Sixteen people signed up to join SHL for a Full Moon Kayak Tour on Saturday, September 26, including several people who were new to our group. We joined a much larger tour organized by Charleston Outdoor Adventures, so once everyone was on the water, it wasn’t always easy to tell exactly who was with SHL. But the people we caught up with afterward agreed on one thing: it was a beautiful evening to be out on the water.
The group launched from Bowens Island before sunset and paddled through the surrounding tidal creeks and marshes as the day began to fade. The timing could hardly have been better. The sun sank toward the western horizon while the Harvest Moon rose in the east, giving the kayakers a chance to watch the landscape change from daylight to sunset, then dusk, and finally moonlight.
And they weren’t the only ones enjoying the evening. Several dolphins joined the scene, surfacing near the kayakers and providing one of the highlights of the trip.
As dusk deepened, the full moon became the star of the evening, illuminating the marsh and water as the group continued paddling. The photos capture a distinctly Lowcountry combination: salt marsh, open water, dolphins, sunset, and a bright moon rising over the horizon.
The tour was designed to be accessible to everyone from first-time kayakers to experienced paddlers, making it an easy way for both longtime SHL members and newcomers to spend an evening together while experiencing the Lowcountry from a very different perspective.
After returning to shore, the evening continued on dry land, with many of the group heading to The Washout at Folly Beach for drinks and more time together.
Not every SHL gathering needs a meeting room, an agenda, or even dry land. Sometimes community looks like a paddle in your hands, dolphins in the water, and a full moon rising over the marsh.
