Winter Adventuring

The winter months on Kiawah offer a wonderful respite for those escaping cold and snowy climes when crisp, sunny days provide perfect weather for golfers and tennis players. But what’s an inveterate beach lover to do when the temperatures refuse to climb above 50 degrees? One option: heed the call of Kiawah’s Heron Park Nature Center, where a range of adventures awaits offering glimpses of life off the beaten track.

From November to March, the bird population soars on Kiawah, as 220 species settle in for the winter. The Nature Center’s Back Island Birding outing offers a terrific opportunity to take a guided van trip around the Island, hopping out to explore a number of different ecosystems, and watch the birds that call them home. The 2 1/2 hour program costs but $20 per person, and is scheduled several mornings a week.

With all those birds in residence, even the Alligator Adventure provides a chance to see some avian activity – and learn more about the food chain as you seek out North America’s largest reptiles. As spring approaches, alligator mating season begins, so you’ll hear the males bellowing to attract a female, and you might see alligators in some fairly unusual places. Some walking is required on this two-hour adventure, which costs just $15 per person (children must be six years old).

If you need an excuse to buy that digital camera you’ve been eyeing: the Nature Photography excursion with freelance photographer Jamie Rood is the outing for you. Head to Kiawah’s most scenic spots to learn the basics of shooting in the great outdoors. You’ll learn about exposure, composition, camera techniques, and lens selection – with an emphasis on capturing interesting scenes. The 2 1/2 hour outing costs $25 per person.

Venture out with the owls on the Nature Center’s Kiawah Night Exploration. Explore a rookery filled with hundreds of egret and heron, then travel to more remote regions to spotlight for deer, fox, alligator, and bobcat. Listen to the calls of barred owls and discover a world rarely seen by Island visitors. The two-hour van tour costs $15 per person.

Want to spend at least a little time on the water? Gather the gang (or your significant other) for the Family Kayaking tour – a two-hour paddle on tandem kayaks (with just a small risk of getting wet). Timed for the tides, this adventure involves moderate physical activity and offers a chance to explore Kiawah’s salt marsh ecology. The excursion costs $55 per adult, $30 for children under 12 (children must weigh at least 35 pounds).

Get details on these and other programs by calling Heron Park Nature Center at (843) 768-6001. Be sure to plan ahead – most adventures require at least 48 hours notice.