From Pandemic Pods to at-home tutors to quaran-teams, this year has really challenged parents to get creative when it comes to educating their kids. It hasn’t been easy to say the least. Greenville mom Michelle Paddenburg totally gets it. She’s a local business owner with years of experience running programs specifically geared towards education and childhood development, she is now focusing on building Challenge Island in the community to help parents with elearning, virtual programs, and homeschooling.
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Behind the Scenes at the Greenville Humane Society
While you may already know that the Greenville Humane Society is a wonderful place to find a new furry friend, there is so much more here.
We got to visit them and talk about about fostering, affordable pet care, volunteer opportunities and more. If you’re looking to adopt a furry friend or maybe just want to help out someplace where you can make a difference, the Greenville Humane Society is a wonderful place to look.
Outdoor Wireless Access Offered at Greenville Libraries
Want to take work or school outside but lack a wireless option? The Greenville County Library System is now offering public WiFi outdoors.
All libraries already offer free wireless connections indoors but well, we can’t use those right now much because of COVID. So they are extending that public WiFi connection coverage in all parking areas of every library branch in Greenville County and the lawn in front of the Hughes Main Library on Heritage Green (picnic plus virtual learning anyone?).
“Given the ever increasing dependency on the Internet for the provision of health care, learning outside the classroom, communication, entertainment, and access to government services, the Greenville County Library System is pleased to be able to provide this connectivity option at all our facilities,” said Beverly James, Greenville County Library System Executive Director.
You don’t need a library card to access the free public WiFi outdoors, which will be available daily from 6 am to 9 pm. To connect to the network, select “gclswireless”.
Only the Hughes Main Library is open to the public. All other branches offer curbside pickup for books, movies, and other library offerings.
The library offers a ton of fantastic resources online all for free, which you can learn about here. As of right now, the library has not indicated when all branches will re-open.
You Can See Dolphins and Explore a Vanishing Island in Hilton Head
If you love dolphins and nature and are planning a trip to Hilton Head Island, exploring the salt marshes and trying to find dolphins with Island Explorer is the way to go. This story reviews three of Island Explorer’s dolphin cruises out of Hilton Head. Some of those trips were granted as media tickets so we could tell our readers all about these neat experiences. All opinions here are our own.
Find a place to stay in Hilton Head. This article contains Stay22 affiliate links.
The other passengers in our boat all gasped when we caught sight of the first dolphin off of Hilton Head Island on the gorgeous South Carolina coast. Growing up with a love of dolphins, I was right with them, grabbing my camera to capture the beautiful creatures in their natural environment.
My two young kids and I were guests of Island Explorer, led by Captain Jim, who was the very first person to open a water sports company on the island 20 years ago. He started Island Explorer with just a raft and a love of showing visitors the vast diversity of ocean life right off the dock in the salt marshes.
The boat we were on was custom made – Island Explorer has three of them – that was designed for comfort and maximum viewing capabilities of dolphins. It also conforms to US Coast certifications and fits up to 12 passengers. The summer is the company’s busiest time of year for obvious reasons, although they operate from March through Thanksgiving.
Let’s See Some Dolphins
The first time we did a tour with Island Explorer, we enjoyed the one-hour tour of the salt marsh, which Jim describes as a “nursery for ocean life.” I immediately understood this as I had taken my young daughters the evening before to a boardwalk overlooking another salt marsh where fishermen were only catching baby black tip sharks (and throwing them back). Captain Jim described this fertile environment as perfect for the smaller sea life just trying to make their way.
The cool thing is that the tours often take guests during low tide because it’s the best chance to see dolphins – for the reason that the fish have less places to hide from the dolphins and it’s prime feeding time. I love nerdy information like that.
As we watched the dolphins swim close to the boat, I wondered if Island Explorer has ever taken guests out and not seen dolphins. Nope. They always see them, to the delight of everyone on board.
Another cool thing I loved was that the boat allows guests to bring snacks and drinks. If you have young kids, snacks are essential. They are probably more important than water. My kids were loving an extended snack time plus dolphin watching. Big win.
Vanishing Island Tour
I had my eye on this tour for over a year so when I had the chance the go, there was no hesitation. The Vanishing Island tour with Island Explorer is a three-hour expedition that takes guests to an island that is only visible during low tide where they can hunt for sand dollars and cool shells.
Vanishing Island is just past Hilton Head Island and Daufuskie Island, the last island in South Carolina, and is a wide expanse of sand. You can only get there by boat but when it’s high tide, it disappears. It feels like you’re out in the ocean walking on water! Because of the currents and tides, sand dollars are aplenty here, much more so than you’ll ever find on the beach. Island Explorer gives you a bag when you board the boat so you can grab as many interesting items from the island as you like.
We found tons of beautiful sand dollars and pretty shells. My kids were in heaven. We were able to spend over an hour on the island and wandering to other parts of the island through shallow waters. It was a unique experience.
Since the tour goes through the same salt marshes as the other dolphin tours, you get to see dolphins! We got really lucky and saw them doing a unique feeding behavior where they splash their tails really hard in the water to stun the fish and then gobble them up. I only heard about this but had never seen it. I really love dolphins and seeing them in the wild doing their cool things was amazing.
Bring plenty of sunscreen and water since it’s really hot and the summer sun is relentless.
Sunset Dolphin Cruise
The last trip I did with Island Explorer was actually with co-workers – so no kids aboard this time. We had a lot of fun! The trip goes out in the early evening on Broad Creek with plenty of time for dolphin sightseeing and viewing the sunset over the sound.
Guests are welcome to bring aboard snacks and adult beverages if they like. For our sunset cruise, the sky was overcast and far away near the horizon we could see clouds start to gather as we started out of the creek area and past the oyster beds. But our captain was in control and happy to slow the boat down when we spotted our first dolphin near one of the oyster beds, which he told us plenty of information about. He fielded all our questions with ease as he guided the boat out to the waters surrounding Daufuskie Island.
I really want to go to that island, like badly. I was trying to convince him to drop me off for a bit. I wasn’t successful (maybe next time!). Our captain spotted a pod of dolphins near the island and we headed in that direction, which also happened to be in the direction of storm clouds that looked like the alien spaceships of the movie Independence Day. It was pretty cool I have to say. Scary, but neat.
No worries though as our captain was watching the radar – and the dolphins – and checking in with the other boats out in the same area. We decided to turn back at this point for safety and I figured our chances of actually seeing the sunset were pretty slim. I was wrong.
Somehow the dark clouds never reached us. In fact, they parted just enough so we could see the brilliant reds and oranges of the setting sun. It was spectacular. The beauty of the sunset over Broad Creek was stunning. We spotted a few more dolphins on our way back to the dock and really didn’t want to leave.
This cruise was fantastic. One of the better parts of it was that the sun wasn’t beating down on you since it’s much later in the day. It’s a relaxed, but very enjoyable adventure. Kids are welcome on this cruise but if you’d like a date night while on the island, this is the way to go.
Trips
Island Explorer has several trips you can choose from to watch dolphins and explore nature.
There are several tours to choose from. After the pandemic, Island Explorer changed their pricing and business model to focus more on private, chartered tours. However, there are cruises, like the Sunset Dolphin Cruise, where you can still pay by person.
Ready to See Dolphins?
Book a tour now for your Lowcountry trip because summer is the busy season for Island Explorer. The company has won multiple travel awards for their exceptional experiences for guests, and ours was no different. They are top-notch operation and I would choose them again in a heartbeat!
Island Explorer
101 Marshland Road
Hilton Head Island, SC 29926
843.785.2100
book@dolphintourshiltonhead.com
https://www.dolphintourshiltonhead.com
Would your kids love to see some dolphins on your next beach trip?
Most Upstate parents ok with masks in schools but less than half are ‘very happy’ with their school choice
It’s back to school time and this year is unlike any we’ve ever experienced. The new school year doesn’t look anywhere near normal. Parents have had to make choices and decisions that are mind-boggling. We wanted to know how parents came to those decisions and how happy they are about them. We asked a few other things in order to take a small snapshot of how parents in the Upstate are feeling these days as well.
We had 569 parents take our survey. More than three-quarters were from Greenville County and the others spread between Spartanburg, Anderson, and Pickens.
These are some of the points that stood out to us:
- Parents made the school decisions they did largely because of their child’s educational needs and the need for a stable schedule; health risks fell in the middle of those decisions
- Half of parents surveyed chose to change how their child would be schooled this year
- Parents are most concerned about their child’s educational, emotional, and social well-being this fall; this is closely followed by concerns about teacher health
- Less than half of parents are very happy with their school choice this year and more than 40% would have changed their decision if their family situation were different
- More than two-thirds of parents think that mask policies in schools are appropriate
- More than half of parents think social distancing in schools is appropriate
School Choice
We asked where kids in elementary, middle, and high school are attending school this fall, as well other questions about whether or not this is a change for families and where kids were enrolled last year.
Where are your kids going to school?
Is this a new choice for your family?
While nearly half of parents surveyed are making no change this year, the other half chose a new schooling option for their kid(s).
If you chose a different option this year, where were your kids enrolled last year?
No surprise here really – most parents had their kids enrolled in public school last year.
Feelings about School Choices This Year
No school choice this year was necessarily easy. Here’s how parents feel about their choices.
Big Decision Makers
There are some big things that parents took into account when making a school choice decision this year. Also, two-thirds of parents surveyed have an adult that can stay home with the kids.
How Parents Feel About Masks & Social Distancing
The majority of parents we surveyed are okay with masks and social distancing at schools.
Other Concerns
Parents are worried about how their school choice decision will affect their child’s overall mental, social, and educational well-being.
Some parents told us additional thoughts about this unprecedented school year:
I honestly think everything is going to be fine. Teachers will love their students. Students will learn and grow. We will all get through this together.
There’s no perfect solution but I think GCS is doing their best. I wish there were other resources outside of the school system to help those in dire need of child supervision to relieve the stress of balancing e-learning and jobs but, of course, I have no answers.
I wish more people were concerned about the educational and emotional impacts of not being [face to face] like normal. Also, thank you for holding the Q&As with the board member. He answered questions more thoroughly than anyone else did.
There are 2 things that I am extremely concerned about regarding the upcoming school year (so much so that it literally keeps me up at night): the health and safety of my entire family and the fact that my children did not learn well at all virtually in the Spring (and it was an extremely horrible struggle to get them to do their school work and try to work a full-time job at the same time even with my husband out of work and at home with them).
I feel like nothing is the right answer and there is no way to meet all needs.
This is a hard decision for all families. There are no easy/good choices, we can only do what we think is right for our kids and family. We need to support one another because all parents are struggling this year, not that parenting was easy to begin with but pandemic life just made it that much harder.
I am very worried about what the environment of school will be like for my children. As much as meet the teacher is for the student, it is also helpful for a parent to see the classroom and meet the the teacher. It provides a level of reassurance, which is something I feel I need now more than ever given the difficult choices we have had to make.
Very upset about kids having to wear masks
I feel like a weekly change in schedule with little notice to parents is disruptive and decisions should be made quickly for at least two weeks at a time. I hope for everyone’s sake that they proceed cautiously.
I am sure the districts are doing the best they can. This is an unprecedented and very difficult and frustrating situation.
For us we just needed a stable option for the kids and the virtual learning would hold us at home waiting on the next live teaching for too many hours a day. Also not willing to test a new option again (like e-learning)
To say that I’m fully confident in this choice wouldn’t be honest. I do have concerns, as I think all parents do, regardless of what choice they’ve made for their family.
We should have the choice to send our children 5 days per week.
Dolphins May Swim Up to Your Kayak on This Hilton Head Salt Marsh Tour
Kayak Hilton Head let us join one of their boat tours this summer for an amazing experience on the water. Kristina shares all about what to expect and why this particular place is excellent for your next family adventure on the coast.
Media tickets were given so we could write about Kayak Hilton Head.
For more family fun on Hilton Head, don’t miss our list of our favorite things to do on Hilton Head Island.
I grew up near the ocean but never got to see dolphins, or really any other cool wildlife, up close until I started visiting the South Carolina coast. And wow, the beaches in the state are just beautiful. But then I learned all about salt marshes and the uniqueness of this kind of environment and was blown away! I’ve done amazing dolphin cruises in Hilton Head Island but I am a huge fan of kayaking and wanted to get just a tad bit closer to the dolphins and birds and salt marshes.
So I went on a two-hour kayak tour with Kayak Hilton Head. To say the experience was unforgettable is an understatement. If any of you followed our Instagram story on the kayak tour, you can plainly hear I lost my mind upon seeing dolphins up close. Sorry. I was excited.
Experience Matters
Kayak Hilton Head is owned by a gracious and chill guy named Dave. He has been running the company for almost 20 years. And he used to work for Disney’s Hilton Head resort, so finding things to entertain kids comes naturally. That kind of experience is worth it when it comes to learning about the area, the salt marshes, and the incredible wildlife and creatures that inhabit it.
The kayak tours take place at Broad Creek, a tidal creek that rises and falls with the tide. It’s a protected area far from the open ocean which means you likely won’t be dealing with high winds and waves – or big sharks. The salt marshes provide habitats for everything from dolphins to manatees to minks to vast oyster beds and all kinds of cool birds. We got to see a Rosa Spoonbill, a pink bird with a beak that looks like a spoon, which it uses to scoop out food from shallow waters. So cool.
Our guide for the morning kayak tour we went on was Mary, a resident of the island. Mary not only provided an informative narrative tour as we were kayaking but answered our questions about literally everything from how the docks are built to the life cycle of oysters to the best restaurants on the island. She was awesome. My nine-year-old daughter and I did the tour together and I felt like we were on the best field trip ever – which I’m totally counting as homeschooling.
We learned about the Loggerhead Turtles and how they travel the world but always come back home to lay their eggs (and how a teacher once tried to take a nest off the island – it didn’t end well). We learned about how stone crabs are harvested for their meat by taking off one claw and then letting the crab go free because the claw grows back, which is why, if you see a stone crab, they will almost always have lopsided claws. We learned about the harvesting and growth of oysters as well as the island’s history of being occupied during the Civil War by Union soldiers, who used the salt grass to wrap and preserve the fish they caught.
And all of the learning was happening while we paddled along, with plenty of space between all of us in the group, in the beautiful water in the salt marsh.
What We Saw
Yes, we got to see dolphins. And it was amazing. All throughout high school I wanted to be a marine biologist. I wanted to swim with dolphins. I wanted to be a dolphin trainer. If it had to do with dolphins, I was in. While none of those paths were in my future, my love of dolphins remains and it’s such a ridiculous joy to see these creatures.
One dolphin surfaced right between my kayak and our guide, Mary, surprising us for a second. She told us that many dolphins are recognizable by locals by their unique markings on their dorsal fins. Of course, I wanted to see all the dolphins and learn each one’s name. But we had run out of time on our tour. It went by fast!
As much as I loved the dolphins, I wasn’t expecting to be wow’d by all of the other wildlife we saw. As mentioned above, we got to see the pink Rosa Spoonbill. Mary was really excited to see that bird so I figured it must be extra special.
We saw lots of little spider crabs, egrets, herons, and jumping minnows. And everything we learned from Mary was just fascinating. The paddling was leisurely as we glided peacefully through the water, just observing the world around us.
It was easy to forget life for a while, to just enjoy the quiet morning and beauty that surrounded us.
What You Need to Know
We went on a kayak tour with Kayak Hilton Head during the COVID-19 pandemic and they handled everything with care and consideration. All employees were wearing masks and they sanitize the kayaks, life jackets, and paddles between each use. Kayaking is a natural social distancing activity. You’re on the water and outdoors controlling your own boat. Even if you have zero kayaking experience, it’s not hard to paddle away from someone if you want.
If you’re looking for a good outdoor activity where social distancing is easy, this is it.
Also, you are provided with a life jacket and paddle so no need to bring your own unless you want to. They have a basket on land to keep your keys (which I suggest you use – don’t want to lose your keys accidentally in the water). If you want to bring your phone or camera, maybe have a wet bag with you or something waterproof to put them in. I had no problems doing that in our kayak.
And bring water. It’s hot out there and water is essential. My daughter and I both wore hats and sunscreen as well, which certainly helped us stay cooler and of course, prevent sunburn.
Kayak Hilton Head has both double and single kayaks, which is perfect for families. My daughter and I were in a double kayak together. I own a sturdy sit on top kayak so I was a little nervous to use a sit-in kayak but I soon figured out my worrying was futile. Our kayak was a Wilderness double kayak, one of the best on the market. It was sturdy and solid and a really easy boat to paddle.
Check-in is 30 minutes prior to your tour time, which gives you enough time to get your gear, use the restroom, and have a Paddle 101 lesson from your guide. We paddled with a cute family who had two little kids, a mom, and a grandma. This grandma had never paddled before in her life but she was a rock star five minutes into our tour. Don’t worry if you’ve never kayaked before. If grandma can do it, so can you.
Booking a Tour
Kayak Hilton Head books tours all day every day during peak season in summer. Typically, summer kayak tours run at 8 am, 10:45 am, 2:30 pm, and 6 pm. Spring and fall tours are usually 9 am, 11:30 am, 2 pm, and 5 pm. Reservations must be made in advance.
Dave will tell you the best time to kayak is at 8 am. It’s relatively cooler at that time of day and you have a better chance of seeing dolphins. Seeing dolphins isn’t guaranteed on every tour though. They are wild animals and don’t have a schedule!
If you reserve your tour online, the cost is $30/adult and $15/child (12 and under). If you don’t reserve online, it’s $45/adult and $30/child.
Kayak Hilton Head does not have a minimum age to come on the tours and they leave it up to the parents. Just be aware that there is no place to stop on the kayak tour and jump out and stretch your legs or let the kids run around. They will be confined the whole time to your boat.
If you’re looking for other boat tours, Kayak Hilton Head has a shark fishing tour, a sunset cruise, and a beachcombing expedition.
Kayak Hilton Head
18 Simmons Road, Hilton Head, SC
843.684.1910
Kayak Hilton Head Website
Kayak Hilton Head Facebook
Would you go on a kayak dolphin tour?
All 47 SC State Parks Are Open With New Requirements
South Carolina State Parks are open, but park operations and restrictions are changing as Covid-19 continues. In addition to capacity restrictions, masks are now required in South Carolina State Parks in any place in the park where park staff and the public congregate.
Find a South Carolina State Park in the Upstate to visit!
There are 47 state parks in South Carolina, many of which are vastly popular like Table Rock State Park, Jones Gap State Park, and Devils Fork State Park here in the Upstate.
State Park Health and Safety Rules and Guidelines
SC State Park has several new guidelines they will be following in order to keep both visitors and staff safe while allowing everyone to enjoy the outdoors.
Masks in State Parks
All visitors over 2 are required to wear a face mask in any facility at a state park that is either staffed by a park employee or is a place where the public congregates. These places include park offices and stores, restrooms, nature centers, etc. If you rent a facility such as a cabin or picnic shelter, you are encouraged to follow CDC and DHEC regulations for mask wearing and distancing but park rangers will not enforce the regulations in those situations.
Camp & Cabin Reservations
The parks are honoring existing camp and cabin reservations and they are taking new reservations. Visitor Centers have also opened but with physical barriers and other precautions taken to ensure social distancing. Retail stores are scheduled to open May 15th with the same precautions taken.
Playgrounds and Group Rental Facilities
All playgrounds and group rental facilities are now open.
Park Programs, Hikes, and Tours
All park programs, interpretive hikes, and tours of historic homes are suspended until further notice.
Restrooms
Restrooms will be open but will be closed periodically for cleaning so be patient.
We interviewed Paul McCormack, the SC State Parks Director, and asked him all our burning questions about the new guidelines:
Entering State Parks
SC State Parks was forced to shut down the parks after they saw record crowds and reached capacity in mid-March soon after the state implemented social distancing so they are implementing new regulations.
Parks initially limited capacity when they reopened but most are back open at full capacity. Even so, many of our areas parks are some of the most popular in the state and fill up fast, especially on weekends.
Before you go, be sure to check either the State Park Facebook or the website of the park you want to go to in order to check for closures.
If you have questions, call the park before you go.
Jones Gap New Rules
Jones Gap State Park is hugely popular here in the Upstate and has a small parking lot, so oftentimes if you don’t get there early, you have to wait to get into the park.
You can now purchase a parking spot ahead of time to be sure you can get in. Parking spots will be $5 to reserve plus the cost of admission. Even if you have a Park Passport, you still need to pay to reserve a spot.
You can also pay to reserve parking at Devils Fork State Park.
State Park Passport
If you bought a SC State Park Passport, you’ll get that month back in some form. Here’s what the park website says:
- When you purchase a new passport, we will add the extra month on to that passport at no charge.
- When your current passport expires, you may turn it in and we’ll give you another passport for the month missed at no charge.
Dollywood’s Newest Attraction is Whimsical & Fun for the Whole Family
Are you planning a visit to Dollywood soon? The 2021 season starts on March 13th. Dollywood, the premier theme park attraction located in Eastern Tennessee, added a new attraction to the park in 2019 called Wildwood Grove; we got to check it out firsthand and be immersed in all the magic and wonder inherent in any Dollywood experience.
When you go to Dollywood, head right for Wildwood Grove because there is so much to see and do for your whole family!
(more…)Get Summer in a Box with Carolina Crate
When you think summer, do you think fresh fruits and veggies? KAG’s Kristina Hernandez does, and she’s bringing us the scoop on the Carolina Crate from Lowes Foods. You can get a tasty crate full of fresh produce weekly and put summer on the table!
(more…)Creek Stomping in the Upstate, SC
Are you looking for a place to take the kids for some fun and to cool off near Greenville, SC? Have you tried creek stomping?
What is creek stomping you ask? Well, it’s really simple. You find a creek and then, you guessed it, you stomp around in it. Or if you prefer, you can splash.
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