger and his fishing partner John S. The four of us pushed way back into the swamp for some of the best paddling around. It is very hard to find words to describe how magical this location is. Tommy and John really showed us some great Southern, Swamp, Heybo hospitality. The fellowship, paddling and fishing was like no other. I will try my best to make it down to Sparkleberry Swamp at least once every two months, but I am going to try and go once a month.

  

The future is going to be huge for us at Palmetto Guide we are planning a few trips that will allow for some wonderful paddling, photos, write-ups, and fellowship. over the next month we are going to hit a local lake and slime Kris's new Wilderness Systems Ride 115 Max Angler, hit the broad river for some smallie fishing with some of the Wildy Crew, make our way to the coast for some trout and red drum madness, and do a snow hike. Be sure to keep your eyes on our Facebook Page for the latest updates on trips and photos.

Over the last few weeks I have been doing some serious thinking and praying about the direction and future moves of Palmetto Guide. From my beautiful and supporting family, to starting Palmetto Guide, to becoming apart of the greatest Pro Staff (Wilderness Systems Kayak & Adventure Technology Paddles), to becoming a true follower of Christ, and not a Fan. I owe it all to H.I.M. and It is time to use my talents that the Lord has blessed me with to give back. I want to reach out and help other discover the true beauty and meaning of nature, and having a personal relation ship with Christ. Pushing forward we will be in the woods on the trial or in the water making waves in His glory. Showing others what nature is really about, and the beauty that God has created for us. We look forward to seeing you out in country.....

 

 



 

 











SCDNR Beach Sweep/River Sweep on Lake Keowee

 

 

As paddlers and anglers of various waterways, we believe it is our responsibility to be good stewards of the places we paddle.

Wilderness Systems & Adventure Technology Pro Staff JD Desrosiers had the opportunity to participate in a cleanup on beautiful Lake Keowee in South Carolina on Saturday, September 20th, 2014. Here's his report:

 

This past Saturday, we headed out to Lake Keowee to participate in the SCDNR Beach Sweep/River Sweep. Organized by SC Sea Grant Consortium in partnership with the SC Department of Natural Resources the cleanup is the largest one-day litter cleanup of South Carolina's beaches and waterways. Every third Saturday in September thousands of volunteers amass to clear trash from beaches, rivers, lakes, marshes, and swamps. I was able to organize a group of 12 fellow paddlers - we had 2 canoes and 10 kayaks out on the water! If you've never been to Lake Keowee, you'd be in for a pleasant surprise as the waters are Caribbean-blue with waterfalls dotting the shoreline. During the cleanup, we were able to fill up 3 industrial size trash bags in just a few hours. The area we concentrated on was the popular Falls Creek Landing on the northwest side of the lake. From a distance the area looked fairly clean, but once we started and got off of the beaten path we found some really messy and heavily trashed areas. One particular spot that we spent around 30 minutes on was a fire pit that was totally trashed. The before and after pictures are like night and day. Leaving that day, I just couldn't bring myself to understand what would posses someone to trash public lands. We at Wilderness Systems feel it is very important to preserve the waterways for the future generations.

 

 

 

Huge thank to crew that came out and helped out today on Lake Keowee, we could not have completed this very important task without you guys. We hope our numbers at least double next year...

 







What a day out on the water....

At Palmetto Guide today we made it up to Lake Jocasse. This was my first trip out as a Wilderness Systems Pro Staffer, and I was really looking forward to showing Kris around the lake. The adventure was awe inspiring with the weather on our... side we hit the water for about 9hrs. Managed to get on a few fish, 2 Smallies, and 10 Bream. We will definitely be going back to Lake Jocasse before the Fall arrives.

 

 

There is so much beauty in and around this fantastic body of water. We managed to paddle around 9 miles and it did not even seem like it. I guess when you are surrounded by such awe inspiring beauty you kind of lose yourself.

 

 



Around every curve there is something to look at or go and explore. With out a doubt this is a spectacular place to paddle and explore. The crystal clear waters reminded me of the Caribbean.

 

 

 

We will be heading back to Lake Jocasse before the water flips and becomes extremely cold. If you would like to head out for the day and see the truest form of nature's beauty then drop us a line or leave a comment. Thank you all for you unending support, Palmetto Guide.

 



 

What paddling means to me.....

 Paddling to me is peaceful and beautiful way to get around on the water. You are so close to the water that you are apart of the environment that you are surrounded by. Weather it is skinny water, big/wide open water, slat or fresh water, it does not matter...it is about being out on the water and feeling like there is no tomorrow. You can go solo or with your crew, you can go big or you can go small. Paddling make me feel alive.....

 Lake Moultrie, Santee Water System

 Palmetto Guide and Crew

Lake Cunningham w/ Kris

 

 Boyds Mill Reservoir, big bass 

Catching fish or not it does not matter as long as I am enjoying my time out in Mother Nature. Big fish, small fish, or no fish, it all good. Paddling to me is also about the adventure, and exploring water that most people can not or will not ever see. I see the water form a different prospective, form a different angle. It is about being free, no worries, just relaxing and taking it all in. We are so blessed to have this beautiful land to explore and venture on.

 Angus Hole slam, beautiful largemouth bass

Trout creek on Lake Oolenoy, Upstate SC

 

My home water, Lake Cunnigham

 

Santee Water System

 Lake Cunningham Sunset, breathe taking

 

Boyds Mill Reservoir, w/ the crew

Skinny water paddling with my brother Kris

Rest time on the river beach...

River paddling with my brother Jon...

 Best Top Water Pond in know of, Angus Hole, Upstate SC

Peaceful, relaxing, it is all good

Displaying the insane stability of my WS Ride 115 AA

Sunrise on Lake Murray with Kris and Olivia

Palmetto Guide back-water paddling

 

So get out there and see what you are missing....live life and take it all in. Be sure to contact us at Palmetto Guide if you are interested in getting out and exploring the water or if you want to stay on land to hit the trail. Be sure to check out our Facebook Page.... 

 



4th of July Paddle...

Palmetto Guide started out the 4th of July with a Dawn Patrol fishing trip to DMX pond in the Upstate of SC. This pond is know for it's great Top-Water action and clear water. The one thing that usually grabs peoples attention is the massive size of this pond, it is around 9 acres. Palmetto Guide, Kris and Olivia were out on the water by 5:30am, and we were blessed by an incredible sunrise. The bite was slow for the most part, but being on the water is not always about catching fish....it is enjoying nature and your surroundings.

The sun came up over the horizon quickly and the skies became a beautiful shade of blue that was captivating. All three of us split up and tried to cover the most water that we could. The fish were hitting but not wanting to run with the bait. Kris and I were having hits but no hook ups, unfortunately. No worries we all linked back up after about an hour and started exploring and enjoyed each other company.

 Sun coming over the horizon, making for a beautiful 4th of July.

Inside look of my Wilderness System Ride 115 AA w/ my All-star/Mitchell setups

 

 

The creek that you enter and exit DMX pond is awesome for some skinny water paddling. The bird life was diverse with many different species. This is one of my favorite ways to explore, and to get into places most people are not able to check out.We watched a few Red Tail Hawks hunt and we were lucky enough to see a huge Red Headed Woodpecker.

 



Palmetto Guide's Wilderness Ride 115 AA sitting in the Skinny water of the DMX creek.

 

I can not say enough about how amazing the Wildy Ride 115 AA is, super stable, incredibly comfortable, tracks like an arrow, fast, and paddles with ease. Out of all the yaks I have owned or paddled this by far is the best, and I do not see how it could get any better. Wilderness Systems is the Top of the Food Chain in the Kayaking Industry, coupled with their innovation and design, what else is there to say. If you are looking for the best yak out be sure to check out the full line of Wilderness System kayaks, you will not be disappointed!





Dupont Forest

 Palmetto Guide took a group form Brookwood Church out to Dupont Forest in Cedar Mountain, NC. We started off the day by meeting up at Stax Original and having a very good breakfast before hitting the trail. By 8:00am we were up at Dupont and ready to hit the trails. We decide that we would park at Hooker Falls parking area and complete the "Waterfall" Tour. The "Waterfall" Tour consist of us visiting Triple Falls, High Falls, and Bridal Veil Falls. If the group felt up to it we would go see Hooker Falls on our way out. We started off with a short but fairly steep hike up to the viewing area for Triple Falls. Triple Falls is simply breathe taking, without a doubt my favorite Waterfall around. This is where I asked my Wife to marry me, and it is so picturesque.



 Palmetto Guide and our group for the day, minus the lady taking the picture of us.

 



After leaving Triple Falls we hiked along the river and arrived shortly at High Falls. High Falls is quite spectacular in it's own right. There is a beautiful covered bridge that sits at the top of the Falls. High Falls is probably photographed more than any in Dupont Forest, because there are two easy trails that lead you right up to it.



This is a creative shot I have been trying to get for about 6 months with my GoPro...The picture was shot with the camera half in the water and half out of the water of High Falls.

A few more shots of High Falls, the upper shot is from the base of the falls, and the lower picture is from the High Falls viewing area.

 



We next made our push out to the beautiful and inspiring Bridal Veil Falls. From High Falls it is about 1.5 miles to get out to Bridal Veil Falls. On our way we passed by Lake Julian, and the spillway of Lake Julian. This lake is a great place to take a break or eat some lunch. It is also a great place to go kayaking, although a little tough to get the kayaks back this far it is well worth it. Great fishing and extremely clear water makes it a great place to go and see.

 

The weather was really playing to our favor on this Summer morning, with nice temps ,and a slight breeze it does not get much better. We continued to make our way out towards Bridal Veil, but you must stop and admire the Lake Julian spillway area. Dupont uses this area to plant small tree growth, and the spillway is the start of an amazing small river, which also produces great fishing.

Lake Julian Spillway, absolutely breathe taking....

 

Once passing by Lake Julian you are not far at all form Bridal Veil Falls. The hiking was quick and ease because of the gravel Fire Road. Within about 15mins we arrived at the very unique and picturesque Bridal Veil Falls. You may ask why is this waterfall so unique, well the movie Last of the Mohicans was filmed in this area. Also the upper section of Bridal Veil you can climb in behind the waterfall for a different look at the falls. If you decide to climb behind the falls be extremely careful, and watch for slick areas for the mist coming off of the waterfall.

This is the first view you have of Bridal Veil Falls, very beautiful and very peaceful. This is where we decide we would take a break, relax and have some lunch. After lunch Dave and I made the choice to push up to the Upper Section of Bridal Veil. Dave had never been up to the Upper Section, so I guided us up along side the Lower section. Of course I could not resist the temptation of climbing in behind the Upper Section of Bridal Veil.

Dave and I heading up to the Upper Section of Bridal Veil Falls, in the distance is the Upper Section.

 

Palmetto Guide in behind Bridal Veil Falls, you will get a little wet, and please be very careful if you decide to go behind the falls. It is safe, but it also slick, because of the heavy mist from the falls.

 

 

After messing around long enough we decide to meet back up with the rest of group and start making our way back towards Hooker Falls area and parking lot. We had about a 3 mile hike back out, but we were able to make quick work of it with everyone refreshed after our lunch and break.

 

If you get a chance head up to Dupont Forest or if you would like a guided hike please let us know, and we will be more than happy to show you around the entire Dupont area. Dupont Forest is very well maintained by it's great and helpful Rangers. It is very easy to access Dupont since it is just across the SC?NC State line. With over 11,000 acres for you to explore and over 100 trails this is one special area of the country.